China Honors Nine ‘Most Beautiful Doctors’ on Doctors’ Day
On the occasion of the 9th Chinese Doctors’ Day, China’s Central Propaganda Department and the National Health Commission jointly released the advanced deeds of nine “Most Beautiful Doctors” to the public, recognizing outstanding medical professionals for their exemplary service and contributions to healthcare across the nation. The announcement, made on August 19, 2026, aims to foster a social atmosphere of respecting doctors and valuing healthcare while inspiring medical workers nationwide, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The Honorees
The nine medical professionals selected for this honor represent a diverse cross-section of China’s healthcare system, from rural village doctors to leading academicians:
- Wang Qiu, Director of Rehabilitation Medicine at West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, specializing in pediatric rehabilitation
- Feng Ke, Deputy Director of Emergency Department at Ningxia Medical University General Hospital, who served on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Lü Huakun, Chief Physician at the Immunization Planning Institute, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Du Ronghui, Vice President and Chief Physician at Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, known as the “migratory bird doctor” for providing free medical consultations in rural areas for over 15 years
- Lu Jingen, Chief Physician at Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a renowned TCM expert and representative inheritor of the Gu’s Surgery tradition
- Luo Mingqin, Director of Nursing at Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital, who served in the first batch of Qinghai medical teams sent to Wuhan during the pandemic
- Bai Huali, a village doctor in Guizhou Province’s remote Changshun County, who has served as the only doctor in her village for 23 years
- Hou Fanfan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chief Physician of Nephrology at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University
- Gu Cuiying, Director of Geriatrics at Qinghe County Central Hospital in Hebei Province
Stories of Dedication
The honorees exemplify the professional spirit of “reverence for life, saving the dying and healing the wounded, willing to dedicate, boundless love,” as highlighted in the official release. Each brings a unique story of service and sacrifice.
Bai Huali, known as the “basket doctor” (背篼医生), has walked an average of 18 kilometers daily through mountain paths to visit patients in Dazhao Village for over two decades. Starting in 2003 with just a stethoscope and two old rooms, she has become the village’s sole healthcare provider. “Health is the ‘1’, everything else is the ‘0’ after it,” she told People’s Daily. “I want to protect this ‘1’ for my fellow villagers.”
Hou Fanfan, 75, began her remarkable journey as a “pig-raising soldier” in the military before becoming one of China’s leading nephrology experts. She has challenged international medical guidelines three times with her research, which has delayed the progression to uremia for late-stage chronic kidney disease patients by 3 to 5 years. “We must always find ways to treat diseases for the Chinese people!” she declared in an interview with Xinhua. In 2025, she received the International Society of Nephrology Pioneer Award.
Gu Cuiying, who took on the challenge of establishing her hospital’s geriatrics department in 2013, has built it into a 178-bed facility serving over 3,000 elderly patients annually. “The elderly’s today is our tomorrow,” she said. “As a geriatrics doctor, we must care for the elderly with heart and emotion,” as documented by the China Civilization Network.
Significance of the Recognition
The “Most Beautiful Doctor” program, jointly run by the Central Propaganda Department and the National Health Commission, has been releasing advanced deeds annually around Chinese Doctors’ Day since 2018. The recognition serves to implement the country’s health and wellness work policy, putting people first and life first, and to further consolidate efforts toward building a Healthy China.
The 9th Chinese Doctors’ Day, established by the State Council in November 2017, carries the theme “Strengthening the soul and foundation, high virtue and excellent skills” (铸魂强基，德高技精), according to Baidu Baike. The date commemorates the National Health and Wellness Conference held on August 19, 2016.
Looking Ahead
The “Most Beautiful Doctor” release ceremony special program is scheduled to air soon, bringing these inspiring stories to a wider audience. As China continues to strengthen its healthcare system and improve health outcomes for its 1.4 billion citizens, the recognition of these nine doctors serves as both a tribute to the medical profession and a call to action for the next generation of healthcare workers.
Medical workers across the country have expressed their commitment to following the example of the “Most Beautiful Doctors,” striving to provide higher quality and more efficient health services to the public while promoting scientific health knowledge and healthy lifestyles.