The Gaokao Is Over; Back to Normal Work Tomorrow

Over the past few days I paused all work because of the gaokao. I am very grateful to all my fellow patients for their understanding and patience during this time; most of you kindly refrained from disturbing me so that I could focus fully on the exam. A few patients or family members who faced urgent situations still found ways to contact me, which I understand.

This gaokao went reasonably smoothly, and I expect to reach my target. So it is quite possible that in September I will report to a medical college and study full-time for several years. Because it is full-time study, my work will be significantly affected over the next three to five years. To avoid delaying patients' care, except for long-term patients whose conditions are well maintained, I recommend that other patients seek another doctor, so that my limited time and energy do not affect your care. Human life is most precious, heavier than a thousand pieces of gold; life must always come first.

As always, I will continue deeper research in oncology and nervous-system diseases. The reason I sat the gaokao was to resolve some bottlenecks I have encountered. I will aim in the next few years to obtain a medical license integrating Chinese and Western medicine, so that I can serve patients with both systems and better solve their problems.

There are no shortcuts in medical study; every so-called shortcut has all kinds of flaws. I am grateful to the many friends who enthusiastically offer me all kinds of medical information, but those things you are only now learning I became all too familiar with years ago, and many I have experienced firsthand. I have tasted all that, so I am unwilling to waste even a minute considering it again.

For the long term, the choice I have made is the one best for me. Three to five years is but a flash; diving deep into study will lay a more solid foundation. Without wind and rain, how can there be a rainbow? Without enduring some hardship, it is hard to produce valuable research.

Any small achievement in medicine benefits many people. The person I admire most is Professor Tu Youyou; her research has saved millions of lives and will save more in the future. I am 45 this year and still have many years for medical research; I hope to produce some truly valuable results in my lifetime, to save lives while I live and after I am gone.

Once a person has solved the problem of food and clothing, he can choose to indulge, or to invest his surplus energy in creating social value and avoid wasting his years. I have chosen the latter; or rather, for me, the latter is the true indulgence.