Henan is one of the major birthplaces of the Chinese nation, the hometown of Huangdi, the ancestor of Chinese civilization, an important birthplace of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) culture, and the hometown of Zhang Zhongjing, the Medical Sage. Since ancient times, the Central Plains has boasted a prosperous TCM community, nurturing numerous renowned doctors and masters, abundant TCM resources, and a solid mass foundation, with TCM development advancing by leaps and bounds.
Founded in 1958, Henan University of Chinese Medicine is one of the earliest institutions of higher learning for TCM in China. Its predecessor was the Henan Provincial TCM Training School established in Kaifeng in 1955. Located in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, the university now has 5 campuses, namely Longzihu Campus, Dongming Road Campus, Renmin Road Campus, Dongfeng Road Campus, and Wenhua Road Campus, covering an area of 1,862 mu (approximately 124.13 hectares) with a building area of 976,400 square meters. The total value of teaching and research equipment is 742 million yuan, the library houses 2.15 million volumes of various books, 3,863 Chinese and foreign periodicals, and 97 Chinese and foreign databases. Particularly rich in ancient TCM thread-bound books, its collection ranks among the top among TCM universities nationwide. The university is a joint construction university of the People’s Government of Henan Province and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a university under the National Plan for Revitalizing Higher Education in the Central and Western Regions, a university qualified to enroll Chinese Government Scholarship students designated by the Ministry of Education, an institution with “5+3” integrated enrollment for TCM major approved by the Ministry of Education, a National International Cooperation Base for Traditional Chinese Medicine, a university under the construction of Henan Provincial Characteristic Key Universities, a university under the construction of “Double First-Class” in Henan Province, a doctoral degree-granting unit, and a recipient of the National May 1st Labor Certificate. It serves as the leader and center for TCM talent training, scientific research, social services, cultural inheritance and innovation, and international exchange and cooperation in Henan Province.
Over the past 60 years, the university has developed from a single TCM discipline into a comprehensive TCM university with coordinated development of multiple disciplines including medicine, science, management, engineering, literature, and education, covering various training levels and categories such as undergraduate, graduate (doctoral and master’s), international students, and continuing education. Currently, it has 22 colleges and academies, including the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Zhongjing Academy), the School of Pharmacy (College of TCM Pharmaceutical Technology and Equipment Industry), the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing (College of Smart Health Care and Nursing Industry), the School of Rehabilitation Medicine, the School of Management, the School of Foreign Languages, the School of Information Technology (College of Intelligent Medical Industry), the School of Marxism, the School of Sports and Health, the School of Continuing Education (Training Center), the School of International Education, the Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, the Sino-Malaysian MSU Joint College, Zhongjing Academy of Classical Learning, Bencao Academy of Classical Learning, Shangzhen Academy of Classical Learning, the First Clinical Medical College (College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine), the School of Pediatrics, the Second Clinical Medical College (School of Orthopedics and Traumatology), the Third Clinical Medical College, and the Fifth Clinical Medical College. It also has 18 party and government administrative organs, including the University Office, the Party Committee Organization Department (Party School), the Party Committee Propaganda Department (News Center, Museum), the Party Committee United Front Work Department, the University Discipline Inspection Commission (Supervision Commissioner’s Office), the Party Committee Inspection Office, the Party Committee Student Affairs Department (Graduate Student Affairs Department, Armed Forces Department), the Academic Affairs Department, the Party Committee Teachers’ Work Department (Personnel and Talent Department, Teachers’ Development Center), the Development Planning and Discipline Construction Department (Project Management and “Double First-Class” Construction Office), the Science and Technology Department (Social Sciences Department, Achievement Transformation Office), the Graduate School, the Planning and Finance Department, the Audit Department, the International Cooperation Department (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office), the State-owned Assets Management Department (Bidding and Tendering Office, Laboratory Management Office), the Party Committee Security Department (Security Office), and the Retirement Work Department. Additionally, there are 2 mass organizations (Trade Union and Communist Youth League Committee) and 9 directly affiliated units, including the Social Cooperation Office (Alumni Association Office, University Education Development Foundation Office, Poverty Alleviation Work Office, Hospital Management Office, Continuing Education Management Office), the Informatization Office (Network Center), the Capital Construction Department, the Library, the Journal Society, the Logistics Service Center, the University-run Industry Management Company, the Comprehensive Management Office of Dongming Road Campus, and the Archives. The university enrolls students from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas. Currently, it has 26,405 full-time students, including 22,432 undergraduates and junior college students, 3,629 full-time master’s students, 265 doctoral students, and 79 international students.
Talent Team
The university vigorously promotes the talent-strengthening university strategy and has built a strong talent team. It currently has 1,666 faculty and staff members, including 1,574 full-time teachers. There are 212 doctoral supervisors and 794 master’s supervisors. The team includes 4 National TCM Masters, 1 Yangtze River Scholar, 1 Chief Scientist of the “10,000 Talents Program for TCM Inheritance and Innovation (Qihuang Project)”, 7 Qihuang Scholars, 6 National Famous TCM Doctors, and 2 National Famous Teachers in Higher Education of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Additionally, there are 53 experts enjoying special government allowances from the State Council, 25 experts enjoying special government allowances from the People’s Government of Henan Province, 4 Distinguished Professional and Technical Talents of Henan Province, 3 Zhongyuan Scholars under the “Zhongyuan Talents” Program, 6 Zhongyuan Leading Talents in Technological Innovation, 1 Zhongyuan Leading Talent in Basic Research, 4 Zhongyuan Leading Talents in Education, 10 Zhongyuan Leading Talents in Medical and Health Care, 6 Zhongyuan Young Top Talents in Natural Sciences and Engineering and Technology, 4 Zhongyuan Young Postdoctoral Innovative Talents, 5 Distinguished Professors of Henan Province, 1 Distinguished Researcher of Henan Province, 21 Provincial Famous Teachers in Higher Education of Henan Province, 38 Outstanding Experts of Henan Province, 36 Academic and Technical Leaders and Cross-Century Academic and Technical Leaders of Henan Province, and 136 candidates for the Henan Provincial University Young Backbone Teachers Training Program.
Discipline Construction
The university currently has 11 Key High-Level TCM Disciplines of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1 discipline under the construction of “Double First-Class” in Henan Province, 3 Provincial Characteristic Key Disciplines, and 13 Key Disciplines of Henan Province in the new round. In 2019, it launched the Discipline Special Zone Plan, establishing 3 discipline special zones: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Materia Medica, and Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. In 2020, the university was included in the list of Henan Provincial Characteristic Key Universities, and the three disciplines of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Materia Medica, and Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were included in the list of Henan Provincial Characteristic Key Disciplines. In 2021, the discipline of Traditional Chinese Medicine was selected as a discipline under the construction of “Double First-Class” in Henan Province. In 2023, 11 disciplines were selected into the Key High-Level TCM Discipline Construction Project of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 13 disciplines were approved for the new round of Key Disciplines of Henan Province. The disciplines of Clinical Medicine and Pharmacology & Toxicology have entered the top 1% of ESI rankings, and 4 scholars have been included in the list of “Highly Cited Chinese Researchers”.
Education and Teaching
The university currently offers 36 undergraduate majors and 2 second bachelor’s degree majors, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM Pediatrics, TCM Health Preservation, TCM Rehabilitation, TCM Orthopedics and Traumatology, Acupuncture and Tuina, Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Clinical Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Food Hygiene and Nutrition, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Imaging Technology, Medical Laboratory Science, Rehabilitation Therapy, Rehabilitation Physical Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation, Medical Information Engineering, Intelligent Medical Engineering, Chinese Materia Medica, TCM Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chinese Medicinal Resources and Development, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Preparation, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Bioengineering, Public Administration, Applied Psychology, Marketing, Health Services and Management, Cultural Industry Management, English, Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, Computer Science and Technology, Information Management and Information Systems, and Software Engineering. The university’s comprehensive strength has been continuously enhanced, and the layout of disciplines and majors has become more reasonable. It currently has 12 National First-Class Undergraduate Major Construction Sites, 4 National Characteristic Major Construction Sites in Institutions of Higher Education, 2 National “Professional Comprehensive Reform Pilot” projects, 12 Provincial First-Class Undergraduate Major Construction Sites in Henan Province, and 7 Provincial Characteristic Major Construction Sites in Institutions of Higher Education of Henan Province. There are 15 National First-Class Undergraduate Courses, 121 Provincial First-Class Undergraduate Courses, 77 various Provincial Excellent Courses, 4 Provincial Bilingual Teaching Demonstration Courses, 25 Provincial Curriculum Ideological and Political Model Courses, 3 Curriculum Ideological and Political Teaching Teams, 2 Characteristic Demonstration Centers for Curriculum Ideological and Political Teaching Research, 4 Provincial General Education Demonstration Courses, 33 Provincial Research-Oriented Teaching Series Projects, and 6 Provincial Smart Teaching Research Special Projects. In 2021, it was rated as a “Henan Provincial Model University for Smart Teaching in Undergraduate Colleges” by the Department of Education of Henan Province. Based on the economic and social development of Henan, aligning with the demand for high-level applied talents in accelerating economic restructuring and industrial transformation and upgrading of the province, and giving full play to the university’s advantageous resources in TCM, it has been approved for 3 Provincial Characteristic Industry Colleges and 1 Provincial Key Industry College. The university actively promotes teaching reform, and relying on the resources of the hometown of Zhang Zhongjing, has launched the “Zhongjing Academic Inheritance Class”, “Pingle Bone Setting Inheritance Class”, and “Chinese Materia Medica Inheritance Class”. In recent years, it has won 80 teaching achievements above the provincial and ministerial level and obtained 128 teaching projects above the provincial and ministerial level. It has established an “Innovation and Entrepreneurship College” and has won 60 national awards and 579 provincial awards in provincial and national “Challenge Cup” competitions and college student innovation competitions. Among its graduates, a number of influential scientists, renowned doctors, entrepreneurs, and management experts have emerged nationwide. Among the teachers, there are outstanding representatives who have moved the Central Plains and gained national recognition, such as Zhang Lei, a National TCM Master and one of the “Top Ten People Who Moved the Central Plains” of the year; Ding Ying, a National TCM Master and “National Most Beautiful Doctor”; Zheng Fuzeng, an “Advanced Individual in the Prevention and Control of the COVID-19 Epidemic in the National Health System”; Zhu Mingjun, a “2020 National Advanced Worker”; Li Fazhi, the first “Most Beautiful Doctor in Henan”; Li Suyun, a recipient of the “National May 1st Women’s Pacesetter Medal”; Xu Liran, a “China Good Doctor”; Zhu Xianmin, a “Most Beautiful Teacher in Henan”; as well as advanced groups of outstanding college students such as the first “National Moral Model”, “Top Ten College Students of the Year in China”, “National Model Three Good Students”, and “National Model Self-Improving College Students”, demonstrating remarkable educational achievements.
Degree and Graduate Education
The university’s degree and graduate education began in 1979, making it one of the first master’s degree-granting units in China. In 2003, it was approved by the Ministry of Education as a joint doctoral training unit; in 2013, it was approved by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council as a doctoral degree-granting unit; in 2017, it obtained the qualification to recommend outstanding fresh undergraduate graduates for master’s programs without entrance examinations, and was approved by the Ministry of Education as a university with “5+3” integrated enrollment in the same year. Currently, it has 3 First-Class Discipline Doctoral Degree Authorization Points (Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Materia Medica, and Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine) and 1 Professional Doctoral Degree Authorization Point in TCM; 8 First-Class Discipline Master’s Degree Authorization Points (Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Materia Medica, Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Pharmacy, Basic Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Marxist Theory, and Nursing), and 10 Professional Master’s Degree Authorization Points (TCM, Chinese Materia Medica, Nursing, Translation, Public Administration, Pharmacy, Biology and Medicine, Medical Technology, Public Health, and Acupuncture).
Scientific Research
The university has 79 scientific research platforms above the provincial and ministerial level. Among them, there are 2 national-level scientific research platforms (including 1 Collaborative Innovation Center Co-constructed by the Ministry of Education and Henan Province, and 1 International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of the Ministry of Science and Technology), 14 scientific research platforms approved by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (including 2 International Cooperation Bases for Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2 National TCM Clinical Research Bases, 2 Key Laboratories of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 6 Grade III Laboratories of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 2 Key Construction Platforms of the TCM Inheritance and Innovation Project of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine), 30 scientific research platforms approved by the Department of Science and Technology of Henan Province (including 6 Henan Provincial Key Laboratories, 4 Henan Provincial International Joint Laboratories, 18 Henan Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Centers, 1 first-batch Zhongyuan Scholar Scientist Studio, and 1 Henan Provincial Distinguished Foreign Scientist Studio), 30 scientific research platforms approved by the Development and Reform Commission of Henan Province (including 30 Henan Provincial Engineering Research Centers), 1 Key Laboratory for Safety Research and Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica approved by the National Medical Products Administration, and 2 scientific research platforms approved by the Department of Education of Henan Province (including 2 Henan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Centers). In the past five years, it has won 42 scientific research awards above the provincial and ministerial level; obtained 497 national authorized patents, including 303 authorized invention patents; compiled 244 academic monographs (translations); published 2,538 academic papers, among which 938 were included in SCI, EI, ISTP, etc.; and undertaken a total of 3,257 scientific research projects, including 244 national-level projects such as the National Key R&D Program, National Natural Science Foundation projects, and National Social Science Foundation projects, 899 provincial and ministerial-level projects, and 1,505 municipal and bureau-level projects. The total planned funding for scientific research projects undertaken is 417.217 million yuan.
The university actively carries out research on Zhongjing’s academic thoughts and inherits and develops Zhongjing culture. It has successively established research institutions such as the Zhongjing Academic Inheritance and Innovation Community of China Association of Chinese Medicine, the Zhongjing Inheritance and Innovation Professional Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, the Zhang Zhongjing Inheritance and Innovation Center, the Zhang Zhongjing Culture Research Office, the Zhongjing Laboratory of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, the Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Research on Zhongjing Prescriptions, the Clinical Research Center of Zhongjing Prescriptions, the Research Center for Aging Diseases and Innovative Chinese Medicines, the Henan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in the Prevention and Treatment of Major Diseases, and the Henan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for the Whole Industry Chain R&D of Henan Medicinal Materials.
Social Services
The university has 3 directly affiliated hospitals integrating teaching, medical treatment, and scientific research, with more than 7,500 open beds, an annual outpatient volume of over 8 million person-times, and an annual admission of more than 250,000 inpatients. The comprehensive medical service level ranks among the top in similar hospitals nationwide. The affiliated hospitals focus on giving play to the characteristics of TCM, vigorously strengthen the construction of specialized departments and diseases, with 56 National Key Specialized Departments (Diseases), 39 Provincial Key Specialized Departments, 2 National TCM Clinical Research Bases, 8 National Regional TCM (Specialized) Diagnosis and Treatment Centers of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 2 National Regional Medical Centers of Henan Province, significantly improving the health service guarantee capacity. The First Affiliated Hospital has been approved as a National Regional Medical Center, and the construction of the National Medical Center (TCM category) has entered a new stage, with 255,100 square meters of approved construction land and a budget investment of 2.63 billion yuan. The Second Affiliated Hospital continues to promote the construction of the Henan Hospital Affiliated to Longhua Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The land and hospital document change work and the comprehensive management and improvement of the campus of the Third Affiliated Hospital are advancing steadily. The university has 2 affiliated hospitals managed with reference to directly affiliated hospitals (Zhengzhou People’s Hospital and Zhengzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), 10 non-directly affiliated hospitals, and more than 70 other teaching and internship hospitals. The construction of medical consortia has achieved remarkable results, establishing cooperative relations with 143 brother hospitals and medical institutions, expanding the cooperation framework.
In 2018, the “Henan University of Chinese Medicine Education Development Foundation” was established, obtaining the tax-exempt qualification as a non-profit organization and the pre-tax deduction qualification for donations to public welfare social organizations jointly recognized by the Department of Finance, Department of Civil Affairs, and State Taxation Administration of Henan Province. This has facilitated the acquisition of individual and corporate donations, developed a new model of multi-party cooperation among the university, government, and enterprises, and obtained nearly 210 million yuan in donations and matching funds. In the same year, the Henan University of Chinese Medicine Alumni Association was registered, building a platform for more than 180,000 alumni of the university to unite as one and seek common development. Since its establishment, it has signed university-local cooperation agreements with more than 10 municipal and county people’s governments including Nanyang, Xinxiang, and Bozhou, and carried out cooperation with many enterprises and institutions such as Yangzijiang Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jiangyin Tianjiang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Zhengzhou University, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Gushengtang TCM Health Preservation and Health Technology Co., Ltd., signing more than 50 university-local, university-enterprise, and university-university cooperation agreements. The university’s counterpart poverty alleviation team in Xinxian County was rated as an “Advanced Collective in the National Poverty Alleviation Campaign”, and the university’s work team stationed in Pichong Village, Gushi County was rated as an “Advanced Collective in the Poverty Alleviation Campaign of Henan Province”. It ranks among the top in the performance evaluation of consolidating poverty alleviation achievements among colleges and universities in the province, and its counterpart university-local poverty alleviation work has ranked first in the provincial college evaluation for 5 consecutive years.
International Exchange and Cooperation
The university has carried out international exchange and cooperation for nearly 40 years. Centering on the goal of “internationally renowned and domestically first-class”, it has extensively carried out cooperation and exchange in talent training, scientific research, medical services, product R&D, and other aspects with universities, scientific research and medical institutions, enterprises, etc. in more than 50 countries and regions around the world. As a university qualified to enroll Chinese Government Scholarship students, it has trained more than 1,500 international students from more than 50 countries around the world. In 2020, the university was approved to establish the first characteristic Confucius Institute in Henan Province (the Confucius Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Arizona, USA), and launched Sino-foreign cooperative education projects in Nursing and Medical Imaging with Italy. In 2022, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of the “Henan University of Chinese Medicine – Management and Science University (MSU) Joint College” between the university and Management and Science University (MSU) in Malaysia. The construction of the university’s “China-Malaysia Zhongjing TCM Center” has achieved remarkable results, and it has won the bid for the International Cooperation Special Project of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine many times. The university has carried out the “Tell China’s Story and Disseminate TCM Culture” campaign in conjunction with the Overseas Chinese Federation of Henan Province and signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement.
Cultural Inheritance and Innovation
Taking inheriting TCM knowledge and promoting TCM culture as its mission, the university holds the Zhongjing Central Plains TCM Culture Festival. Aiming at building a brand of Central Plains TCM culture, it has increased the construction of characteristic campus cultural landscapes, including the Henan Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Henan Chinese Medicinal Herb Garden, the Human Science Museum, the TCM Origin Culture Exhibition Hall, the Medical Ethics Museum, as well as exhibition halls for Central Plains culture, TCM culture, and pharmaceutical enterprise culture. While meeting the needs of the university’s teaching and scientific research, these facilities are open to the public, actively promoting and displaying TCM culture. In recent years, it has received more than 100,000 TCM enthusiasts from government departments, enterprises and institutions, institutions of higher learning, and primary and secondary school students inside and outside the province. In 2015, the university was named one of the first batch of “Henan Provincial TCM Culture Promotion and Education Bases” and “National TCM Culture Promotion and Education Bases”, becoming the first university in the country to receive this honor. In 2019, it was approved as a “Henan Provincial Social Practice Education Base for Primary and Secondary School Students”, and in 2020, it was approved as a “Henan Provincial and National Inheritance Base for Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture”.
Social Reputation
In recent years, central, provincial, and municipal news media have extensively reported on the university’s overall development, teaching reform, ideological and moral education, the effectiveness of social practice activities, and the advanced deeds of teachers and students. The university has successively won many honors such as “Advanced Unit in Teachers’ Morality Construction in China”, “Advanced Collective in Ideological and Political Work in the National Medical Education System”, “Model Civilized Campus of Henan Province”, “Advanced Unit in Industry Style Construction of Henan Province”, and “Most Charming University in the Central Plains”. It has obtained excellent results in the Undergraduate Teaching Level Evaluation and the College Moral Education Evaluation, and successfully passed the new round of Undergraduate Education Teaching Audit and Evaluation.
