"Why Is the Husband Being Carried on His Wife's Back?" ... The Unexpected Story Revealed 37 Years Later

Bone growth disorder after a serious illness at age three
Wife carries her husband on house calls as he cares for 1,000 residents
"My medical work is a path the two of us have walked together"

The story of a rural doctor in China who is just 90 cm tall and has treated villagers for 37 years with his wife's help has drawn attention.

On October 26, Chinese media outlets including The Paper and Hongxing News reported on Xiao Julin, 62, a doctor serving Yangang Village in Yudu County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province. Xiao has treated villagers for 37 years and currently looks after about 1,000 residents.

After suffering a serious illness at the age of three, Xiao developed problems with bone growth, and his height stopped at 90 cm. Both of his legs were also deformed.

As a child, he was teased by those around him and sometimes avoided going outside. But watching the rural doctor who treated him inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. Although his family's financial circumstances made it difficult for him to continue his studies, he studied at a health school with help from a relative and obtained a village doctor qualification.

A rural doctor in China who is just 90 cm tall has been treating villagers for 37 years with his wife's help. Screenshot from a JTBC report.

Xiao began treating patients in the village in 1989. At first, some residents were reluctant to see a doctor with a disability, but he steadily built up his medical knowledge and earned their trust by caring for his patients devotedly.

The person who helped Xiao was his wife, Huang Xuzhen. The two met in 1990 when Xiao went to treat Huang's grandmother. Xiao hesitated to marry because of his physical condition, but Huang told him, "I'll carry your medicine bag for the rest of my life," and he decided to marry her.

Afterward, Huang carried her husband on her back as they made house calls throughout the village. In recent years, they have used an electric two-wheeler and a mobility wheelchair. On roads inaccessible to vehicles, she still supports him or carries him. One rainy night, the two fell together on a muddy road, injuring Huang, but she was more concerned about treating her patients than her own injuries.

Xiao now regularly checks the health of residents with conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes, and visits patients who have difficulty getting around. "Many people only see me treating the residents, but in fact, my medical work is a path the two of us have walked together," he said. "Without my wife, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Xiao added, "As long as my health allows and the residents need me, I will continue treating them."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.