STORY: Small in stature, mighty in service: Inspiring journey of a village doctor
DATELINE: Aug. 19, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:35
LOCATION: YUDU, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of village doctor
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HUANG ZHENGYUE, Villager of Yudu County
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIAO QINGHUI, Villager of Yudu County

STORYLINE:

Xiao Jiulin, a doctor standing less than one meter tall, has been dedicated to the well-being of over 2,000 villagers in Yudu County, China.

In the 1960s, an illness left Xiao physically disabled and unable to grow taller.

At 18, Xiao dreamed of becoming a painter and also learned to play the Erhu. But his own chronic illness shifted his focus to alleviating the pain of others. He decided to be a village doctor. 

But he was rejected many times trying to learn medical skills from experienced doctors until an aged doctor finally agreed to give him a try.

Yet his appearance continued to spark distrust among villagers at the very beginning of his career as a doctor. 

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HUANG ZHENGYUE, Villager
"My first impression of Xiao was that he seemed to be not very reliable."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIAO QINGHUI, Villager
"Xiao's fingers are so thick. We wondered if it would hurt or not if he gave us an injection."

To gain the trust of his patients, Xiao always revisited them the next day after he gave a diagnosis. Gradually, villagers embraced him as family.

Now 59 years old, Xiao stands shorter than his own grandchildren. Yet, seeing them grow healthily fuels his hope for the future.

Throughout his 34-year career, Xiao has found a sense of fulfillment and gained respect for his unwavering dedication and love for life.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yudu, China.
(XHTV)