Surviving doctor: healing more patients is my lifetime wish

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Tang Xiong always says he is a fortunate person blessed with a second chance at life.

He was buried in the rubble for 139 hours after the 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest China’s Sichuan Province 10 years ago.

“There was no food, no water. For a moment, I fell into despair,” Tang recalls.

The 43-year-old traditional Chinese medicine practitioner from Beichuan County was about to leave home for work when the four-story apartment building he lived in collapsed, burying him, and his wife Xie Shouju.

“We called each other’s name to make sure that we both stayed alive,” Tang told CGTN. “She kept encouraging me in the dark.”

Tang Xiong held his wife’s hands after being rescued from the rubble 139 hours after the deadly earthquake happened. / Courtesy of Tang Xiong

Xie was rescued three days later and the night before Tang was rescued, all people were required to evacuate, as the barrier lake that formed after the quake was likely to burst due to the continuous rainstorms.

Fortunately, the couple survived, with the husband losing half of his right foot.

“We were both excited when we saw each other. Our hands held together tightly without any words. Then I hugged every one of the rescuers as I was really moved,” Xie said, holding back her tears.

The catastrophic tremor claimed nearly 70,000 lives, with Beichuan being one of the worst-hit areas.

Ten years on, the fortunate couple has fulfilled their first wish – to have a child. Their daughter Tang Nanxi was born in 2010, after the reconstruction work was completed.

Tang Xiong and his wife spend time reading with their daughter after dinner. / CGTN Photo

The whole of Beichuan County was rebuilt in a new location, about 20 kilometers from the ruins of the razed small city. Before that, all the survivors led a vagrant life.

“We moved eight times before settling down here,” said Xie.

Tang has another wish – to help more patients with his medical knowledge and experience. Ten years ago, the rescuers removed slabs for him. Now, he tries to relieve his patients’ pain with acupuncture treatment.

“I used to care too much about things like title, salary or what people think of me. But now my focus is on how I can help my patients in every way,” Tang said, stressing that the disaster has changed his outlook on life.

He said that this wish can only be fulfilled by dedicating his life to it, and that he can only reward those that helped him in this way.

Tang Xiong feels the pulse of his patient. As a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, he hopes to heal more patients with his medical knowledge and experience as a way of rewarding those who helped him. / CGTN Photo

Though somewhat lame, Tang remains optimistic and has never considered himself as “disabled.”

“I can even encourage my patients with my own story,” said Tang. “I always tell them that I can still perform well on the job or even better and live a wonderful life, even if I have had a section of my foot excised.”

The couple says that after all these years, the survivors can now face the tragedy peacefully and pursue their new life in a positive way.

Though his daughter didn’t experience the nightmare, Tang hopes their attitudes towards life can be passed down to her.

“To be a person that can contribute something to others and can face any obstacles with a positive attitude, that’s what I expect for her.”