On the afternoon of September 17, the original play Virtuous Peony was successfully staged in the auditorium on the third floor of Yide Building as one of the series of activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Wang Zhenyi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former president of Shanghai Second Medical University, and other incumbent school leaders attended the performance, together with representatives of Class 2022 master students, and the students of SJTUSM affiliated middle school and elementary school.

Based on the true stories of Wang Zhenyi, the play presents his struggle and touching moments in his seventy years’ medical career, telling the persistence and determination of a benevolent doctor fighting for patients’ health. The virtuous peony symbolizes both Wang Zhenyi's pursuit and his true portrayal.

Accompanied by Jiang Fan and Fan Xianqun, Wang Zhenyi spoke on the stage. He recalled his own story of being a doctor and encouraged medical students by telling the profound meaning behind the plain and elegant peony. He hoped that students should endure the solitude, defy authority, be bold and innovative, be a good doctor and take up the mission of health, which is the spirit that the “virtuous peony” conveys to everyone.

Ma Jingding of Huangpu Experimental Middle School affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University said that he was greatly shocked after watching the master play today, and admired the medical achievements and fame of Wang Zhenyi. He said the peony spirit will inspire him to keep moving forward, redouble his efforts and become a valuable person to society when he grows up.

Li Yi, a clinical medicine undergraduate of 2017 and graduate student of 2022, shared that she had watched the play five years ago as an undergraduate student, and since then Wang had become her role model. The spirit of peony had always guided her to make continuous progress. In her next postgraduate career, she will continue to study hard, not be afraid of challenges, and pass on and carry forward the spirit of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

Yang Run, the player of Wang Zhenyi, is a graduate of the 2021 clinical eight-year doctoral program, a doctor trained in the base of critical care medicine at Renji Hospital, and the actor who played Wang Zhenyi. He says that he had the honor to play the role of Wang Zhenyi for many times, and every time he could keep getting closer to the story of his medical life and feel his great medical style. As a doctor who is engaged in critical care medicine, his original intention of choosing medicine has become more and more firm, and his understanding of “benevolent skills benefit mankind and the benevolent heart of a doctor” has become more and more profound, and the spirit of peony will continue to be a guiding light on his future medical journey.

The year of 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of SJTUSM, and is also the tenth year of the original stage play Virtuous Peony. It is an important part of freshman education and a vivid lesson of virtue education, and has become an important expression of the spirit of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in the new era. On this special year, all SJTUSMers uphold the mission of “serving the motherland and the people”, inherit and carry forward the “peony spirit”, keep “pursuing excellence, being open-minded, diligent, and dedicate to patients”, and strive to “accept all things, seek truth and pragmatism, keep righteousness and innovation, and dedicate sincerely”.