Dr. Cui’s international reputation has been earned in part through his development of ointments and other medicines that have proved effective in the treatment of cancer. More than 10,000 cancer victims suffering from lung, breast, cervical, or liver cancer have approached Dr. Cui for help over the past three decades. They come from across China and from other countries like the United States, England, France, Australia, and Thailand.

"Modern diseases are no longer easily cured with Western medicine, which can lead to a body becoming immune if used for a long period of time," Dr. Cui said. "In addition, some types of Western medicine have debilitating side effects that have prompted some patients to seek alternative treatment."

Born into a poor farming family in Yuncheng, Shanxi, Dr. Cui Koushi developed an interest in traditional Chinese medicine at an early age when he saw how difficult it was for a poor family to get medical care. Dr. Cui himself had to drop out of school to help his father with farming. Whenever he became ill, he was often treated by acupuncture simply because it was cheap.

"As a comparatively inexpensive but effective medical resource, traditional Chinese medicine is vital to the country’s more than 900 million farmers, many of whom still lack basic medical care," said Dr.Cui.

Dr.Cui said he became inspired to fight cancer after seeing a neighbor die in 1968. "After my neighbor Liu Caifeng [a woman farmer] died from cervical cancer in 1968, I decided to fight against cancer with traditional Chinese medicine. At that time, nobody could save her, and I accompanied her to many large hospitals. Her suffering before her death filled me with great pity and regret," Dr. Cui said.

Dr. Cui went on to study in a traditional Chinese medicine school in Shanxi in 1965 and devoted himself to collecting and documenting the valuable traditional treatment methods from ancient books and well-known doctors. He has read medical classics such as Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies compiled by Sun Simiao in the seventh century, Compendium of Materia Medica, the most comprehensive work of ancient Chinese herbal books, Panorama of Chinese Medicine, and Grand View of Surgery. In addition, he studied under famous local doctors and went to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital to learn and exchange views with accomplished doctors there. Later he worked in a clinic in his hometown.

To develop effective medicines – including his A1, A2, A3, A4 ointments for treatment of cancer -- Dr. Cui conducted hundreds of tests on chickens and rabbits, and even on himself. Through years of theoretical research and clinical practice, Dr. Cui became an expert in chronic and gynecological diseases.

The cure rate at Dr. Cui’s hospital is high. Zhang Ailing, one of his patients, is a breast cancer survivor. Before seeing Dr. Cui, she had gone through three operations and only to find that the cancer cells were still spreading. On the verge of desperation, she came to Dr. Cui, who applied his A3 ointment to remove blood stasis. After 70 days, the tumor disappeared. Zhang has since married and has a healthy son.

Talking about the future of traditional Chinese medicine, Dr. Cui expressed mixed feelings.

"Traditional medicine has long been neglected in the world, which is a serious mistake as it is an important element of the preventive health care system. On the other hand, with the spread of knowledge about herbal medicines and more media coverage of success stories, traditional medicine is gaining more favor worldwide."

To serve more patients and help people gain a better understanding of traditional Chinese medicine, Dr. Cui joined the Academy of Chinese Medicine, USA, and the World Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicines. His articles have won international prizes, and he has been invited abroad for medical service and exchanges.

(www.china.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong 08/31/2001)