This article is based on an interview with Professor Zhong Nanshan, done on March 8 during his visit to Penang Institute, where he spoke at the 9th Annual Dr. Wu Lien-Teh Public Lecture and received the 4th Dr. Wu Lien-Teh Award for Leadership in Public Health, co-hosted by the Dr. Wu Lien-Teh Society and Penang Institute. The interview was originally conducted in Mandarin by the team: Pan Yi Chieh, Iylia De Silva and Ong Siou Woon.
ZHONG NANSHAN is a renowned respiratory physician and a pivotal figure in China’s public health, best known for his contributions during the SARS and Covid-19 outbreaks. His evidence-based approach to medicine and commitment to truth were shaped early by his upbringing in a medical household, particularly under the influence of his father, Zhong Shifan, a dedicated pediatrician.
Born into modest circumstances and raised by his uncle in Xiamen, Zhong Shifan excelled academically and was admitted to Beijing Medical School in 1924. During this time, he met Zhong’s mother, Liao Yueqin, a nursing student at Xie He Hospital. His discipline, precision and relentless work ethic left a lasting impact on his son, shaping the values that would guide Zhong’s career in respiratory research and public health.
