Ding Zuohong（Dr. Harry）
A physician, educator,
and lifelong student of classical Chinese medicine.
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5th Generation Descendant of the Menghe Ding Family
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Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Licensed Acupuncturist
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Faculty at Five Branches University
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Founder of ECO Center for Wellness & Education
A Bit About Me
Dr. Zuohong (Harry) Ding is dedicated to carrying forward the legacy of the Menghe medical tradition into modern clinical practice.
Dr. Ding is a fifth-generation practitioner of the Menghe lineage, a distinguished school of Chinese medicine known for its refined, precise, and principled approach to healing. From an early age, he was immersed in the study of Chinese medicine under the guidance of his father, Dr. Ding Yie, and later apprenticed under renowned Menghe physicians, Dr. Xi Dezhi and Dr. You Yiren.
He holds both doctoral and master’s degrees in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is a licensed acupuncturist in the state of California and Florida. In 2011, Dr. Ding came to the United States, where he continued to deepen his clinical expertise by studying advanced diagnostic and treatment systems. He trained in Shen-Hammer pulse diagnosis under Dr. Leon Hammer and his disciples, and further studied Zhu’s scalp acupuncture under Professor Zhu Mingqing and his lineage.
Dr. Ding’s clinical work focuses on chronic and complex conditions, guided by a philosophy of Simple in Form, Precise in Method, and Rooted in Healing. His approach emphasizes careful differentiation, minimal yet effective intervention, and long-term restoration of balance.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ding is committed to advancing community health and accessibility. He founded the ECO Center for Wellness & Education, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to providing affordable Chinese medicine care and health education. He has also collaborated with Alameda County on the API (Asian Pacific Islander) community health project, integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine with mental health services to improve access to care and support holistic well-being.
Dr. Ding also serves as faculty at Five Branches University, where he teaches graduate-level courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine, including meridian theory, classical foundations, and li
Ding Family Legacy
1917
1940
1973-1987
1990
2006-2007
2010-2013
With the mission of "promoting medicine and preserving national essence,"
Ding Ganren founded China's first modern Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine College (the predecessor of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine).
New York State Lieutenant Governor Mary Anne sprained her back and tried various treatments without success. Through a friend in America, she asked Dr. Ding Jingyuan to try acupuncture. After several treatments, her back pain was cured, and she, her husband, and Dr. Ding became close friends.
A delegation of five, including New York State Lieutenant Governor Mary Anne, New York State Court of Appeals Judge Edwin Margolis, New York State Senate Education Committee Chairman James Donovan, Eastern United States Acupuncturists Association President Ding Jingyuan, and translator Hu Siyuan, embarked on a field trip to investigate Asian medical culture.
The new acupuncture bill (572-D) officially took effect after being signed into law by New York Governor Cuomo. Following June 1990, the acupuncture legislation was successfully passed by both the New York State Senate and House of Representatives.
The first China Changzhou "Menghe School of Medicine" Forum and "Menghe School of Medicine Academic Symposium" were held in Changzhou.
The national-level continuing education program for traditional Chinese medicine, "Study Course on the Academic Thoughts and Clinical Experiences of Famous Doctors of the Menghe School of Medicine," was launched in Changzhou.
The 600,000-word book "Three Hundred Years of the Menghe School of Medicine" has been published.
The Second Menghe School of Medicine International Summit Forum was held at Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.
Family Tree
More about members of Ding family
Ding Wenyun (1911-2002)
he eldest daughter of Ding Zhongying and an elite figure of the Menghe medical tradition. She earned her M.D. with top honors from the University of Michigan and initially practiced Western gynecology. In 1956, she made a pivotal return to her family roots by joining the first generation of Western doctors studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), later practicing at Ruijin Hospital. A pioneer in integrating Eastern and Western health philosophies, she became known for developing and advocating "Water Therapy" and acid-base balance theories. Despite a life marked by significant personal tragedies and political upheaval, she remained devoted to her unique medical mission and her family.
Ding Jinan (1913–2000)
Ding Jinan was known as the "revolutionary" of the Ding medical family. Originally a musician and calligrapher, he turned to medicine in his thirties as a self-taught "Confucian physician," intentionally breaking from family tradition to follow the integrative approach of Zhang Xichun. A specialist in autoimmune and connective tissue diseases at Shanghai's Xinhua and Ruijin Hospitals, he was celebrated for his sharp intellect, independent spirit, and his early mastery of combining traditional Chinese medicine with modern biomedical insights.
Ding Hejun (1939–Now)
He Jun is the great-granddaughter of Ding Ganren and the daughter of Ding Jihua. In 1962, she entered the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau's Traditional Chinese Medicine Apprenticeship Program, studying under the renowned Ningbo physician Zhong Yigui. After graduation, she worked at the Zhapu Road Community Hospital. In 1984, she went to the United States to practice Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, and in 1988, she opened a clinic in Los Angeles, where she has practiced medicine ever since.
Ding Maoying (1891-1969)
The daughter of the legendary TCM master Ding Ganren and a pioneering obstetrician-gynecologist in modern China. After breaking a conventional betrothal to pursue education, she earned her M.D. from the University of Michigan and became the first Chinese national to obtain a medical license in the United States. Upon returning to China, she served as the director of the Tianjin Women’s Hospital (Shuige Hospital) and founded a nursing school. Renowned for her expertise in difficult deliveries and her philanthropic dedication to the poor and orphaned, she remained unmarried and devoted her life to medicine. She spent her final years practicing in the U.S., standing as a monumental figure who bridged traditional roots with international medical excellence.
Ding Jihua (1908–1964)
Son of Ding Zhongying and a direct heir to the Menghe medical tradition. Influenced by the progressive ideals of the May Fourth Movement, he practiced privately in Shanghai for decades before joining a collective clinic in 1956. During the late 1950s, he was labeled a "Rightist" due to his outspoken nature and family background, leading to his exile to Xinjiang. In Urumqi, his medical expertise was highly regarded after he successfully treated the wife of the regional chairman, Saifuddin Azizi. He returned to Shanghai in 1961 and passed away from cancer in 1964; his reputation was officially rehabilitated in 1983.
Ding Jingxiao (1932–2020)
Ding Ganren's great-grandson and Ding Jihua's eldest son. He graduated from Shanghai Second Medical College in the 1950s and then worked in Northeast China. After returning to Shanghai, he studied massage and bone setting under Lu Wenxue, a renowned massage therapist, at the Shanghai Municipal Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic. In 1980, he went to New York, USA, to open a massage clinic and served as the vice president and president of the New York Chinese Medicine Council.