Upholding the legacy of the great physician Le Huu Trac

Considered the founder of Vietnamese traditional medicine, Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac not only laid a solid foundation for the country's traditional medicine but also spread profound humanistic values. Along with the medical profession nationwide, the younger generation of medical professionals in Ca Mau are always striving to learn from and uphold the legacy of the great physician Le Huu Trac, contributing to improving medical ethics and fulfilling the task of caring for the people's health.

Việt Nam•26/02/2025

At Ca Mau Medical College , a statue of Hai Thuong Lan Ong is prominently displayed at the main gate. Built in 2000, this is the only place in the province to have a statue of the renowned physician. The embodiment of Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac carries profound significance, honoring the noble traditions of the medical profession, with its humanistic values, self-sacrifice, dedication, and responsibility towards community health. “The image of Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac is also a vivid symbol of a dedicated teacher and guide, always putting the patient's best interests first, thereby inspiring and motivating generations of staff and students in their work, studies, research, and community health care,” shared Mr. Huynh Ngoc Linh, Principal of Ca Mau Medical College.

Students from Ca Mau Medical College offer incense in commemoration of Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac.

According to historical records, Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac (also known as Le Huu Huan) was born in the year of the Dragon (1724) in Lieu Xa village, Duong Hao district, Thuong Hong prefecture, Hai Duong province (now Lieu Xa commune, Yen My district, Hung Yen province). As a child, the renowned physician Le Huu Trac was known for his academic excellence. At the age of 16, his father passed away, forcing him to leave the capital and return to his hometown to mourn and care for his family. In his hometown, Le Huu Trac devoted himself to his studies in order to advance through the imperial examinations, but he only reached the level of a "Sinh Do" (a lower-level scholar) before retiring.

In 1746, after the death of his eldest brother, Le Huu Trac requested to leave the army to care for his elderly mother and orphaned nephews and nieces in Bau Thuong village, Tinh Diem commune (now Quang Diem commune, Huong Son district). Due to chronic illness, Le Huu Trac went to the house of physician Tran Doc in Thanh Son for treatment. During this visit, he read the book "Phung Thi Cam Nang" by Phung Trieu Truong, a renowned physician during the Qing Dynasty (China). After discussion, recognizing Le Huu Trac's understanding of the yin-yang principles of medicine, physician Tran Doc taught him the art of medicine. From then on, Le Huu Trac devoted himself to learning medicine and treating the sick.

In 1782, the reputation of physician Hai Thuong Lan Ong reached the capital. Lord Trinh summoned Le Huu Trac to the capital to treat Crown Prince Trinh Can and Lord Trinh Sam. However, because the illnesses of both the Lord and the Crown Prince were very serious, he was unsure if he could cure them. Therefore, Le Huu Trac found ways to excuse himself and return to his hometown. During this trip, Le Huu Trac wrote the book "Thuong Kinh Ky Su" (Records of a Journey to the Capital). Upon returning to his mother's hometown, Le Huu Trac continued practicing medicine, compiling and completing the book "Lan Ong Tam Linh" (The Heart Sutra of Lan Ong). He passed away on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year Tan Hoi (1791).

After the death of the great physician, his medicinal recipes and books were widely preserved and used; his medical, literary, and ethical legacy has been highly valued and emulated by many generations of students and researchers. For his immense contributions to Vietnamese and world medicine, Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac was honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Cultural Figure.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day, the faculty and students of Ca Mau Medical College have been carrying out many meaningful activities. Among them, the most significant activity is the collaboration with the Department of Health and the Provincial Traditional Medicine Association to organize a solemn incense offering ceremony at the statue of Hai Thuong Lan Ong, thereby evoking pride and responsibility in the younger generation. Teacher Huynh Ngoc Linh proudly stated: “The statue of Hai Thuong Lan Ong is not only an artistic masterpiece but also a ‘school’ of professional ethics. Every time students and staff come to school, the image of Hai Thuong Lan Ong reminds us of the noble mission of the medical profession – dedication, compassion, and self-sacrifice for the community. The statue contributes to shaping the soul, nurturing ethical traditions, and creating motivation for each individual to continuously strive for a humane and advanced healthcare system.”

Every year, on the occasion of the Vietnamese Doctors' Day, generations of medical professionals in the province gather at Ca Mau College of Medical Technology to offer incense to the revered figure Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac and report on the achievements that the provincial health sector has attained in the past year.

As a second-year nursing student, Le Thi Ngoc Huynh expressed her determination: “I have siblings in my family who work in the medical field, and I myself want to care for the elderly and the sick, so I have dreamed of becoming a nurse since I was little. Over the past two years of studying at the school, in addition to acquiring medical knowledge, we have also been instilled with medical ethics, including learning from and upholding the traditions of great physicians. With the will and spirit of a young generation in the medical field, I will be determined to study hard, cultivate my medical knowledge, so that after graduation I can take good care of the people's health, uphold medical ethics, and fulfill Uncle Ho's teaching, 'a good doctor is like a loving mother'.”

With the responsibility of training human resources for the province's health sector, since its establishment, Ca Mau Medical College has trained over 20,000 students in various fields: Medical Assistants, Nurses, Midwives, Pharmacists, Rehabilitation Technicians, Traditional Medicine, and Preventive Medicine at the college and intermediate levels, through various training methods including full-time, transfer, and vocational training such as village/hamlet health care, and short-term refresher courses. In addition, it also trains and updates knowledge and skills in specialized fields and professional expertise for health sector officials and employees throughout the province. To date, generations of medical students from the college have become skilled doctors and medical professionals, with university and postgraduate degrees, working in hospitals, clinics, and health facilities throughout the province and beyond. Among them are those holding leadership positions in the sector.

Professor Linh's heartfelt belief is: "The school will strive to nurture the next generation of young medical professionals, who are both dedicated and highly skilled, possessing strong medical ethics, contributing to improving the province's human resources and providing comprehensive healthcare for the people."

Source: https://baocamau.vn/phat-huy-di-san-cua-dai-danh-y-le-huu-trac-a37422.html