My name is Qilian Shang. I was born and raised in China in a Buddhist family. Although I never formally followed a religion, from a young age I felt a natural draw toward meditation, healing, and the quiet observation of how the body and mind are deeply connected.
At 17, while seeking treatment for my own health concerns, I met the Traditional Chinese Medicine master who would later become my Sifu. I was deeply moved by the clinical results I witnessed in his community acupuncture clinic. Day after day, I observed what I felt were life-changing treatments for patients from all walks of life. That experience inspired me to formally seek mentorship under him.
My Sifu comes from a lineage passed down through both his grandfather and his own teacher. As a young practitioner, he traveled with his Sifu to remote mountain villages, offering treatment while refining his clinical skills. To this day, he treats 50–70 patients daily and rests only on weekend afternoons, embodying a lifetime of discipline and devotion to his craft.
After completing post-graduate studies in the Netherlands, I returned to China and dedicated myself full-time to learning both the clinical and theoretical aspects of acupuncture under his guidance for several years. Between study periods, I traveled abroad to practice independently and deepen my understanding of healing in different contexts. I volunteered in a Thai monastery, served at a refugee and meditation center in Myanmar, and later worked in India. These experiences, alongside guidance from monastics and spiritual mentors, helped me cultivate a quiet trust in intuition, presence, and the subtle aspects of healing that go beyond technique.
I then completed a four-year professional acupuncture training program in the Netherlands, obtained my Dutch diploma, and worked in a clinical setting there. To date, I have over 16 years of experience and have treated thousands of patients across six continents.
I feel deeply grateful to have become my master’s indoor student. When I once asked him why he chose to teach me, he said, “The knowledge does not belong to me. It belongs to our ancestors. When a suitable student appears, it is my duty to pass it on, so that this knowledge is not lost.” He taught me without reservation, never asking for anything in return, and has treated me like his own daughter.
From him, I learned not only medical knowledge, but also the ethics of a healer. He once told me, “The moment one becomes a businessman, he is no longer a healer.” This is something I carry with me every day in my practice.
With deep gratitude and respect for the lineage and guidance I have received, I feel a strong responsibility to carry this work forward with integrity. I believe healing is a humble offering that should remain accessible to all, and that as practitioners, we are simply channels through which compassion can flow.