On September 11, 2025, Li Qiuyan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS, was invited to attend the launch ceremony of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Theme Day at the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), where she delivered a keynote speech titled “Cultivating the Legacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jointly Building a Global Network”.

Li Qiuyan reviewed the 70-year journey of Xiyuan Hospital’s steadfast progress, showcasing the hospital’s comprehensive efforts in TCM aid abroad and the wisdom of China.

[Global Reach · Xiyuan Journey] Preface

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a treasure of Chinese civilization, is increasingly embracing an open and confident attitude as it reaches out to the world. Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS, as the “national team” of TCM, has always upheld the spirit of “Inheriting the Essence, and Making Innovation While Upholding Integrity”, playing a leading role in promoting the internationalization of TCM.

From Asia to Latin America, from academic halls to the front lines of medicine, Xiyuan Hospital is weaving a global network of TCM cooperation—rooted in clinical efficacy, propelled by technology, and connected by culture. From building bridges of TCM collaboration in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Vietnam to pioneering a new chapter in TCM training across Latin America, Xiyuan Hospital—guided by its founding mission, steered by its sense of purpose, and sailing toward the future—demonstrates the profound and universal healing power of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The “Global Reach · Xiyuan Journey” series reports document the hospital’s unwavering commitment to promoting TCM worldwide. It documents how Xiyuan’s personnel, bravely answering the call of their mission, traverse great distances to share the benefits of TCM and foster mutual understanding among cultures, showcasing their dedication and the profound role they play in our time.

Episode 1 My First Lecture on Acupuncture in El Salvador

Lu Yonghui: “As TCM theory was formed over 2,000 years ago, it naturally addresses human physiology, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment from a perspective fundamentally different from that of Western medicine. Therefore, in overseas teaching, it is crucial to clearly articulate these differences and trace them back to their respective intellectual roots”.

At 00:00 on August 12, 2025 (Beijing time), Flight TK89 took off from the Beijing Capital International Airport on schedule. The first comprehensive TCM training program in Latin America, the “El Salvador Overseas Training Program on Smart Traditional Medicine”, hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and undertaken by Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS, was officially launched. Professor Li Qiuyan, Secretary of the Party Committee, personally led the delegation. Despite a grueling 38-hour journey with 3 layovers, the team arrived in San Salvador late at night.

Though weary from travel, the experts began their work early the next morning under the arrangement of the Chinese Embassy, paying consecutive visits to the El Salvador Ministry of Health, the Social Security Institute (ISSS), and the Higher Council of Public Health (CSSP). Amid a packed schedule of meetings, Xiyuan Hospital and the ISSS signed a memorandum of cooperation at the launch of the program, a key move advancing the promotion of TCM in Latin America.

The training program has 55 trainees, including specialists, general practitioners, and rehabilitation therapists. They all have backgrounds in Western medicine and strong motivation to learn Chinese medicine, yet nearly all lack prior exposure to the Chinese language, culture, or TCM knowledge, posing distinct challenges for this “Western-practitioners-learning-TCM” program overseas.

“This mission carries three major responsibilities: to serve the country’s broader diplomatic goals, to promote the global expansion of TCM, and to put into practice the vision of a ‘Global Community of Health for All’. We expect the expert team to maintain rigorous standards in teaching, ensure high-quality training, and fully demonstrate the essence of TCM and the unique strengths of Xiyuan Hospital”. Secretary Li Qiuyan’s words lingered in my thoughts, leaving me deeply reflective. How could I make TCM comprehensible to trainees rooted in Western medicine? After ruminating over and over, I finally came upon eureka in Tao Te Ching: “What is ‘tangible’ is used for advantage; what is ‘intangible’ is used for utility”. The “tangible” represents entities and structures—the organs and tissues central to Western anatomy; while the “intangible” represents space and relationships—precisely the core of TCM thinking.

I decided to begin with three “invisible” concepts in TCM: “San Jiao”, “Meridians”, and “Qi”. Though they lack definite anatomical form, these concepts are essential to understanding TCM’s foundational logic: The San Jiao refers to the cavities and fascial structures among the viscera and organs, being the pathways for movement of fluids and Qi; Meridians are the functional networks through which Qi and blood flow, and modern research on the fascial system is increasingly revealing their spatial anatomy; And Qi is not merely air, but rather the energy and information underlying all vital processes. Jointly, they construct a framework of “relational medicine”—one that focuses not only on organs themselves, but more importantly on the “connections” and “functional fields” between them. This constitutes the most fundamental distinction between TCM and the structural anatomy perspective of Western medicine.

It is the first step that costs. To ensure a successful first lecture and clearly convey these concepts to the group of “Western-practitioners-learning-TCM”, I worked closely with the classroom Spanish interpreter, meticulously refining the explanations to make this “relational thinking” comprehensible. To my delight, the trainees were far from resistant—they showed tremendous interest. Perhaps precisely because they are medical practitioners, they could better grasp the analogy: focusing solely on the “entity” while ignoring the “context” is like studying the fish while ignoring the water. We then proceeded to a hands-on acupuncture session. Locating points along the meridians and making acupuncture to elicit the Deqi (arrival of Qi) sensation provided intuitive and vivid experiences, in which the trainees became fully immersed. From theory to practice, and from doubt to trust, the first lecture concluded amid a buzz of enthusiastic interaction.

Over the two weeks since the program began, trainee feedback has been exceptionally positive. The trainees began to understand how a single silver needle or a specific herbal formula can regulate the flow of Qi and treat disease. More importantly, they came to appreciate that Chinese and Western medicine were not competitors, but complementary disciplines—an integration of “entity” and “context”, and a necessary evolution toward integrative modern medicine.

Thank You Letter from the El Salvador Overseas Training Program on Smart Traditional Medicine to Teacher Lu Yonghui

Beyond that, we have been profoundly moved by the recognition and anticipation for TCM shown by everyone in El Salvador, from the government to its citizens. Thanks to the highly efficient support from our Salvadoran partners, we swiftly obtained temporary medical licenses and promptly launched clinical practices and teaching sessions. Acupuncture, Tuina, and ear seed acupressure…TCM techniques are taking root and beginning to flourish in this once-unfamiliar land. None of this would have been possible without the steadfast support from the Party Committee of Xiyuan Hospital. We are deeply aware that this training mission is not only about imparting medical knowledge but also about advancing the vision of a “Global Community of Health for All”.

With seventy years of legacy behind it, Xiyuan Hospital is now setting sail on a new journey. In the classrooms of San Salvador, we are using silver needles and compassionate hearts to bridge TCM’s path into Latin America. However, this is just the first step from the starting point…