Did Hu Shi Really Believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Dr.Hu Shi(or Hu Shih,1891—1962),pioneer of China's New Cultural Movement in the early 20th century,is not only a great thinker but also the leader of the Vernacular Movement and the subsequent literary revolution in China.His progressive and scientific attitude to academic research is epitomized by his advocacy of “dare to propose new hypotheses and then subject them to rigorous and methodical examination”.Several books published since the late 1980's claim that Hu Shi was a believer in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).The basis for this assertion is his inscription of a painting titled “Lu Zhong an Studying Medical Classics in Autumn” in 1921,which was done in gratitude after Hu Shi was cured by the practitioner of Chinese medicine Lu Zhong an of diabetes,chronic nephritis and heart disease.However,a thorough review of Hu Shi's diary,letters and articles reveals that though he suffered his first heart attack in 1938,he did not have any of the above mentioned chronic symptoms before then.The condition that Lu Zhong an treated Hu Shi was nothing more than a self limiting one,which Hu Shi called as “minor illness”.This is consistent with Hu Shi's repeated declarations that he had never been cured of diabetes or chronic nephritis by TCM.In fact,Hu Shi considered himself an advocate of Western medicine,and supported his friends in criticizing TCM as the product of a pedantic culture far behind the times.His penetrating criticism of TCM remains both relevant and important,particularly in view of the medical quackery rampant in China today.