Chapter 477: Li Ji's Sense of Responsibility
First Town, National Higher Medical Technical School.
Ernst was inspecting the new school, accompanied by school leadership and Ministry of Health officials.
"Your Highness! Why is this so-called medical school not involving us at all? I believe our medical techniques are not inferior," a voice suddenly questioned.
"Hm? And you are?" Ernst looked curiously at the man who had abruptly spoken up.
"This is Mr. Li Ji, a former member of the Far Eastern medical team. He now serves as an advisor to the East African Ministry of Health," said Minister of Health Belgrade.
"No wonder!" Ernst replied with a smile. "Mr. Li Ji, you're free to raise any concerns. If I can help, I certainly will."
Li Ji said, "Far Eastern medicine has clearly contributed to East Africa over the years. While I won't claim it surpasses Western medicine, our results aren't bad either. So why hasn't this school included any part of traditional Eastern medicine?"
Ah, so that was the issue. Ernst smiled and responded reassuringly, "Mr. Li Ji, do you understand medicine?"
"Of course. It's my profession."
"Then can you scientifically explain the principles of Far Eastern medicine?"
Li Ji hesitated. "Well... Your Highness, that would be difficult. Our medical traditions originate from a completely different system. Naturally, it doesn't align with your so-called science."
Having spent time in East Africa, Li Ji understood what "science" meant—a structured system of theory and experimentation. But he couldn't realistically explain yin-yang and the five elements as scientific principles.
Ernst shook his head. "That's where you're mistaken. Neither Western nor Eastern medicine started with science. They both grew out of primitive witchcraft and experience-based learning. In fact, traditional Western medicine retained more religious elements than yours. For example—concepts like humors, plague masks, and evil spirits. But now, a new medical system has emerged in the West."
Ernst pointed out that the Western concept of "humors," derived from Galen's teachings, posited that life came from "vital airs." Galen believed blood was pumped from the heart outward, not circulated, which led to the dangerous practice of bloodletting—killing many people.
"This new medical system began with William Harvey. He experimentally confirmed the theory of blood circulation and pioneered modern physiology and medical research methods. Of course, many in Europe still credit Hippocrates instead. But that's a political move—binding modern medicine to ancient Greek traditions. If you asked Hippocrates about blood circulation, he'd think it was fantasy."
This was an old Western trick—invoking mythical Greek figures to justify modern change, whether for prestige or to placate traditionalists. Ernst wasn't interested in that. "In East Africa, Harvey is the father of modern medicine. Even though he was British, we won't deny Newton or Harvey their places in science."
Li Ji, bewildered, was struggling to keep up. Blood circulation? Hippocrates? It was all new to him.
Seeing their confusion, Ernst simplified it. "In short, modern medicine is a rising force. It's sweeping away traditional systems everywhere. If you can't explain traditional medicine using science, it will eventually be abandoned."
"So how do you define science?"
"Observation, hypothesis, experimentation, verification, application, and reflection," Ernst replied.
"..." Li Ji had expected some profound doctrine. Instead, this? But then he said, "Your Highness, that doesn't conflict with our traditional methods. We also observe, hypothesize, and test—our version is clinical diagnosis. We also verify, apply, and reflect."
Ernst thought about it. Indeed, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) followed a similar pattern. No wonder it had endured. That made things easier.
He said to Li Ji, "You see? If traditional Eastern medicine shares a scientific foundation, then you should lead the way in integrating it with modern science to build a new system."
Ernst added, "I know some so-called masters back East are just frauds. They can't explain anything and hide behind mysticism. But real medicine needs evidence. The greatest modern physicians built their theories on experiments. True, early science was often flawed, but in its time, it was truth. If TCM can be restructured through evidence and experimentation, I'll gladly build a dedicated college for it."
Ernst's proposal left Li Ji deeply uneasy. As East Africa's representative of TCM, he now had to prove its validity through science—a daunting task. Most TCM practitioners in East Africa were second-tier, even by Far Eastern standards. They lacked the background for serious theoretical research, let alone experimental science. Fortunately, the Far Eastern Empire hadn't sent outright frauds.
Li Ji asked, "So Your Highness is saying TCM must be reformed?"
Ernst replied, "That's up to you. But East Africa only recognizes science. If you can prove TCM is scientific, we'll promote it. If not, it will be phased out like Western traditional medicine."
Li Ji felt a deep sense of crisis. Not just for TCM in East Africa, but for its survival worldwide. Would even the Far East, its homeland, abandon it for modern medicine? If that happened, future generations of TCM practitioners would have failed utterly.
No. TCM must break new ground in this new era. It couldn't die on his watch. Li Ji suddenly felt a crushing weight of responsibility—but also a sense of purpose. He wasn't the best doctor. But if he could help TCM rise again, to revive it under modern scrutiny, what an honor that would be.
"Your Highness, we understand what must be done," Li Ji said solemnly.
From that moment, East Africa's TCM community embarked on a new path—integrating traditional Chinese medicine with science. It would be the hardest path. Led by Li Ji, these second-tier scholars had to study both old methods and new science.
Li Ji's generation wouldn't be able to complete this transformation alone. It would take generations of effort to build a scientific system rooted in TCM. The result would be a new, Eastern-flavored branch of modern medicine. Fundamentally the same as Western medicine—but with its own cultural soul.
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