In China, if you ask about the foreign doctors who came to China in the last century, the first thing that comes to mind is Dr. Bethune, who saved lives and helped the wounded in the battlefield. However, few people know that in addition to Bethune, a French doctor named "Pei Xiye" has also been practicing medicine in China for a long time.
In 2015, the documentary "Beijia Garden" produced by CCTV caused widespread discussion as soon as it was broadcast. Located at the foot of Beijing's West Mountain, Beijia Garden is a european castle-style stone building with a rich and quaint atmosphere, which is as if you have come to an exotic manor, which is fascinating.
The owner of this garden is the protagonist of our discussion today, Dr. Pei Xiye, who was known as the "French Imperial Physician" in the early twentieth century for his superb medical skills.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="3" >: A medical doctor who came out of the village</h1>
In 1872, Hee Ye was born in a small mountain village in the mountains of central France. Pei Xiye's family has been farming for generations, and his parents are authentic French farmers. Therefore, when he was a child, Pei Xiye followed his father and mother to learn to do farm work in the fields.
Pei Xiye said that although his father was a farmer, he had the temperament of a researcher, and even if he did farm work, he was required not to be sloppy and to do it carefully. Perhaps under the influence of his father, Pei Xiye developed a good habit of being meticulous from an early age, which is exactly the necessary trait of a good surgeon.
At the age of fourteen, Pei Xiye wanted to go to xintiandi and work differently from that of farmers, so he proposed to his father that he wanted to go to Paris to study. Pei Xiye was very adamant that he wanted to become a doctor.
Doctors and teachers, both then and now, were prominent professions in the eyes of the French, and they were flocked to by thousands of people. The father, who had been dealing with the land all his life, did not expect his son to have such great ambitions, and although he knew that this road was not easy to follow, he did not stop his son.
After six years of hard study, Pei Xiye was finally admitted to the Bordeaux Military Medical University, where he successfully obtained his doctorate and became a rare medical doctor in the new bath castle.
After obtaining his doctor's license, Pei Xiye has been sent to the world to treat patients and save people, he has seen Indians and Iranians who believe in gods, and has also been to Vietnam and Senegal to practice medicine and administer medicine for patients in the war.
In 1913, at the age of 41, Pei Followed officials from the French Legation on his way to China. At that time, he did not know that he would stay in this ancient oriental country for more than forty years.
At that time, Chinese were still skeptical of Western medicine, but pei Xiye's arrival changed all this.
Pei Xiye's first patient in China was a high-ranking official in Beijing, who had long been trapped by a stubborn waist disease, and the famous doctors in China were helpless. Therefore, Pei Xiye, who is good at surgery, did a waist operation for a senior official, and unexpectedly, it took only two months for his waist to heal.
This beautiful talk quickly spread in the capital, and Pei Xiye was also honored as a guest of honor by the dignitaries and nobles, who rushed to invite him to see a doctor for himself.
It is said that the four presidents of the Republic of China— Yuan Shikai, Li Yuanhong, Xu Shichang, and Cao Kun— were his patients. Yuan Shikai even personally awarded him the Third Class Wenhu Medal, you know, usually only the best naval and army generals are eligible for this medal, and very few foreigners can receive this honor.
In addition to the dignitaries he had healed, he also made friends with many celebrities and cultural elites. For example, Cai Yuanpei, president of Peking University, and Mei Lanfang, a world-famous actor, are his good friends, and even Premier Zhou Enlai admires Pei Xiye very much and has visited him many times in the Pei family garden.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="8" >2, Twilight Love in a Foreign Country - Married to a 28-year-old woman</h1>
In addition to his superb medical skills, Pei Xiye's most concerned in China is his marriage in his later years.
When Pei Xiye was 80 years old, he married 28-year-old Wu Xiangdan, and the age difference between the two was more than 50 years, how did this "twilight love" that seemed incredible to outsiders happen?
Wu Xiangdan was born in 1924, his father was an important member of the Beijing Central School, and his family was rich and wealthy, which can be described as a famous bridesmaid. Wu was interested in art since childhood, and as an adult, he entered Fu Jen University to specialize in fine arts. During this period, Wu Xiangdan unfortunately contracted lung disease, and since she was a Christian, the church introduced her to Pei Xiye for treatment, which was the first time the two met.
After that, Wu Xiangdan was invited by Pei Xiye to go to the Pei family garden to recuperate, and after coming and going, the two gradually became acquainted, and they secretly had feelings.
One night, when a sudden rainstorm fell, Pei Xiye hurried to the garden to save the flowers, and accidentally fell. At this time, Pei Xiye was more than 70 years old, and this fall almost killed him. Fortunately, Wu Xiangdan found out that Pei Xiye was injured in time, so he immediately sent him to the hospital for treatment, which saved his life.
Later, thanks to Wu Xiangdan's careful care, Pei Xiye was able to recover. Since the death of his wife, Pei Xiye has lived alone for more than twenty years, and the appearance of Wu Xiangdan has made him feel warm and hopeful again. Therefore, he decided to propose to Wu Zhidan immediately and spend the rest of his life together.
However, Pei Xiye's good friend Duo Ermeng strongly opposed the combination of Pei and Wu, believing that the age gap between the two was too large, coupled with the fact that it was a transnational marriage, it was difficult to have results. Wu Xiangdan's father was also furious when he knew that she married Pei Xiye, and only Wu Zhidan's mother was quite enlightened, but instead gave blessings to the newly married two.
After marriage, Pei Xiye and Wu Zhidan opened a new chapter in their lives.
Pei Xiye often took Wu Zhidan out to play, and when Wu Xiangdan was sketching, he took pictures next to him; after Wu Zhidan finished painting, he painted an inscription. In the eyes of others, the married life of the two can be described as very romantic and sweet.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="17" >3, returned to China in his later years, and died in his homeland</h1>
However, the drastic changes in the international situation had a huge impact on Pei Xiye's life, when the French government and the republican government were at odds, the French embassy remaining in Beijing was declared invalid, and Pei Xiye himself lost his original position and could only practice medicine in his own name.
In 1954, Pei Xiye's medical license was revoked and he was soon to be deported back to China. The police told Pei Xiye to either renounce his French citizenship and stay in China, or return to France alone.
Pei Xiye did not want to betray the motherland and could only choose to return to China, but he was reluctant to separate from his wife Wu Xiangdan.
Therefore, he wrote a letter to Premier Zhou Enlai, in which Pei Xiye called China the "Second Motherland", expressed his love for China and clarified his position and attitude, hoping that Premier Zhou would help him to let Wu Rudan return to China with him.
However, Premier Zhou Enlai was attending a conference abroad at this time, and he was so busy that he never saw a letter from Pei Xiye. Therefore, Pei Xiye was unable to receive a reply from Premier Zhou, and in the long wait, Pei Xiye gradually despaired.
In October 1954, Pei Xiye bid farewell to Wu Zhidan in Tianjin Port. At the moment he boarded the ship, Wu's sister sent a note from Premier Zhou Enlai, which stated that Wu was allowed to return to France with Pei Xiye.
The husband and wife cried with joy and hugged each other tightly.
After returning to the French countryside, although the life of the two is relatively poor, it is not hard. Soon after, Wu Gave birth to a son named Louis for Pei Xiye.
In 1957, at the age of 85, Pei Xiye went to Paris to visit his deceased friend, overworked, and fell ill not long after. The following year, Pei Xiye died, leaving behind a young wife and a 3-year-old son.
After the death of her husband, Wu Zhidan was deeply saddened, but she did not return to China, but stayed in Auvigne, guarding the small home of two people, raising her son alone. Louis was talented and had excellent grades, and as an adult, he chose to inherit his father's mantle and became a famous cardiologist in Paris.
Text/Genki Girl QMQ
bibliography:
1. "The Legendary Career of a French Doctor in China", Qiu Weiting
2. "Pei Xiye: The Bethune-style Doctor Who Selflessly Assisted the Chinese People", Mei Xingwu
3. "The Secret Behind the Bei Family Garden: The Chinese Love Affair of the French Imperial Physician Bei Xiye", Zhang Yabin