On August 30, 2024, the "110th Anniversary of Professor Zeng Xianjiu's Birth and Special Exhibition on Surgical Development," co-hosted by Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Chinese Association of Pancreatology (CAP), was inaugurated. Academician Zhao Yupei, Honorary President of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, President Zhang Shuyang, Party Secretary Wu Peixin, and Professor Zeng Xianjiu's son Zeng Hong jointly unveiled the exhibition. The exhibition presented precious photos, medical records, papers, and works to highlight Professor Zeng Xianjiu's outstanding contributions and showcase a series of milestone achieved by the surgical department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital under his inspiration, which stand as landmarks in modern Chinese medical history. It inspires contemporary Union Medical staff to achieve new milestones in the new era and new journey.

Professor Zeng Xianjiu's life is an exemplary embodiment of the spirit of scientists. The exhibition is structured around six core aspects of this spirit. The first chapter, "With a Heart for the Motherland, Serving the People," introduced the main life stories of Professor Zeng Xianjiu; the second chapter, "Scaling Heights, Daring to Be the First," introduced the main academic contributions of Professor Zeng Xianjiu; the third chapter, "Pursuing Truth, Rigorous Scholarship," introduced Professor Zeng Xianjiu's academic thoughts and the inheritance and innovation of surgery; the fourth chapter, "Indifferent to Fame and Wealth, Devoted to Research," restored the image of Professor Zeng Xianjiu reading at his desk; the fifth chapter, "Gathering Wisdom to Tackle Key Issues, Working Together," introduced the promotion of the multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model of Union Hospital both inside and outside the hospital; the sixth chapter, "Willingly Serving as a Ladder, Encouraging Junior Scholars," introduced the development achievements of the surgery department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital in leading Chinese surgical colleagues to ascend to the world stage of surgery.

This exhibition carefully selected and displayed remarkable medical records of Professor Zeng Xianjiu from various periods. During his residency, his handwritten English medical records were elegant, detailed, and well-organized. On the day before the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was still fighting on the front line of the operating table. In the 1950s, he guided young doctors to complete the surgery for a giant pancreatic cyst, with a comprehensive surgical plan and exquisite medical drawings. In the 1980s, Professor Zeng Xianjiu, who was in the late stage of lung cancer, still cared about patients and personally wrote letters to patients and their units to urge them to return for follow-ups.

Professor Zeng Xianjiu placed special emphasis on basic research and the transformation of research outcomes, demonstrating a highly forward-thinking approach to research. This exhibition introduced Professor Zeng's remarkable achievements in laying the foundation for pancreatic surgery, pioneering parenteral and enteral nutrition, and pioneering intensive care medicine. It also showcased the advanced nature of Professor Zeng's academic achievements from a new perspective. For instance, as early as 1979, he co-authored "Application of Electronic Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Acute Abdomen" with the Department of Computer Science at Tsinghua University, which aligned perfectly with the current concept of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Leaders and experts visit the thematic exhibition

Professor Zeng Xianjiu has passed away for nearly 40 years, but his legacy lives on at Peking Union Medical College. His humble demeanor and the virtue of being a mentor and guide are always remembered and passed on. Visiting the exhibition is like wandering through the long history of surgical teaching at Peking Union Medical College, where medical records faithfully record the process of teachers guiding young doctors in different eras. This relay is still continuing today. In 1984 and 2009, Professor Zeng Xianjiu and Professor Zhao Yupei published articles titled "Cultivation of Young Surgeons" and "Re-talking the Growth of Young Surgeons in the New Era" respectively, after a lapse of 25 years, reflecting that the academic leaders of Peking Union Medical College had always regarded the cultivation of young talents as the most urgent and concerned matter in their hearts.

Building upon the foundation laid by Professor Zeng Xianjiu, the surgical team at Peking Union Medical College Hospital has continued to forge ahead and achieve new heights. Today, the Department of Surgery has evolved into 12 specialized departments, forming a collective with strong technical expertise and prominent specialty strengths. These departments has led the way in securing 7 National Science and Technology Progress Awards. Professor Zeng Xianjiu, Professor Zhu Yu, and Academician Zhao Yupei—three leading figures in the Surgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association—all emerged from Peking Union Medical College Hospital. As the leading instiution, the surgical team at Peking Union Medical College Hospital has collaborated with colleagues nationwide to develop nearly 100 clinical guide lines and consensus documents, organized hundreds of large-scale academic conferences, and actively promoted academic exchanges both domestically and internationally.  These efforts have elevated Chinese surgical expertise to the international stage.  

The surgical team at Peking Union Medical College Hospital has always adhered to carrying forward the fine traditions,  leading peers nationwide, establishing a collaborative research mechanism, and creating an international academic exchange platform. In 2022, Academician Zhao Yupeispearheaded the establishment of the Chinese Association of Pancreatology (CAP), a national first-class association, which has built a national, comprehensive, and high-level platform dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and research of pancreatic diseases, covering multiple disciplines such as internal medicine, surgery, basic medicine, pathology, endoscopy, radiotherapy, radiology, ultrasound, interventional therapy, nuclear medicine, endocrinology, and intensive care. The team at Peking Union Medical College Hospital has embraced its new mission in the new era, collabrating with global peers to advance academic exchanges, cultivate talent, and drive scientific innovation. These efforts aim to contribute to the global fight against pancreatic diseases and improve patient outcomes.

The experts and professors visiting the exhibition carefully examined each picture, sharing their memories with emotion and excitement. The young medical staff said, "We are profoundly moved and deeply inspired. Having taken over the baton, we are committed to fulfilling our new mission, achieving new milestones, and contributing to the journey of high-quality development, ensuring that our efforts honor both history and the promise of our youth."