KEZHUANG ZHAO

KEZHUANG ZHAO
JUNE 23, 1954 - JULY 13, 2024
Santa Fe - Kezhuang Zhao, known to most as just "Dr. Zhao," passed away on July 13, 2024, in Santa Fe. Dr. Zhao was a beloved part of the Santa Fe community, providing acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) services for thirty-five years.
Dr. Zhao was born June 23, 1954, in Sichuan, China. Despite being an exceptionally bright student, at sixteen he was sent to the countryside as part of the decade-long Chinese political movement, known as the Cultural Revolution, that restricted access to higher education in favor of farming. Even in the countryside, his kindness and intelligence stood out, and he was selected as a teacher for rural children instead of having to work in the fields. The school was in an old, abandoned Buddhist temple without school supplies. Dr. Zhao not only taught all subjects to his students, from Math to Chinese to PE to Music, but he also provided hygiene services like haircuts to the children. To the end of his life, he never forgot the names of the children he taught.
Upon leaving the countryside in 1973, Dr. Zhao attended physician assistant school in Sichuan, where he became faculty after his graduation. As a teacher, Dr. Zhao brought his students to extremely remote areas around Sichuan to provide care for rural farm families who otherwise had no access to medicine or doctors. He saved many lives in those years, but also witnessed extreme poverty and its impact on the rural population.
When the Cultural Revolution ended in 1977 and universities across China fully reopened to all applicants, Dr. Zhao participated in the "Gao Kao," a national university entrance exam. The Gao Kao of 1977 and 1978 were unique in that they were unusually competitive, as the applicant pool consisted of ten years' worth of high school graduates seeking to fill limited university spots. Despite only receiving a formal secondary education at the junior high level, Dr. Zhao was admitted to and enrolled at Chengdu College of Chinese Medicine in 1978, where he graduated in 1983 with a medical degree. During his five years as an undergraduate, Dr. Zhao not only excelled academically-he was always at the top of his class-but he also devoted his time and big heart to the service of his fellow students. Five years in a row, he was elected as Student Council President, and he was tremendously respected and admired by his fellow classmates. His sudden passing caused widespread shock, grief, and sadness throughout his university alumni community.
In 1988, while pursuing his Ph.D. in botanical pharmacology, Dr. Zhao was invited to teach acupuncture and TCM in Gothenburg, Sweden. While he lived and taught acupuncture in Gothenburg, he developed a lifelong connection with Sweden, and he often returned to Sweden to give lectures and visit his Swedish friends, who became like family.
From Sweden, Dr. Zhao relocated to the United States, arriving in Santa Fe in 1989, where he was joined by his wife in 1990 and his daughter in 1992. For many years, he taught acupuncture and TCM at a local school of Chinese medicine. His students remember Dr. Zhao's teaching style as reflecting his sense of humor and his understanding of one's balance with nature, life, and health. During his 35 years in Santa Fe, he also built a respected acupuncture and herb practice and helped countless patients in their healing journeys.
Dr. Zhao is survived by his wife, Yan; his daughter, Faye, son-in-law, Justin; and his father and sister in Chengdu, China.
A viewing and memorial, followed by a celebration of life, will be held on August 3, 2024. For more information on time and location, please visit rivera.mykeeper.com/KezhuangZhao

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Platelet Disorder Support Association (https://www.pdsa.org/) or the American Society of Hematology Foundation (https://www.hematology.org/foundation).