Sun Simiao, An Unusual Physician and Thieves | Learn English through stories | Ancient stories

Sun Simiao encounters dangerous thieves. Sun Simiao, one of the greatest Chinese doctors in history, lived 141 years and left an admirable legacy. Although he lived through four dynasties, he paid little interest to fame or material wealth. During the final years of the Su dynasty, wars broke out and society was in chaos, but Sun continued traveling and treating patients. Once he traveled to Zhejiang in today's Jiangxi province where he met a group of thieves. Thinking he was a spy, they tied him up and took him to the head thief. I am not a spy, I am a doctor, in my 70s, Sun explained. Everyone was surprised since he looked like he was about 30 or 40 years old. Are you a divine being, the head robber asked. Nonetheless, he asked Sun to stay and take care of the thieves and their families. Although he was respectful of doctors in general, the head thief bragged, people like me are so strong that we do not need doctors. Sun asked, do you have the sensation that your chest and abdomen are swollen is your stool dry and do you have to urinate frequently? Do you have insomnia, a bitter taste in your mouth in the morning and bleeding gums? Shocked to hear his symptoms so accurately enumerated, the head thief quickly realized that Sun was no ordinary doctor. A sworn brother of the head thief was seriously ill. A key ingredient Sun needed to treat him was ginseng, but none grew on the mountain and it had to be obtained elsewhere. After Sun explained this, the head thief said, then let's go steal some. No, you cannot do that, Sun explained, it's not allowed to do bad things even to save someone's life. Since the thieves did not have the funds to purchase something as expensive as ginseng, Sun offered to leave the mountain and find a way to get some. Worried that Sun would not return, the head thief sent someone with him and said they had to return in six days. Since they were doing this to save a life, Sun promised to be back on time. At the base of the mountain was a Chinese medicine shop that sold ginseng. Sun asked if he could treat patients in the shop for three days in exchange for three tales of ginseng. The owner called over a clerk to test Sun's skills. Sun said the clerk's stomach had felt cold and full for three years, which the clerk verified was true. Impressed by his skills, the owner said Sun would have to stay for eight days treating patients or he would get no ginseng. Thinking of the six-day deadline, Sun said he would work overtime for six days to complete eight days of work. If he was unable to finish, he would return later. Once a man gives his word, he cannot take it back, he said. The owner agreed. After Sun started to treat patients, more and more people came with all kinds of health problems. Three days later, the shop had raked in more in the past six months put together. As more patients kept coming, the store closed very late. Sun was very tired, but he continued. The owner earned so much money that he had to store it in big sacks. Six days later, Sun returned to the mountain with three tales of ginseng. The head thief heard about it and offered him a reward. The patient took the medicine and improved immediately. Sun thanked the head thief but declined the reward. He said he only wanted to leave the mountain and visit the prefecture chief. Touched by Sun's ethics, the head thief agreed. It was admirable that during an era of chaos, Sun could remain and treat patients as usual. Furthermore, through his behavior, he taught thieves to be good and not steal, and the locals about the miraculous effects of Chinese medicine. Sun's words about the preciousness of human life were reflected in his actions. He influenced everyone involved, the head thief, the thieves, and their families, the shop owner, and the villagers. Such kindness and sacrifice were nearly unprecedented.