This is Dr. Hao, an herbalist with whom I’ve been studying for the past week in Nan Jing, with one of her patients.  She’s a specialist in gynecology who sees patients of all ages.  I don’t know much about her reputation and history, but I get the impression she is a bit of a rock star/goddess of the Chinese herbal medicine field due to the way people respond to her and her sincere, wise, and friendly approach to their health. She has an Armani case to protect her cell phone, which plays Italian opera whenever someone is trying to call her.  Her student/scribe consistently makes sure that her cup of green tea stays full.  I’m sure that she will really dig the Pink Martini CD that I give her on the last day of clinic.  Anyhow…

The majority of her patients see her for infertility, cycle irregularities, infections, or menopausal complaints.  Occasionally, she also sees her patients’ husbands if they are having health problems that are contributing to their inability to conceive a child, or an occasional stray guy with reproductive complaints.   When I arrive each morning, there is a waiting room outside her office that is always packed to the brim, and in the quick five hours that I’m there to learn, she sees nearly forty patients.  Needless to say, I’ve been burning through a bunch of pens and notebooks, and learning a huge volume of new formulas and patterns from a very experienced medical mind.  Good times, very happy I’m in Nan Jing.