The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established in 1954. It is the earliest and largest Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) medical institution in Tianjin. It is also the founding unit of the National Medical Center, the National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the output hospital for the construction of National Regional Medical Centers, the key TCM hospital of the National TCM Inheritance and Innovation Project, the National TCM Clinical Education and Training Demonstration Center, and the National TCM Service Export Base. In addition, the hospital is the National TCM Clinical Research Base, the National Regional TCM (Specialty) Medical Center, the National TCM Advantage Specialty Construction Unit, one of the first group of National TCM Resident Standardized Training Bases, the National TCM High-level Talents Comprehensive Training Base, the National TCM Epidemic Prevention and Control and Emergency Medical Rescue Base, and the National TCM Culture Publicity and Education Base. Moreover, it is one of the first group of National First-Class Hospitals, one of the Top 100 Hospitals in China, and a National Patient-Trusted Demonstration Hospital.
The hospital consists of three campuses, namely the Nankai Campus, the Xiqing Campus, and the Jinghai Campus. The total area of the hospital is 537.37 Mu. The hospital is equipped with 52 clinical, medical technology, and science and technology industry platforms. It has a total of 3,100 beds, with an annual outpatient and emergency volume of over 3.32 million visits and an annual discharge of over 85,000 patients.
The hospital has more than 3,200 employees, including 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 3 masters of TCM, 5 national famous TCM doctors, 5 Qihuang scholars, 4 young Qihuang scholars, 20 experts with special allowances from the State Council, 8 young/middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions at national level, 37 instructors for academic experience inheritance of national senior TCM experts, 23 national clinical talents of TCM, 5 experts awarded by the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government and 33 famous TCM doctors of Tianjin. Besides, there are 2 innovation teams of the Ministry of Education, and 1 national inheritance and innovation team of TCM. There are 60 doctoral supervisors and 233 master's supervisors.
The hospital has positioned the construction of the National Medical Center as its strategic core, while collaboratively advancing the development of both the National Medical Center and the National Regional Medical Center under a "dual-center" framework. Centered on the key missions outlined in its "Ten Major Functional Orientations," it aims to establish a world-class international acupuncture center that represents the highest standards of excellence, ultimately forging a "national strategic asset" in the healthcare sector to serve as a pillar of China's medical advancement.
The hospital stays committed to putting people’s health first and pays attention to the health management of the whole life cycle. Besides, the hospital adheres to the integration of prevention, medical treatment and rehabilitation, and attaches equal importance to TCM and western medicine. The hospital is committed to “Five Specialties”(specialties, special diseases, experts, special medicine and professional skills), highlighting the characteristics of TCM. Additionally, the hospital has carried out extensive diagnosis and treatment with TCM characteristics, and has improved the diagnosis and treatment ability of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.The hospital has formed a number of unique diagnosis and treatment programs by combining TCM with western medicine for difficult diseases, such as strokes and their complications and coronary heart diseases, giving full play to the unique role of TCM in the prevention and treatment of common diseases, frequent diseases and chronic diseases.
The hospital strives for the peak of disciplines and specialties, and forms a discipline group led by acupuncture and moxibustion.The hospital has 2 national key disciplines, 4 national key clinical specialties, 3 high-level key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 6 regional treatment centers of traditional Chinese medicine (specialties) of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 10 key disciplines of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 13 dominant specialties of traditional Chinese medicine of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 13 key specialties of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The hospital has a scientific research workstation for TCM post doctors. And the hospital is authorized by the State Council for the doctoral degree of the first-level discipline of TCM. Besides, the hospital has 1 national teaching team. In addition, the hospital is the National TCM Clinical Education and Training Demonstration Center, the comprehensive base for high-level TCM talents training of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the first group of the standardized training bases for TCM resident physicians and general practitioners, and the national base for standardized training of residents in TCM and key specialties in TCM general practice.
The hospital is home to several national-level scientific and technological platforms, including the National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the National TCM Clinical Research Base, and the National Drug Clinical Trial Institution. It also has 18 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological platforms, such as the Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Therapy for Cerebral Diseases under the National Administration of TCM, and has established the TCM Clinical Research Center. In the past five years, it has undertaken more than 70 national-level projects, including the National Science and Technology Major Projects, the “Modernization of TCM” key projects under the National Key Research and Development Program, and the National Natural Science Fund. The hospital has won 2 National Science and Technology Progress Awards and more than 50 awards from provincial governments and academic societies. In the 2023 evaluation of academic influence of disciplines (specialties) in TCM hospitals, the hospital ranked 8th overall, 1st in acupuncture and moxibustion, 2nd in TCM tuina and pediatrics, and 3rd in TCM cardiology.
The hospital has successively established cooperative relations with more than 40 countries, including the United States, Russia, Germany, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia. It has also held 16 consecutive international symposiums on acupuncture and moxibustion. Furthermore, the hospital hosted the first China-ASEAN International Forum on Traditional Medicine and has established 3 overseas centers.
The hospital stays committed to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the hospital’s motto of “being kind in heart and being good in action”, and the purpose of “developing careers, serving the society, maintaining health and benefiting mankind”. The hospital practices the hospital spirit of “life paramount, medical excellence with integrity, truth-seeking, responsibility in action, rule-based innovation with inclusiveness, success in actions with pursuit of excellence.” The hospital aims to build a leading university hospital in China and a world-renowned medical center that represents the highest level of traditional Chinese medicine. Moreover, the hospital has committed to creating a new situation of high-quality development and making new contributions to the construction of Healthy China and the well-being of human health!

　Ancient Charm Meets Modern Style: A New Chapter for Qi Huang

　-- A Documentary of the 70-Year Development of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
（1954-2024）

In the vast expanse of Chinese civilization, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is like an endless river, enduring for thousands of years without decline. With its unique theoretical system, rich diagnostic and treatment experience, and remarkable efficacy, it safeguards the health and well-being of the Chinese nation. Today, on this ancient yet vibrant land by the Bohai Sea, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (hereinafter referred to as “the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM”) carries the essence of TCM culture and modern medical wisdom, ushering in the glorious moment of its 70th anniversary. This marks a milestone in the development of TCM in Tianjin, and is a vivid testimony to the vigorous development of TCM culture. Here, it is not only a medical palace, but also a highland for the inheritance and innovation of TCM culture.

Melodies of Time, Steadfast in Our Journey 

Looking back, in 1954, the Tianjin Traditional Chinese Medicine Outpatient Department (the predecessor of the hospital) emerged in response to the urgent need to revitalize the cause of traditional Chinese medicine. Like a seed of hope, it took root and sprouted on the land of Tianjin. After 70 years of trials and tribulations, several changes of name, and numerous vicissitudes, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has developed into a modern comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine hospital, integrating medical treatment, teaching, scientific research, prevention, health care, and rehabilitation. It has become the “shining pearl” of traditional Chinese medicine in Tianjin. As the “palace” of traditional Chinese medicine in Tianjin and the “cradle” of TCM masters, the hospital not only bears the weight of history but also showcases the infinite possibilities of the future.
The original “No. 1 Hospital in Tianjin” has now become the oldest and largest traditional Chinese medicine medical institution in Tianjin. It is among the first group of Grade III Class A hospitals in China, one of the top 100 hospitals in the country, an advanced hospital in the national health system, a national patient-trusted demonstration hospital, a unit for the establishment of a national medical center, a national clinical research center for Chinese medicine acupuncture and moxibustion, a national regional medical center construction output hospital, a national traditional Chinese medicine clinical research base, a national traditional Chinese medicine epidemic prevention and emergency medical rescue base, a national traditional Chinese medicine service export base, a key traditional Chinese medicine hospital in the national traditional Chinese medicine inheritance and innovation project, a national traditional Chinese medicine culture promotion and education base, and the Tianjin traditional Chinese medicine medical center.
With the passage of time and multiple expansions and renovations, the hospital has been continually improved, and its service capabilities have been significantly enhanced. Particularly after the reform and opening up, the hospital has embraced unprecedented development opportunities, achieving a leap in scale and making substantial progress in medical technology, scientific research capabilities, and talent cultivation. Over the past 70 years, several generations of medical practitioners have passed on their knowledge from one generation to the next, delved deeply into the sources of medical wisdom, and worked tirelessly with dedication. Successive scholars have gathered the wisdom of the medical community, revered Hua Tuo’s benevolent skills, admired Bian Que’s effective prescriptions, and pooled their efforts to forge ahead. In the span of 70 years, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has erected a monument to the development of traditional Chinese medicine.
Over the past 70 years, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved a qualitative leap, evolving from a small hospital spanning just over 1,800 square meters into a large-scale, modern, comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine hospital. It now boasts three campuses, covering a total area of 358,200 square meters and a total construction area of 508,500 square meters. The hospital has gathered numerous top medical talents and formed a formidable medical and scientific research team. The ancient wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medical technology complement each other, jointly painting a series of touching pictures of healing the sick and practicing medicine to benefit the world.

Eminent Physicians Gather, Craftsmanship Shines

In its early days, a generation of renowned doctors including Lu Guanhu, Ha Litian, Zhao Jifan, Dong Xiaochu, Gu Xiaochi, Wang Wenjin, Shen Jinshan, Hu Xiuzhang, Ye Xixian, Chen Zhipu, Li Shaochuan... With their steadfast efforts, they left their footprints in the hospital’s construction, nurtured successor talents, and laid a solid academic foundation for the development of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Today, the hospital boasts a strong lineup of renowned senior traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and its academic influence is well-known both domestically and internationally. Over the years, it has established medical and academic cooperation relationships with more than 40 countries including Germany, France, Switzerland, the United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Oman, etc., receiving over a thousand overseas patients and thousands of students every year. The distinctive features of traditional Chinese medicine are renowned worldwide.
The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has 3,200 employees, including 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 3 TCM masters, 5 national famous TCM practitioners, 5 Qihuang scholars, 4 young Qihuang scholars, 19 experts who receive special government allowances from the State Council, 8 young and middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions at the national level, 39 instructors for the academic experience inheritance work of national senior traditional Chinese medicine experts, 23 national excellent clinical talents in traditional Chinese medicine, 5 experts awarded titles by the Tianjin Municipal Government, 27 famous traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Tianjin, 2 innovation teams of the Ministry of Education, and 1 national inheritance and innovation team of traditional Chinese medicine.
Academician Shi Xuemin, a TCM Master, has been engaged in the teaching, research, and clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and moxibustion for over 60 years. In the early 1970s, he established the theoretical system of the “Xingnao Kaiqiao” acupuncture technique, pioneering a new approach to the treatment of stroke. This led to the formation of a systematic, standardized, and personalized comprehensive diagnosis and treatment system for stroke, known as the “Shi's Stroke Unit” therapy.

The late national medical master Ruan Shiyi, who had been engaged in the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine for nearly 70 years, creatively proposed the academic thought of “the integration of the heart, spleen, and kidney as a unified entity” and the concept of “strengthening the kidney and spleen, softening hard masses and resolving nodules” for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, and conducted systematic and in-depth research.

Zhang Boli, the recipient of the “People’s Hero” national honorary title, a TCM master, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has dedicated over 50 years to the cause of traditional Chinese medicine, establishing the theory and treatment system for “dampness-phlegm-fluid diseases”.

The large team of outstanding talents, backed by robust technical strength, leads the high-quality development of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, providing strong guarantees for the people to enjoy high-quality medical services.

Great Physicians, Sincere and Renowned Across Tianjin 

Adhering to the values of “medicine as the art of compassion” and “great physicians with utmost sincerity”, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine upholds the hospital motto of “being kind in heart and being good in action”, striving to build harmonious doctor-patient relationships and wholeheartedly providing high-quality and warm health services to the people.
The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine adheres to the equal emphasis on both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine, highlights the characteristics of TCM, extensively carries out diagnostic and treatment techniques with TCM features, comprehensively enhances the ability of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine diagnosis and treatment, and has formed a number of unique integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine diagnosis and treatment schemes for difficult diseases such as stroke and its complications, coronary heart disease, etc., fully leveraging the unique role of TCM in the prevention and treatment of common, frequently-occurring, and chronic diseases.
The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine closely adheres to the mission of establishing a hospital satisfying the people. In addressing the issue of difficulties in accessing medical care for the general public, the hospital has optimized its treatment process, strengthened service management, and continuously improved the quality of medical services. It has successively launched a series of convenience measures for the public.
It has taken the lead in introducing various appointment-based consultation modes across the city, significantly alleviating patients’ difficulties in registration and long waiting times. By implementing round-the-clock outpatient services without holidays, balancing the number of consultations in the morning and afternoon, and increasing the number of physicians available on weekends, it has resolved the issue of difficulty in accessing medical services during public holidays. The number of multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment (MDT) clinics has been increased to five, forming a service model that is patient-oriented, multidisciplinary, and personalized. The Treatment Center with TCM Features has been opened, providing a high-quality, high-end, comprehensive, and convenient platform for traditional Chinese medicine technology services, offering patients comprehensive and full-cycle specialized health services. The Physician-Pharmacist Clinic has been launched, providing medication assessment, medication consultation, medication education, medication regimen adjustment advice, follow-up, and medication guidance. The outpatient service center has moved forward, and the Expert Clinic has optimized the consultation process, providing patients with “one-stop” services. An automated rapid medication dispensing system has been adopted to reduce patients’ waiting time for medications, and a home delivery service for herbal medicine decoction has been introduced.
A series of measures to benefit and facilitate the people, coupled with the excellent medical ethics and superb medical skills of the vast number of medical personnel, have been highly praised by the masses.

Cultivate Virtue, Nurture Talent and Harvest Abundance

The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine adheres to the educational policies of the Communist Party of China and China, with “cultivating virtue and talents” as its fundamental task. It closely follows the concepts of  principle of “teaching and cultivating talents for a century”, while integrating the hospital motto “being kind in heart and being good in action”. Seizing the excellent opportunity presented by the favorable time, place, and people for the revitalization and development of traditional Chinese medicine by the Party and China, it has taken advantage of this momentum and achieved leapfrog development.
Currently, the hospital undertakes the  teaching and clinical mentoring of undergraduates, graduate students, and international students from Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It also conducts professional training, continuing education, and refresher courses in traditional Chinese medicine for China and Tianjin, and shoulders the important task of talent cultivation. The hospital has 15 secondary teaching and research departments and 43 tertiary teaching and research departments. The hospital employs 503 teachers qualified for classroom teaching, 784 teachers qualified for clinical mentoring, and 234 supervisors for master’s and doctoral students, including 48 doctoral supervisors.
Over the past decade, the hospital has steadily expanded its teaching scale, and notable improvements have been made in educational quality and teaching standards. The hospital has always adhered to competency-based orientation, enhancing students’ mastery of classical Chinese medicine, clinical skills in traditional Chinese medicine, and scientific research innovation capabilities. It has continuously deepened teaching reforms, focusing on students’ core competitiveness, enabling them to achieve comprehensive development, and has cultivated tens of thousands of high-quality professionals. This has enhanced the hospital’s ability to serve society and made positive contributions to China’s traditional Chinese medicine industry and economic and social development. The hospital adheres to the orientation of encouraging and motivating teaching and nurturing talents, upholds the principles with teacher ethics as the priority, objectivity and fairness, and emphasizes  achievements. It has carried out various levels and types of teacher evaluation and selection work for all teachers in the hospital.
The hospital has participated in the compilation of 12 national planning textbooks for the “13th Five-Year Plan” and “14th Five-Year Plan” periods, has completed 5 thematic cases for the Degree and Graduate Education Development Center of the Ministry of Education, has offered 3 national-level courses, and cultivated 1 national-level teaching team, 1 national-level ideological and political education teaching team, 2 innovation teams of the Ministry of Education, and 1 national traditional Chinese medicine innovation team.It has had 2 teachers awarded as national-level excellent teachers and boasts 8 national-level ideological and political education teaching masters. Over the past 10 years, it has won 10 national-level teacher teaching competition awards.

Embrace Excellence, Innovate and Leap Forward

The hospital  is committed to establishing peak disciplines and specialties, forming a discipline cluster led by the acupuncture and moxibustion discipline. It boasts 2 national key disciplines, 4 clinical key specialties, 3 high-level key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine under the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 6 regional traditional Chinese medicine (specialty) diagnosis and treatment centers, 10 key disciplines, 13 advantageous specialties of traditional Chinese medicine, and 13 key specialties.
In the past 10 years, the hospital has taken the opportunity of building a national medical center to promote discipline construction. It has recognized the gap, identified the direction, opened the door to seek advice, and promoted construction through evaluation. It has urged 32 disciplines to formulate development plans, formed a “medium and long-term plan for hospital discipline development” to build first-class hospitals and disciplines, and has achieved some results. It has been approved as having 4 key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine in the “11th  Five-Year Plan”, 6 key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine in the “12th Five-Year Plan”, 3 high-level key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 5 key disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine in Tianjin.
The construction of scientific research platforms is a crucial means for hospitals to enhance their technological capabilities and facilitate the transformation of scientific research achievements. To optimize and integrate the hospital’s scientific and technological resources, the hospital has established a platform development policy that emphasizes “leading with advantageous disciplines and enhancing platform construction capabilities”. Focusing on the construction of national-level platforms, the hospital has continuously promoted the development of the National Clinical Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine, successfully applied for and established the National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, and the National Medical Center. Currently, there are 11 national-level scientific research platforms, including 1 National Clinical Medicine Research Center, 2 National Clinical Research Bases of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1 National Clinical Trial Institution, 1 Key Research Laboratory of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 6 Level-3 Laboratories of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Additionally, there are 11 provincial and ministerial-level scientific research platforms, 10 of which were established after 2014, including 2 Tianjin Key Laboratories, 3 Tianjin Clinical Medicine Research Centers, and 5 Tianjin Research Institutes of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. The hospital has led and undertaken 873 longitudinal scientific research projects at various levels, including 210 national-level projects and 422 provincial and ministerial-level projects. It has won 3 National Science and Technology Progress Awards (as a participant) and has received 70 science and technology awards at or above the provincial and ministerial level as the first completing institution, including 7 first prizes and 23 second prizes.

Strive with Vigor, Sail Toward the Vast Beyond

Over the past 70 years, the four career takeoffs achieved by the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have benefited from the country’s reform and opening-up policies and policies on traditional Chinese medicine, from the correct direction of running the hospital, from the care and support of the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee, the Tianjin Municipal Government, and leaders at all levels, and from the unremitting efforts and dreams of several generations of people in the hospital.
How fortunate we are to be born in this great era. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has placed TCM work in a more prominent position. The Strategic Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2016 - 2030) points out that TCM, as a unique health resource, a huge-potential economic resource, a scientific and technological resource with original advantages, an excellent cultural resource, and an important ecological resource in China, plays a significant role in economic and social development. Standing at a new historical starting point, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine will continue to adhere to its original aspiration and mission, and unswervingly pursue high-quality development. Guided by discipline construction, driven by reform and innovation, and supported by a talent team and modern management, it will strive to become a domestically leading and internationally renowned TCM hospital, as well as a national medical center representing the highest level of TCM, and strive to create a new situation of high-quality development of the hospital, making new contributions to human health and well-being and the construction of Healthy China.
Only through ceaseless striving can we forge ahead; only with unyielding vigor can we soar to greatness.
As we celebrate seventy years of flourishing, the future shines with limitless potential!