Jiang Shaoji (1919–1995), Internal Medicine Specialist, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Founding Director of the Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Pioneer of Chinese Gastroenterology

Introduction

    He was one of the founding pioneers of gastroenterology in China and the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Journal of Digestion.

    A bold and visionary physician, he embodied the truth that there are no fearless trailblazers without stormy seas, no tireless pioneers without thorns along the path.

    Meticulous in practice and rigorous in thought, he approached every clinical challenge with clarity, depth, and unwavering precision. Admired nationwide, he inspired generations of physicians and scholars—earning the enduring title: “The Mentor of Thousands.”

A Life Devoted to Healing and Nation-Building

    Jiang Shaoji was born on April 3, 1919, into a family engaged in industry and commerce in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. Diligent and intellectually curious from a young age, he was admitted to the prestigious Private Wuxi Middle School at just 12 years old. During his student years, he set a lifelong goal for himself: to devote his entire life to advancing China’s underdeveloped medical science.

    At the age of 19, he was accepted into St. John’s University in Shanghai, one of the most renowned institutions in China at the time. There, he spent seven formative years laying a strong foundation in medicine. In 1945, he graduated with distinction from the university’s School of Medicine, earning his Doctor of Medicine degree. Soon afterward, he joined Hongren Hospital as an attending physician in internal medicine, immersing himself fully in clinical work.

    Following the liberation of Shanghai, Jiang threw himself into the rebuilding of China’s healthcare system with passion and purpose—eager to contribute to the development of medicine in the newly founded People’s Republic.

    Not long after, the Korean War broke out. At the age of 33, Jiang made a resolute decision: he volunteered to join the Shanghai Volunteer Medical Surgical Team to support Chinese troops at the front. To prepare for the harsh realities of battlefield medicine, Jiang and his team underwent intense training. This included trauma care, hemorrhage control, sterilization techniques, and treatment for burns, frostbite, and penetrating injuries. They also trained for biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare scenarios—equipping themselves with the skills and resilience needed for emergency response in extreme conditions.

    Soon after, Jiang and his team were deployed to the frontlines. Amid deafening gunfire and unrelenting shellfire, they worked shoulder to shoulder with soldiers, confronting life-and-death situations each day. Jiang remained steadfast at his post, treating severely wounded soldiers around the clock. Most of the patients he saw were critically injured, but through his exceptional skill and steady hands, he helped many survive. He dressed wounds, sutured torn flesh, debrided infected tissue, and even assisted nurses in feeding and bathing patients. He never gave up on a single life. His calm under pressure and unwavering compassion revealed the true spirit of a healer.

    Today, a letter preserved in the archives of Renji Hospital—now part of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine—bears witness to that time. Issued by the “Shanghai Committee of Medical Workers Supporting the Korean War,” the document records Jiang’s frontline service from June to August 1952. Curiously, it refers to him as “Jiang Zhaoji,” a transliteration error from the local Shanghainese dialect—a small but poignant reminder of that era and its people.

    After returning to Shanghai, Jiang resumed his clinical work without delay. In 1954, he was appointed Vice President of Hongren Hospital. When the hospital was merged into the Second Medical College of Shanghai, he stepped into a new chapter of responsibility, serving as Vice President and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, and later as Deputy Director, then Director, of Division II of the Medical Faculty.

    In 1957, Jiang joined Renji Hospital—a century-old institution that would become his academic and clinical home for the remainder of his life.

    Through both calm and crisis, Jiang never wavered from his mission as a physician. He practiced medicine with scholarly rigor, taught with compassion, and treated patients with deep humanity. While many of his relatives and friends abroad encouraged him to emigrate, he remained steadfast in his decision to serve the people of China. For Jiang, medicine was not just a profession—it was a calling.

    Looking back on his life, Jiang once said he had accomplished two things of lasting value: his participation in China’s schistosomiasis prevention and control campaigns in the 1950s and ’60s, and the establishment of a modern discipline of gastroenterology, including the founding of the Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease and pioneering research into chronic gastritis and gastric cancer.

    Both endeavors were enormously challenging for their time. They required perseverance, intellect, and—above all—a deep and enduring love for medicine and for the people it serves.

Public Health Warrior: Defeating Schistosomiasis

    Long before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, schistosomiasis had already taken root in the country’s rural heartlands, inflicting widespread suffering on farmers and fishermen. By the 1950s, it had become not only a public health crisis but also a significant social burden. Caused by parasitic blood flukes, the disease led to chronic anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, and severe emaciation. It was especially rampant in the Yangtze River basin and coastal provinces of southern China, where residents—often working barefoot in flooded fields—were constantly exposed to infection. Those afflicted frequently developed red, itchy rashes, became physically frail, and experienced a progressive loss of mobility and vitality.

    At the time, China faced acute shortages of trained doctors and effective medications. Once infected, most patients had little hope of recovery. Entire communities were devastated, and the disease placed a heavy toll on families and the broader economy.

    In 1956, responding to a nationwide call to eradicate schistosomiasis, Jiang Shaoji threw himself into the effort with unwavering resolve. As a leading medical expert, he traveled extensively to epidemic regions, living in makeshift shelters, eating sparse meals, and even walking barefoot through waterlogged fields to collect firsthand data. He was not content to sit behind a desk—he believed in learning from the frontlines and committed himself fully to the cause of prevention and treatment.

    Based on his field investigations and clinical observations, Jiang developed a set of standardized diagnostic criteria for acute schistosomiasis syndrome. These guidelines would go on to form a critical part of China’s disease control framework. Later, while working in the field, Jiang encountered numerous cases of schistosomiasis-induced dwarfism. In collaboration with Professor Huang Mingxin, he launched a series of clinical and laboratory studies to uncover the physiological basis of this condition and explore possible treatments.

    Their years of research paid off. Jiang and his colleagues discovered that early medical intervention could halt the progression of the disease and allow affected children to resume normal growth and development. Their findings established the concept of “schistosomiasis-induced dwarfism” as a medical diagnosis and clarified its underlying mechanisms. Thanks to their advocacy, these patients were prioritized in treatment programs, and many regained their ability to work and live with dignity.

    At the time, antimonial compounds were the only known effective treatment for schistosomiasis. However, these drugs carried serious risks—some patients experienced fatal ventricular fibrillation, making treatment itself a source of fear and uncertainty. Jiang was among the first physicians in China to apply sigmoidoscopy to examine intestinal lesions caused by schistosomiasis, allowing for more targeted and timely care.

    Together with Professors Huang Mingxin and Pan Rusun, Jiang conducted pioneering research into the toxicity of antimonial drugs. Their investigations revealed how antimonials could trigger life-threatening arrhythmias and even cause Adams-Stokes syndrome. More importantly, they discovered that atropine, when administered in high doses, could reverse the cardiotoxic effects of these drugs and prevent sudden death. Their clinical trials confirmed the efficacy and safety of atropine therapy, providing a much-needed safeguard during treatment.

    The National Schistosomiasis Control Task Force soon adopted high-dose atropine as the standard of care for antimonial-induced cardiac toxicity. This protocol drastically reduced mortality during treatment and saved countless lives. Jiang and his team became national exemplars for their contributions to one of China’s most urgent public health challenges.

    In recognition of his leadership and achievements, Jiang was appointed to head the Clinical Group of both the National Schistosomiasis Research Committee and the Shanghai Schistosomiasis Control Committee—positions he held for many years.

    To further consolidate and share their research, Jiang co-edited the landmark volume Schistosomes and Schistosomiasis with Professors Huang Mingxin and Pan Rusun. It was the first clinical monograph on schistosomiasis written by Chinese physicians based on local experience. The book not only filled a major gap in the country’s medical literature but also became a cornerstone in national disease control efforts. It remains a milestone in China’s medical publishing history.

For his tireless dedication and exceptional contributions to combating schistosomiasis, Jiang Shaoji was honored with numerous national awards and accolades throughout his career. But more than the honors, it was the lives saved and suffering alleviated that defined the legacy of his work.

Building a Discipline: The Rise of Chinese Gastroenterology

    In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, national medical efforts largely centered on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Gastrointestinal illnesses, by comparison, received minimal attention. Yet Jiang Shaoji recognized the profound clinical significance and untapped potential of digestive disease research. With remarkable foresight, he chose to dedicate himself to developing this underappreciated field—an act of vision that would reshape Chinese internal medicine.

    Over decades of determined work, Jiang laid both the theoretical and technical foundations of Chinese gastroenterology. He led the national charge in clinical diagnosis, treatment, and academic development, ultimately transforming the landscape of digestive health care in China. Under his leadership, medical professionals across the country gained new tools and training to better serve their patients, while thousands found renewed hope through improved care.

    In the 1950s, Jiang and his colleague Dr. Xiao Shudong—then a newly appointed attending physician—began their research at Renji Hospital with just a single laparoscope and a semi-flexible gastroscope. Despite these limited resources, they pioneered early endoscopic and diagnostic work in gastroenterology. Their momentum was disrupted during the Cultural Revolution, but Jiang refused to be deterred. In the final years of that turbulent era, he quietly spent time in the Shanghai Second Medical College library translating international medical literature. Within two years, he had bridged nearly a decade of missed global progress, realigning his knowledge with the forefront of world medical research. At the same time, he began rebuilding the foundation of Renji Hospital’s gastroenterology department.

    In 1978, after the Cultural Revolution ended, Renji Hospital formally launched its graduate program in gastroenterology under Jiang’s guidance. The department flourished. It became a hub for cutting-edge research, scholarly publication, and medical education, earning numerous accolades for its scientific contributions.

    By the early 1980s, with support from the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, Renji established the Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, appointing Jiang as its founding director. In this role, he led groundbreaking studies on chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer prevention—ushering in a new era for gastrointestinal research in China.

    Jiang’s scientific contributions were both broad and deep. With Dr. Xiao, he led the first Chinese research group to confirm the presence of pernicious anemia caused by chronic atrophic gastritis, pioneering new diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches. He also developed a canine gastric cancer model to investigate the role of micronutrients in tumor prevention. His team discovered that folic acid, selenium, and retinoic acid could promote differentiation of precancerous cells—an insight that helped shape early cancer prevention strategies.

    Jiang was also an early explorer of gastrointestinal microbiota. At a time when global understanding of Helicobacter pylori was still nascent, his team achieved the first successful cultivation of H. pylori in China, laying the foundation for microbiome research in the country. Although the bacterium’s link to gastric cancer was not yet fully understood, Jiang’s forward-thinking approach positioned Chinese research at the frontier of a rapidly evolving field.

    In early 1995, at a symposium on H. pylori hosted by the Shanghai Medical Association, Jiang—then in his seventies—delivered the keynote speech. His clarity of thought and insightful analysis impressed both Chinese and international scholars, helping to shape research directions in the years that followed. That same year, he was elected as an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering—a crowning recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the field.

    To expand access to knowledge, Jiang founded and served as the first Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Journal of Digestion and also led the Digestive Diseases Section of Foreign Medical Sciences. He served on the editorial boards of several other top-tier journals, including the Chinese edition of the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. A fluent English speaker, Jiang translated and annotated hundreds of foreign medical articles, helping bring the latest international advances to Chinese clinical settings.

    His writing output was legendary. He famously slept only five or six hours a night, often staying up until local morning markets opened before going to bed. Over his lifetime, he wrote or contributed to more than 6,000 scientific papers, annotated over 100 volumes, and authored more than 200 publications—amounting to over 10 million words. He once remarked with dry humor: “Except for a self-criticism letter during the Cultural Revolution, I’ve never had a manuscript rejected or even a sentence changed.” His bilingual fluency enabled him to coin elegant and precise translations for medical terms that had no established equivalents in Chinese-English dictionaries. His writing was renowned for its clarity, accuracy, and literary grace.

    Jiang served as chief editor of several influential medical monographs, including Clinical Hepatology, Clinical Gastroenterology, Schistosomes and Schistosomiasis, and Theories and Practices in Internal Medicine. He also contributed to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th national editions of China’s standard medical textbook Internal Medicine, often working through illness to meet deadlines. Even in his final years, he remained deeply involved in writing and editing, refusing to compromise his scholarly standards.

    Jiang Shaoji’s lifelong dedication to research, publishing, and knowledge-sharing laid the intellectual and clinical foundations of gastroenterology in China. He was not only a pioneer of a new discipline but also a bridge between Chinese medicine and the world. His work helped bring Chinese research into the international spotlight—where it continues to thrive today.

Beyond the Gut: Advancing Internal Medicine and Integrated Care

    Beyond his groundbreaking work in gastroenterology, Jiang Shaoji made enduring contributions across the broader field of internal medicine. As early as 1964, Jiang and his longtime collaborator, Professor Huang Mingxin, encouraged and guided Dr. Chen Shunle in launching clinical research into autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. Although the Cultural Revolution halted this early progress, Jiang’s commitment to advancing internal medicine remained steadfast. The theoretical and clinical foundation they established would later prove instrumental in advancing China’s understanding of immunological disorders.

    In 1979, when the Shanghai Second Medical College established its Institute of Immunology, Jiang was appointed Deputy Director, alongside Director Yu He and Associate Director Huang Mingxin. The institute’s Clinical Immunology Research Unit was based at Renji Hospital, with Jiang serving as its founding director and Chen Shunle as deputy. Together, they established a specialized outpatient clinic and an inpatient ward with eight dedicated beds. Their team embarked on large-scale clinical and immunological studies focused on systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

    Thanks to their early leadership and vision, Renji Hospital has since become a nationally—and increasingly internationally—recognized center for autoimmune and immunological research. Jiang’s pioneering efforts not only advanced diagnostic and therapeutic practices but also improved the quality of life for countless patients struggling with these challenging conditions.

    Jiang also made notable strides in the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western clinical practices. Always in search of more effective treatment models, he co-led a landmark collaboration with Professor Chen Meifang of the Shanghai Second Medical College’s TCM Department. Together, they assembled a multidisciplinary team—including surgeons, internists, TCM practitioners, and laboratory scientists—to explore innovative approaches to integrative care.

    Under Jiang’s leadership, the team developed a comprehensive, dynamic framework for perioperative patient monitoring, enabling sequential treatment strategies that combined the strengths of traditional and Western medicine. This integrative approach not only improved patient outcomes but also represented a major step forward in personalized, holistic medicine. Their work pushed the boundaries of clinical methodology and offered new, patient-centered solutions for individuals with complex and chronic conditions.

Mentor of Thousands: A Legacy in Medical Education

    In academic circles, Jiang Shaoji was affectionately known as “The Mentor of Thousands”—a tribute that was richly deserved. After graduating from St. John’s University in Shanghai, he dedicated his life not only to clinical practice and scientific research but also to medical education. Over the course of five decades, tens of thousands of students attended his lectures. Many of them rose to prominence in China’s medical field and beyond, becoming leaders who would shape the future of modern medicine.

    Determined to ensure the continuity of his life’s work, Jiang poured his energy into teaching and mentorship. Even in his seventies, he remained a regular presence in the lecture hall. Just two days before undergoing major surgery, he asked his assistant to help prepare lecture slides on genetics. “Young people don’t know much about this,” he said. “Once I recover, I must teach them.”

    Jiang approached teaching with the same passion and discipline that defined his medical career. His lectures were vivid and engaging, and his style—both rigorous and relatable—made him a beloved figure among students. He was repeatedly recognized as an outstanding educator. Jiang firmly believed that great doctors begin with great teachers. A mentor’s influence, he often said, could spark a lifetime of achievement.

    He was also known as a strict teacher, especially during bedside clinical rounds. Students feared his precision, yet deeply respected his standards. Outside the hospital, however, he treated them with warmth and generosity. One student fondly recalled that Renji Hospital was near the famous Kaisiling pastry shop on West Nanjing Road. Jiang would sometimes call and say, “Take off your white coat—let’s go get a chestnut cake.” In moments like these, students saw not only a brilliant physician, but a kind mentor whose guidance extended far beyond the classroom or clinic.

    Among his many students, Fang Jingyuan, now the incoming Chair of the Gastroenterology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, once remarked that he was “the luckiest of Professor Jiang’s many students.” Jiang’s exacting standards and tireless work ethic shaped Fang’s own academic habits. He recalled writing seven review papers under Jiang’s guidance—each one edited line by line, each reference painstakingly verified. From this process, Fang learned that true scholarship is not just about information—it is about integrity, thoroughness, and care.

    Jiang’s study was a sanctuary filled with Chinese and foreign books. Whether he was reviewing manuscripts, drafting textbooks, or meeting with students for discussion, he was entirely in his element—immersed, focused, and at peace.

    He believed that talent was the foundation of any discipline. To better cultivate expertise, Jiang divided Renji’s gastroenterology department into two research teams: one focused on gastrointestinal diseases, the other on liver diseases. He provided each group with clear objectives and encouraged young physicians to develop their unique strengths and pursue independent research.

    Always eager to mentor, Jiang actively sought out talented individuals. Capitalizing on the opportunities of China’s Reform and Opening-Up, he forged relationships with foreign medical institutions and arranged for Renji’s best young doctors to receive overseas training. He helped secure international scholarships and living stipends, ensuring that his protégés could thrive abroad. Thanks to his vision, a generation of Chinese physicians broadened their horizons, bringing back global insights that would shape the next chapter of Chinese medicine.

    Jiang’s educational philosophy and leadership laid a firm foundation for the continued growth of internal medicine—especially gastroenterology—at Renji Hospital. His reputation as a teacher and scholar extended far beyond China’s borders, earning admiration and respect in international academic communities.

    Jiang Shaoji’s life was defined by quiet brilliance and resolute humility. He never sought the spotlight. Instead, he devoted himself to lifting others—one lecture, one manuscript, one student at a time. In his scholarly rigor, in his vast body of writing, and in the thousands of students he taught, Jiang left a legacy that endures to this day.

    He passed away on May 16, 1995, at the age of 76.

    But his legacy lives on—not only in medical textbooks or scientific journals, but in the hearts and hands of those he mentored, who continue to practice medicine with the same compassion, discipline, and dedication that he so deeply embodied.

Editor: 

1. Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn

2. Li Yijing (An intern from Ohio State University)