For the first time in Europe, the special exhibition Dr Yan: Pioneer - A Bridge of Sino-British Medical & Cultural Exchange, has opened, celebrating the life and legacy of Dr Fuqing Yan, a University of Liverpool alumnus and pioneering figure in modern Chinese medicine.

Jointly presented by Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Jiefang Daily and the University of Liverpool, the exhibition will run from Tuesday 22 – Monday 26 September 2026 at the Liverpool Medical Institution.

Guests take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Dr Yan: A Pioneer in Liverpool.

A Liverpool education that shaped Chinese medicine

It commemorates Dr Yan Fuqing (1882–1970), a pioneer of modern medicine and medical education in China who had a special connection to Liverpool. After becoming the first Asian person to earn a medical doctorate from Yale University in 1909, Dr Yan pursued further studies at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool, where he was exposed to pioneering work in tropical medicine, disease prevention and public health.

Dr Yan Fuqing (1882–1970).

His experience in Liverpool had a lasting influence on his subsequent medical career. After returning to China, Dr Yan became the founding dean of two landmark medical schools that later developed into Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University and Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University. He also played a key role in establishing the Chinese Medical Association and several major medical institutions, while promoting preventive medicine and public healthcare.

By bringing knowledge and ideas gained through his overseas studies into China's developing medical system, Dr Yan became an important early link in medical and academic exchange between China and Britain. The exhibition traces this remarkable journey and pays tribute to his lasting contribution to Sino-British medical and cultural ties.

Nearly 50 exhibits, from manuscripts to a Yale doctorate

Dr Yan: A Pioneer features nearly 50 exhibits, including rare archival documents, handwritten manuscripts, historical photographs, newspapers, periodicals and books illustrating his life and achievements. Videos on Dr Yan by Prof. Zhang Wenhong (张文宏), Prof. Wen Yumei (闻玉梅), and other scholars are also included, highlighting his significant contributions and legacy.

Highlights include Dr Yan's register at the University of Liverpool and his doctorate from Yale School of Medicine.

Exhibition displays trace Dr Yan Fuqing's life, education and contributions to modern medicine.

The opening ceremony

To mark the exhibition's Liverpool debut, the opening ceremony was attended by Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool; Tang Rui, Consul General of China in Manchester; Nick Small, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool; Professor Xu Jun, Deputy Dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University; Liu Yonggang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Jiefang Daily; Professor Sally Sheard, Dean of the Institute of Population Health and Andrew Geddes and John Rankin Professor of Modern History; Counsellor Liang Yan, Head of the Education Section at the Chinese Consulate-General in Manchester; and Professor Peter McCormick, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Postgraduate Affairs and International Partnerships.

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, described Dr Yan Fuqing as one of the University's most distinguished alumni and a founding figure of modern medical education in China. "His life demonstrates how education can bridge cultures, advance knowledge and improve lives," he said, adding that Dr Yan's legacy continues to embody the University's values of academic excellence, global engagement and service to society.

Reflecting on Dr Yan's connection with Liverpool, Professor Xu Jun, Deputy Dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, noted that his studies in the city more than a century ago helped shape his later contributions to medical education and public health in China. He highlighted "serving the people" as an enduring part of Dr Yan's legacy, describing the exhibition's return to Liverpool as both a tribute to a medical pioneer and a new starting point for deeper China-UK cooperation in medical education and public health.

Nick Small, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool, highlighted the city's long-standing ties with China, particularly its 27-year friendship-city relationship with Shanghai. He described Dr Yan's story as a powerful example of cross-cultural learning and exchange, and expressed the hope that the exhibition would introduce his legacy to a wider audience while further strengthening exchanges between Liverpool and Shanghai, and between the UK and China.

Professor Sally Sheard, Dean of the Institute of Population Health and Andrew Geddes and John Rankin Professor of Modern History, placed Dr Yan's time in Liverpool within the wider history of the city's pioneering work in public health and tropical medicine. She noted the lasting influence of his studies in Liverpool in 1909 on his commitment to disease prevention, public health and medical innovation. The University, she added, was enormously proud to count Dr Yan among its distinguished alumni, with his legacy continuing through collaboration between Liverpool and China in public health and medical research.

For Tang Rui, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, Dr Yan's studies in Liverpool helped build an important bridge for medical and academic exchange between China and the UK, forging a century-long connection between Shanghai Medical College and Liverpool. "Medicine knows no borders, and improving human health and well-being is a shared mission," he said. Looking ahead, Tang reaffirmed the Consulate General's support for closer cooperation in medical education, public health research and cultural exchange between universities, cities and the two countries.

A 1921 Shen Bao and a 1909 student record

Following the speeches, representatives of the participating institutions exchanged commemorative gifts. Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University presented the University of Liverpool with a woven artwork depicting its oldest historic building, the East No. 1 Building. In return, the University of Liverpool presented a high-resolution facsimile of Dr Yan Fuqing's 1909 university student registration record.

Jiefang Daily also presented the University with an original copy of Shen Bao dated 21 December 1921. The newspaper carried an extensive report on the visit to China by Percy Maude Roxby, the University of Liverpool's distinguished Professor of Geography, who travelled there for academic exchanges and lectures. It is believed to contain the earliest detailed reports about the University of Liverpool in the Chinese language press. The University presented Jiefang Daily with an artwork featuring Liverpool's iconic waterfront buildings, collectively known as the Three Graces.

Mr. Liu Yonggang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Jiefang Daily, presents the University of Liverpool with an issue of Shen Bao dated 21 December 1921, which is believed to contain the earliest detailed coverage of the University in the Chinese-language press.

Exhibition draws strong interest

Wang Na, Editor of Jiefang Daily and curator of Dr Yan: A Pioneer, said: "Any words used to describe this humble pioneer's historic contributions to modern Chinese medicine would hardly be an exaggeration. Dr Yan's life was, in this sense, truly extraordinary. He not only helped build a modern system of medical education, but also inspired successive generations of Chinese doctors and medical students to travel to Britain for further study and training."

She added that such a life required "moral integrity and immense courage", saying: "I hope that, as visitors here in Liverpool leave the exhibition hall, they will carry with them this sense of moral courage and a deeper appreciation of the century-spanning Sino-British medical and cultural dialogue that Dr Yan helped to initiate."

Professor Stothard from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine was particularly struck by the little-known story of a young Chinese doctor who came to Liverpool to study tropical medicine more than a century ago. He noted that Dr Yan later made significant contributions to medicine and medical education in China, and welcomed the exhibition for bringing this remarkable historical connection back to life in Liverpool.

Zhou Jing, a medical researcher who received a PhD from the Department of Physiology at the University of Liverpool, said the exhibition gave her a deeper appreciation of Dr Yan's legacy. "Learning that Dr Yan studied in Liverpool in 1909 and brought ideas about public health back to China was deeply inspiring," she said. "His commitment to medicine and serving the public has strengthened my own determination to contribute to medical research, improve patients' lives and advance public health."

The exhibition also drew interest from students at the University of Liverpool. One student was surprised to discover Dr Yan's connection with the city more than a century ago, describing his journey from studying medicine in Liverpool to making significant contributions to medical education in China as an inspiring example of the lasting impact of international education.

Liverpool is the second stop on the global tour and the first in Europe for Dr Yan: A Pioneer, following its debut in South Africa.

Exhibition information

Exhibition: Dr Yan: Pioneer - A Bridge of Sino-British Medical & Cultural Exchange
Venue: Liverpool Medical Institution, 114 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5SR
Dates: 21–26 September 2026