Sanya Central Hospital has traveled through 62 years of trials and tribulations.

It set sail with the dreams of 101 founding veterans.

Now it has 1,800 beds.

It is like a magnificent giant ship in the medical galaxy.

Time is like a poem, and medical workers are like a song.

They blazed a trail through the wilderness.

To open up the forest, converging trickles into the vast ocean of today.

The reclamation spirit is passed down from generation to generation, endowing the hospital with a profound heritage.

Making it not only a holy land for treating the sick and saving lives.

   Ding Wenxiang and Shou Lilan: "Curing the sick and saving lives is the most vivid and simple portrayal of their medical careers.”

In 1958, Ding Wenxiang transferred from a hospital of the Nanjing Air Force to the Great Northern Wilderness. In 1959, Shou Lilan, as a young person supporting the border from Shandong, went to the Northeast. In 1962, the two actively responded to the call of the organization and came to Hainan to support the development of the health cause. When she first received the call from the organization to support the medical work in Hainan, Shou Lilan, who was only 21 years old at that time, didn't hesitate. After simply packing her "belongings", she followed her 27-year-old husband Ding Wenxiang and their whole family came to Hainan to devote themselves to the establishment and development of the health cause.

When they first arrived at the hospital site in Yuechuan Village, all the conditions were extremely simple. Most of the hospital area was a wasteland, and the airplane grass grew as high as a person's head everywhere. Recalling the scene of coming to Hainan at the beginning, Shou Lilan bluntly said that it was very different from what she had imagined! "On the way from Heilongjiang, we first stayed in Beijing for three days, then took a train to Guangzhou and stayed there for five or six days, and then took a ship to Hainan. The ship at that time was very small, and it broke down on the sea. Many people got seasick and vomited. The day we took a car from Haikou to Sanya, we set off at seven or eight o'clock in the morning and didn't arrive until midnight. At that time, we really didn't adapt well. Hainan has a hot climate and many mosquitoes, which is 'completely different' from the conditions in Heilongjiang. Although the conditions were very tough at that time, everyone was very optimistic. ”

Compared with the difficult environment, what they were most unaccustomed to was the difference in living habits and the language barrier. Shou Lilan recalled the "interesting story" of fetching water with her husband for the first time. At that time, they had to go to the well to fetch water. Because she didn't tie the bucket properly, she dropped the bucket into the well on the first try. After fetching the water, she and her husband carried it back to the dormitory by hand respectively. The local people couldn't help laughing when they saw this scene. However, due to the language barrier, they later understood the deep meaning. It turned out that the local people used a carrying pole to carry water, and one person could easily complete it. In addition to the communication barrier, what they were not used to was also the difference in diet. Ding Wenxiang is from Jilin and Shou Lilan is from Shandong. In the North, people usually take noodles as the staple food. However, due to the scarcity of materials at that time, the local people often took cassava as food. At first, Ding Wenxiang and Shou Lilan were not used to eating it. Later, as they ate it more often, they gradually got used to this precious "life-saving food".

In the early days of the hospital's establishment, Shou Lilan was a nurse in the supply room, and her husband Ding Wenxiang was a surgeon. Due to the poor conditions in the early days of the hospital's establishment, the departments were not carefully divided, and the medical equipment was also relatively simple. As a surgeon, Ding Wenxiang had to diagnose and treat various surgical diseases such as ear, nose and throat, brain, appendicitis, and stomach, and also perform various surgeries. The operation locations were not only in the hospital but sometimes also in various farms. "At that time, the doctors were on duty 24 hours a day. He was very busy then. He often worked during the day, attended meetings, and studied at night. Sometimes he had to perform emergency surgeries after work. As soon as the ambulance came, he had to go. And the transportation was extremely inconvenient at that time. It often took a whole day to get there." Shou Lilan said that at that time, everyone didn't have their own time, but they felt very fulfilled.  What impressed her most was the Spring Festival in 1975. "During the Spring Festival at that time, the brick kiln was on holiday and there were no workers. To speed up the construction of the outpatient building, all the cadres and employees of the hospital, together with their children, went to the brick kiln to move bricks and take them out of the kiln. We worked together and built the original outpatient building of the hospital 'with our own hands' brick by brick." This year, the old outpatient building of the hospital was demolished, and the new comprehensive outpatient building was completed and put into use. My husband and I joked that we were very sorry that we didn't take a photo of the old outpatient building before the demolition.

To improve the medical level of the hospital, Ding Wenxiang also paid great attention to "mentoring and teaching". Through means such as surgical teaching, teaching ward rounds, and special lectures, he trained a large number of professional talents. Many students often made special trips to Sanya to visit him and his wife out of gratitude for his teaching. "This year, an old man in his 70s made a special trip from Sandao Farm to visit us. When we asked, we found out that he was a student that Lao Ding had once taught." During the period when the hospital was striving to become a Grade A tertiary hospital, Ding Wenxiang, who should have retired at the age of 60, postponed his retirement until the age of 63. Together with all the medical staff of the hospital, to become a Grade A tertiary hospital, they jointly overcame difficulties and completed the establishment and evaluation for becoming a Grade-A tertiary hospital.  In 1996, the hospital finally became one of the first batch of Grade-A tertiary hospitals in the country and the only Grade A tertiary hospital in southern Hainan.

When asked about their message to the young generations, the couple said in unison: "Be down-to-earth in curing the sick and saving lives." This simple sentence is not only their original aspiration and mission but also the most vivid and simple portrayal of their medical careers.  From young people in the prime of their lives to octogenarians over ninety years old, from Nanjing to the Northeast, and then to Hainan, the couple Ding Wenxiang and Shou Lilan have traveled across more than half of China and devoted a whole sixty years to the development of the health cause in Hainan.

An Yuhua: "The people here are very nice, and our relationship with the patients is just like that of friends! ”

Even today, 86-year-old An Yuhua still vividly remembers those "days of hardship and relentless determination." In 1962, An Yuhua, who actively responded to the call of the country, together with her husband and 99 other colleagues, took a train heading south to Sanya.

"At that time, what was called a hospital was actually the former site of the Party School of Yaxian County Committee located in Yuechuan Village. There were only a few old bungalows and thatched houses, and the surrounding area was all sandy land overgrown with weeds." An Yuhua recalled.  The weather in Sanya was hot and there were many mosquitoes. Everyone wasn't used to it at first, but no one complained about the hardship or tiredness. Instead, they felt full of energy.

"The country asked us to come, which means that this place needs us, and we should do a good job. Under the leadership of President Xu Chengyu, we overcame the difficulty of not being acclimatized. With a passionate spirit, we built the hospital brick by brick. We transformed the old houses into wards, went up the mountain to dig for herbal medicines, and crossed the river to send patients. We overcame difficulties one by one." An Yuhua said.

When An Yuhua first came, she worked as a doctor in the infectious diseases department. The consultation environment was very tough, the wards were simple. In addition, there were many cases of severe dysentery and poliomyelitis at that time, and the rescue technology was still relatively backward, with a high mortality rate. "At that time, the conditions were tough, and my parents asked me to go back. But I persevered. On the one hand, I couldn't let down the trust of my superiors. On the other hand, the people here are very nice. Our relationship with the patients is just like that of friends. Sometimes they would even pay a special visit to express their gratitude. Although I have rarely gone back to my hometown in Shanxi since I started working in Sanya, I have never regretted it. ”

Liu Pixian and Li Deying: Applying Three Times to Go Where the Motherland Needs Them Most

Going to the border areas, to the grassroots, and to where the motherland needs them most is the most vivid interpretation of the reclamation spirit by Liu Pixian and Li Deying, the founding veterans of the hospital. Liu Pixian, an 89-year-old founding veteran of the hospital, was not only one of the founders but also a glorious Volunteer soldier. In 1950, at the age of 14, he joined the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and became a medical team member, going through the baptism of blood and fire. In 1953, after the end of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, Liu Pixian became a doctor in a hospital in Nanjing. In 1958, thousands of demobilized officers and soldiers responded to the call and converged in the Great Northern Wilderness from all over the country to participate in the large-scale development of the Great Northern Wilderness. Meanwhile, Liu Pixian also actively responded to the national call and signed up to go to the Great Northern Wilderness. In the same year, Li Deying, who was originally a train conductor, also came to the Great Northern Wilderness as an educated youth to support the development and construction of the border area. In the Great Northern Wilderness, the two met, got to know each other, and got married.

In 1962, when they heard that Hainan's construction needed a large number of medical staff, Liu Pixian immediately and actively applied to the organization again without hesitation. He took his wife Li Deying and their one-year-old child and went to Hainan with the team. "At that time, there were no planes. We could only take a train to Guangzhou first and then transfer to a ship and a car, making our way to Hainan after many transfers. Compared with the days in the Great Northern Wilderness, the conditions in Hainan were even tougher at that time, and the climate and environment were more severe. But when we heard that medical talents were in short supply and that the development and construction needed us and the people needed us, we signed up without hesitation," Liu Pixian said.

The hospital was initially located at the former site of the Party School of Yaxian County Committee in Yuechuan Village, Yaxian County (the predecessor of Sanya City). At that time, Liu Pixian worked as a doctor in the physiotherapy department, responsible for treating patients; his wife Li Deying worked as an accountant and furthered her studies, responsible for setting up the hospital's medical record room. "At that time, it was all wasteland overgrown with weeds, with only a few low, old bungalows and thatched houses. Supplies were also in short supply, and we slept on camp beds. Everything had to start from scratch," Liu Pixian said. Back then, the weather was very hot, and the employees from all over the country were not used to the climate in Hainan. Many people had rashes and blisters on their bodies, but no one complained about the hardship or tiredness, and there was no time to think about it.  "At that time, there was no concept of 'leisure time'. After the night shift, we still had to participate in labor, weeding and building houses in the hospital area, carrying bricks at the brick factory, pulling sand and cement at the dock, and transporting supplies, tables, and chairs to Baoting, Wanning, Lingshui, Qiongzhong, and other places..." Liu Pixian said. What impressed him particularly was that when the hospital was building the radiology building, everyone worked hard all day. Although very tired, they all felt it was worth it. Amid laughter and conversations, they were full of expectations for the future and confident in building the hospital well. In this way, under the leadership of President Xu Chengyu, the cadres and employees worked and labored at the same time. They achieved the goal of moving and opening the hospital in the same year in only seven months.

The day before the interview was the 64th wedding anniversary of the couple. The couple looked through the yellowed old photos and recalled the "reclamation memories" full of ups and downs along the way. Li Deying said, "Witnessing the hospital develop into the best Grade A tertiary hospital in southern Hainan proves that our efforts and dedication are worth it. We have also fulfilled our solemn vow of 'definitely building the hospital well'." ”

Wang Zejing and Peng Qisheng: "Still Concerned about the Development of the Hospital in Their Eighties"

"Our hospital is now getting bigger and bigger, and it has also cooperated with many well-known domestic hospitals. This is the result of the efforts of batches of medical workers. So I hope the hospital will make more efforts in mentoring the new with the old so that the new people can learn more dedication and the hospital can develop better and better," Wang Zejing said excitedly.

    She was one of the first batch of founding veterans of Sanya Central Hospital. The clock was turned back to 1962. At that time, Wang Zejing, who was only 25 years old, and her 27-year-old husband Peng Qisheng actively responded to the national call to support the development of the medical cause in Hainan. Together with 99 other colleagues, they took a train from Heilongjiang and headed south to Sanya, Hainan, with full enthusiasm.

     "Before coming, someone joked that Hainan was rich in resources and you could pick coconuts while lying in bed. Everyone was full of expectations," Wang Zejing said with a smile. "But after several transfers and arriving in Hainan, it took 10 hours to take a car from Haikou to Sanya. When we got out of the car and patted our bodies, there was all dust.  Looking at the 'hospital' in front of us, except for a few dilapidated small tile-roofed houses, there were all wastelands overgrown with cacti, and there was nothing else. But President Xu (Xu Chengyu, the first president of the hospital) told us that the country sent us here to build and develop this place. Soon, everyone picked up shovels to clear the cacti and machetes to clear the weeds. Everyone was full of energy and determined to open up a new world here." Recalling that "passionate years", the 86-year-old Wang Zejing still couldn't contain her excitement.

    There were only a few dilapidated small houses, and they relied on a well for drinking water. The consultation equipment was just a few simple instruments brought by everyone. "Since there was no place to live, we built thatched houses by ourselves; since there was no food, we reclaimed land to grow vegetables; since there was no broom to sweep the floor, we made brooms by ourselves to clean; since there was no firewood, we went up the mountain to cut firewood for cooking," Wang Zejing said. "I was a nurse. I went to work at 6:30 every morning. Everyone cleaned for half an hour first and then went to take care of the patients. After being busy in the afternoon, we went to grow vegetables. My husband, as a veteran of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, was even more able to endure hardships. Whether in the Great Northern Wilderness or Sanya, he went wherever he was needed. After arriving in Sanya, he was a logistics staff in the hospital. In addition to driving to transport supplies, he usually helped fetch water, cut firewood, and cook."

    In this way, 101 founding veterans including Wang Zejing and Peng Qisheng turned into "reclamation pioneers". They built the hospital brick by brick in the wilderness with the most primitive tools and officially opened for diagnosis on October 1 of that year, successfully achieving the goal of "relocating in the same year and opening the hospital in the same year".

     "If we have to use words to describe our group of people, it is that we are not afraid of dirt, hardship, or tiredness. We are willing to bear the burden of hard work and do our duty," Wang Zejing said.  In the past, there were no nursing workers. As nurses, in addition to their daily nursing work, they also had to feed the patients, give them medicine, and bathe them. Although the work was very cumbersome and tiring, no one complained about the hardship or tiredness, and the doctor-patient relationship was also very good. "Many of the patients we took care of would come back specifically to find us and thank us, making us feel very proud and that this job is worth it!" ”

In 1994, Wang Zejing, who had stood her last post, retired with honor. But the "meddlesome" her has always been concerned about the development and construction of the hospital. She often reads the hospital's news and developments through the WeChat official account and actively offers suggestions to the hospital. "I am always a part of the hospital. Seeing the hospital develop better and better is inseparable from the dedication of generations of medical workers," Wang Zejing said. "I hope everyone can maintain the original intention of medical workers, play the role of mentoring and teaching, and benefit more patients."

    This is what Wang Zejing said and did. Under her influence, her daughter followed in her footsteps and became a nurse, taking care of patients until they recovered. She retired with honor a few years ago. I believe that under the influence of the older generation like Wang Zejing, there will be more "Wang Zejings" in Sanya Central Hospital, accompanying the hospital to further develop and grow.

Chen Shunyu: "Although the conditions were very tough in the early days of the hospital's establishment, she never 'discouraged' herself!" ”

Chen Shunyu, an 87-year-old, often uses the word "discouraged" to express the meaning of giving up. She said, "From the hospital built with a few dilapidated thatched houses at that time to the current Grade A tertiary hospital, especially seeing the newly opened magnificent outpatient building, I really feel very happy and proud." When saying this, Chen Shunyu's face was also full of luster.

Now, Chen Shunyu has become one of the first batch of "veterans" who founded Sanya Central Hospital. However, her name was not on the list of selected personnel to support the reclamation medical and health cause in Hainan at first. But she was not reconciled and really hoped that she could support the construction of Hainan Island. After several requests, she finally moved the leaders and got approval.

"When we first came, life was really very tough. There were no trees in Yuechuan, and the grass grew taller than people. So we planted trees. We relied on well water. We could only tie a bucket with a rope and stretch it into the well to draw water. I was small in stature and was always afraid of falling into the well every time I carried water. The 101 of us who came to Sanya together were from various places, but I was the only Korean. Because my eating habits were very different from those in Hainan, I lost weight from 50 kg to 39 kg jin in just a few months," Chen Shunyu said. "I had several opportunities to transfer to a better hospital, but I never had the idea of 'discouraging' myself."

At that time, there was no electricity. As a nurse in the obstetrics and gynecology department, she had to carry a hurricane lamp to make rounds every time she was on the night shift. "It was pitch black, and there was only one nurse. I was really scared at that time," Chen Shunyu said. At that time, the medical conditions were not good. Many children who were sick came from the farms. They mainly needed scalp injections. When there were no scalp injection devices, we had to rely on ourselves. We needed to break off the needles to make the devices. Although it was troublesome, we could always do it well and complete the puncture smoothly every time.  At that time, there were no disposable glass bottle infusion sets like now. There was a reusable wide-mouth glass bottle that needed to be disinfected with a pressure cooker and used repeatedly. There were no ready-made lids, so we covered it with cotton inside gauze. Back then, we were very careful about disinfection. The commonly used Chinese herbal medicines mainly relied on us taking turns to take a tractor to pick them up on the mountains of Licai Farm.

Over the years, Chen Shunyu has led batches of newly recruited or trained nurses to work. She taught by example and trained batch after batch of excellent nurses. She said, "It is precisely because of the continuous efforts of the older generation of medical workers that a solid foundation has been laid for the development and construction of the hospital, enabling our hospital to have a better today. I hope the young employees in the hospital will keep our reclamation spirit' in mind, inherit and carry forward this spirit, and be worthy of the Party and the people!" I hope the young employees in the hospital will keep our reclamation spirit' in mind, inherit and carry forward this spirit, and be worthy of the Party and the people!" ”

Hardships! That long period of forging ahead through difficulties,

upholding integrity and innovation.

Pide! That wholehearted dedication,

a patriotic and people-oriented sentiment

Remembering where we came from, we know where we are going.

These founding veterans founded

the hospital and witnessed its growth.

Generations of hospital employees will also,

under their spiritual guidance,

forge ahead bravely, carry on the torch

and push the hospital forward on the new journey of high-quality development.

(Lin Yanling, Sanya Central Hospital, July 2, 2024)