Veiled by Cloud and Mist

Since 2022, I have been photographing the Miao medicine community in the Qiandongnan region, documenting the lives of folk doctors who uphold an ancient medical system. They gather wild herbs and bring hope to those abandoned by modern healthcare.

My mother, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, learned herbal medicine from Miao doctors who continue to gather wild herbs in the mountains to treat patients, providing both physical and spiritual healing. Under their guidance, I traversed the clouds and mist to rediscover the folk medical system and current state in the mountainous areas.

The Miao medical system reflects a broad reality in rural China, where folk doctors often serve as the primary source of care. These doctors acquire their knowledge through family lineage or apprenticeships and remain unrecognized by the official medical system. But they offer hope to those deemed "beyond help" by hospitals. However, they face challenges such as environmental degradation, financial pressures, and a reluctance among younger generations to continue this practice.

Through this project, I aim to illuminate these marginalized "guardians" of traditional healing. Their holistic approach challenges modern medical norms and provides a unique perspective on illness. This work underscores the urgent need for awareness of the healthcare shortages in underdeveloped regions, where folk doctors, often overlooked by mainstream medicine, take on the social responsibility of supporting the poor and those on the brink of death.