Wu Dengyun watches television at home before going to work in Wuqia County of Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province.
High in altitude and sparsely populated, Wuqia had long suffered from the shortage of medical resources. Young as he was, Wu rode a horse with a medicine kit on his back, traversing mountains and valleys to deliver medical care to every village and pasture across the county.
In the winter of 1971, Wu saved a two-year-old child suffering from severe burns. With no available skin for grafting at his hospital and no time to transfer the patient to a hospital of better conditions, he administered local anesthesia to himself, took off 13 stamp-sized pieces of skin from his own legs, and grafted them onto the patient.
This heroic doctor also donated blood more than 30 times, transfusing over 7,000 millilitres of his blood into the vessels of his patients.
Wu takes Wuqia as his second hometown. On several occasions, he declined job offers from his hometown Yangzhou. Even after his retirement, he clocks in at the hospital every day to undertake routine duties including clinic consultations and ward rounds. He still serves as the honorary head of the hospital.
He has received many awards and honors over the decades, yet he rarely mentions them. When someone asked if he regretted his life, Wu said: "If there were reincarnation, I would still choose to be a medical worker, and come to Wuqia again to combat diseases for people of all ethnic groups." (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun conducts a ward round at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This photo taken on July 31, 2026 shows Wu Dengyun's first aid kit during horseback medical patrols, displayed at a history exhibition hall of the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun is pictured at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun leaves his home for work in Wuqia County of Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 31, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun walks past by a statue of Norman Bethune at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun is pictured at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun (1st R) takes a rest after ward rounds at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun (C) conducts a ward round at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This undated file photo shows Wu Dengyun providing medical care to a herder of Kirgiz ethnic group in Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)
Wu Dengyun (L), accompanied by his former apprentice and current head of surgery of the hospital, is about to conduct a ward round at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This undated file photo shows Wu Dengyun during horseback medical patrols in Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)
This photo taken on July 31, 2026 shows a newspaper dated June 22, 1999, featuring a report on Wu Dengyun, displayed at a history exhibition hall of the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun is pictured in front of a portrait depicting him on horseback medical patrols during his youth, at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 13, 2025. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Cheng Li)
Wu Dengyun leaves the inpatient department after a ward round at the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 30, 2026. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
This combo photo shows the portraits of Wu Dengyun pictured shortly after he started to work at the people's hospital of Wuqia County (L, undated file photo copied on July 31, 2026), and pictured as he takes a rest at an office at the people's hospital of Wuqia County on July 30, 2026, in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Wu Dengyun (L) checks a herder's eyes in Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 28, 2011. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)
This combo photo shows a historical view (upper, undated file photo copied on July 31, 2026) and current view (bottom, aerial drone photo taken on July 31, 2026 by Xinhua photographer Hu Huhu) of the people's hospital of Wuqia County in Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Wu Dengyun, then 23 years old, started his career in Wuqia County in 1963, after graduating from a medical school in Yangzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)
