Image of Professor Huang Dingjian performing acupuncture treatment for a patient.
On a morning after heavy rain, the reporter visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine to seek out the renowned TCM expert and acupuncture master, Professor Huang Dingjian.
At 83 years old, Professor Huang is in his esteemed clinic, consulting and treating patients. With silver needles in hand, he slowly and intermittently twists the needles into the skin, speaking softly, smiling kindly, and showing genuine concern, without haste or anxiety. He insists on holding outpatient clinics five half-days a week and conducts ward rounds irregularly, tackling difficult cases, with appointments being highly sought after.
“The technique of fine needle acupuncture consists of five basic steps: holding the needle, inserting the needle, manipulating the needle, retaining the needle, and withdrawing the needle. It emphasizes the five essential components of principle, method, formula, point, and technique. The way the needle is manipulated affects both the patient’s experience and the efficacy of the acupuncture,” Professor Huang explains while adjusting the patient’s clothing. “The speed of needle insertion varies the skin’s stimulation; slower insertion provides a gentler and more prolonged stimulation, allowing the skin to fully function to facilitate the flow of qi (气) and adjust it.”
Huang Dingjian vividly remembers his first encounter with fine needle acupuncture during middle school. After experiencing joint pain, a local doctor named Zhu Han treated him with acupuncture, and he was cured without taking any medicine. In 1959, he enrolled in Guangxi Chinese Medicine College, becoming a practitioner with a “divine needle” in hand, feeling particularly delighted and cherishing this opportunity. After graduating in 1963, he has dedicated 59 years to the acupuncture department.
“I will never forget my acupuncture mentor, Mr. Li Renyuan, and the classic course instructors, Mr. Lin Peixiang (Guangxi) and Mr. Yang Changseng (Nanjing). At a critical moment of academic transformation, I received guidance and support from the modern acupuncture master, Zhu Lian.” The anatomical model of meridians and acupuncture points given to him by his teacher Li Renyuan is his most treasured possession, polished to a shine after more than half a century of handling. “I am the first person from Donglan County to enter a Chinese medicine institution. I want to repay the Party and government, my teachers, and my patients with my lifelong learning.”
In Huang Dingjian’s view, TCM is a life science that integrates humanistic philosophy and natural science. He adheres to the belief of being people-oriented and following the natural way, emphasizing the dual approach of meridian and organ differentiation. His unique acupuncture (针灸) method combines seasonal adjustments with targeted treatments. The small fine needle prioritizes the flow of qi, and the feedback from the patient’s symptoms is keenly felt by him, allowing him to adjust his techniques accordingly. He skillfully employs gentle moxibustion (艾灸) and medicinal thread moxibustion, determining the treatment based on the patient’s condition, which is remarkably exquisite.
Huang Dingjian has a deep love for acupuncture. “Acupuncture is inexpensive, has no toxic side effects, and has a wide range of applications, particularly excelling in treating clinical conditions such as atrophy, paralysis, pain, and miscellaneous disorders.” He is well-versed in various acupuncture techniques, especially those that are gentle, meticulous, effective, and often painless, adjusting the depth and strength of the needle as needed. For instance, he can safely retain needles for lower back pain; relieve menstrual pain by needling the Chengjiang (承浆) point; treat facial paralysis without medication; and alleviate hiccups by needling the Neiguan (内关) point. Over nearly six decades of practice, Huang Dingjian has continuously witnessed the miraculous effects of acupuncture.
From 1983 to 1986, Huang Dingjian was dispatched by the state to assist Niger. Due to the simplicity and effectiveness of acupuncture, he became one of the busiest medical and social figures. A United Nations official suffering from erectile dysfunction was unable to marry, but after Huang’s acupuncture treatment, he quickly returned with his wife to express gratitude and present gifts to each member of the medical team.
From 2004 to 2006, Huang Dingjian engaged in academic exchanges in Sweden, frequently asked: “What is TCM? How do you diagnose?”
Huang Dingjian repeatedly explained the holistic view of TCM, which emphasizes the natural way and the unity of heaven and humanity, using the principles of balancing deficiency and excess, and employing natural herbs and manual techniques to treat and promote health among the locals.
One case involved a 39-year-old woman who had suffered from asthma since the age of 13, relying on hormones and antispasmodics for treatment, experiencing seven pregnancies with seven miscarriages, and gastrointestinal dysfunction, with poor treatment outcomes. Huang Dingjian used acupuncture to tonify the lung and strengthen the spleen, combined with ground tangerine peel for treatment over more than six months. Her asthma improved, and the following year she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. Another female patient had a leg wound that had not healed for 16 years. Huang Dingjian collected honeysuckle vine from the countryside to wash the open wound and applied acupuncture for three months, resulting in new granulation tissue, healthy skin, and complete healing of the wound. Professor Huang stated: “The miracle created by a single needle has spread Chinese civilization and increased my confidence and responsibility.”
“Many people ask me how to become an excellent TCM acupuncturist. I always reply that one should read the classics without being stuck in the past, innovate while adhering to the fundamentals. The four words ‘bold yet meticulous’ taught by my mentor Zhu Lian are my motto.”
In practice, Huang Dingjian has summarized a nine-character formula: clear mind, diligent hands and feet, and strong waist and legs.
For decades, he has consistently studied the classics to gain wisdom; practiced diligently to hone his skills; and maintained physical fitness to enhance his abilities.
TCM emphasizes inheritance, and Huang Dingjian embodies this principle. He often says: “Inheritance is the responsibility and obligation of the previous generation; carrying it forward is the mission and responsibility of the next generation.”
In 1980, Huang Dingjian organized the establishment of Guangxi’s first acupuncture specialty ward, expanding from 15 to 50 beds, pioneering a new era for acupuncture education and research in Guangxi, and establishing the Guangxi Acupuncture Medical Center.
In 1997, Huang Dingjian was recognized as a “Guiding Teacher for the Inheritance of Academic Experience of National Old TCM Experts.” In 2010, he was awarded a project for the establishment of a “National Old TCM Experts Academic Inheritance Studio” by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, forming a team for academic inheritance, talent cultivation, and clinical experience promotion. In 2018, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine established the Guangxi Acupuncture Specialty Alliance to enhance the quality and standardization of acupuncture medical services.
In 2012, Huang Dingjian was honored with the title of “Master of Guangxi School of TCM.” That same year, he organized a team of renowned TCM experts to provide free clinics in Baise, Donglan, Bama, Fengshan, and other areas; in 2014, with strong support from the local government and the leadership of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, he established the first village-level grassroots clinic in Bangu Village, Sanstone Town, Donglan County. Over the past eight years, his team has conducted over 20 training sessions on suitable TCM techniques and various thematic lectures, treating more than 10,000 patients. During his outreach clinics, he has seen as many as 200 patients in a single day.
Reflecting on his 59-year medical career, Huang Dingjian humbly states: “I have treated many patients, with successes and disappointments, some situations beyond my control, and moments of embarrassment and regret. The reasons are simply the complexity and variability of medical practice, the vastness and depth of TCM, and my limited knowledge and skills, which require continuous effort.”
Party Committee Propaganda Department
New Media Studio & Student News Agency
Source | Guangxi Daily, July 21, 2022, Page 6
Layout | Rong Fengyi
Proofreading | Lin Yuxuan, Zhang Xiaoting
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