The Nine-Needle Divine Physician

The Nine-Needle Divine Physician is an urban medical web novel by Diao Yu 1 Ge, serialized on Qidian since 2015 under the platform's "Urban Life" category. The story begins with an argument: the protagonist, Chen Andong, comes into possession of a mysterious bronze acupuncture figure and sets out on a path of ever-refined medical skill. He inquires into the origins of the Song-dynasty Tiansheng bronze figure, shuttles between clinic and hospital, and treats patients while grappling with the many difficulties of the real-world medical environment. Needle acupuncture is the novel's core, drawing on classics such as the Suwen, the Jiayi Jing, and the Huangdi Zhenjing, and on theories of the twelve meridians, the three-part nine-stage pulse diagnosis, the five zang and six fu organs, and the surface and interior acupoints, so that yin-yang, the five phases, and meridian-acupoint knowledge run through every scene of diagnosis and treatment. The plot unfolds through concrete medical incidents: needling to break a fever, the formulation and promotion of sanfu patches, the crisis facing "Renxin Clinic," consultations and misdiagnosis disputes at an integrated Chinese-Western medicine hospital, and comparisons of medicinal properties and uses. Written in a technical style, the work weighs the lineage of Chinese medicine against the real problems of the contemporary medical system, detailing both the professional specifics of treatment and the running of a clinic, human relationships, and the building of trust between doctor and patient. According to publicly available records, the work is still being serialized, has reached the opening of Volume 2, "First Signs of Brilliance," and runs to roughly 230,000 characters.