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Just as the "Liu Taiyi Series" was selling well in book markets across the country and quickly gathering a large number of "followers," a shocking revelation emerged from the sidelines: the authors of the series, Liu Hongzhang and his son Liu Bo, were two "big frauds." Not only were many of the claims in their books incorrect, but even their identities as "descendants of imperial physicians" and "medical doctors" were fabricated, hiding nothing but blatant self-interest. The first to take aim at "Liu Taiyi" was Fang Zhouzi, a columnist for *Global* and *Science World* magazines, renowned for his "academic fraud investigations."
Who is Fang Zhouzi? Born in September 1967 in Yunxiao County, Fujian Province, he graduated from the Department of Biology at the University of Science and Technology of China in 1990 and went to the United States for further studies. In 1995, he earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University and later conducted postdoctoral research in the Biology Department at the University of Rochester and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies before settling in California. In 1994, he founded *New Threads*, the world's first Chinese online literary journal. In April 1999, he was among the first to criticize Falun Gong on the internet. In 2000, he established the first Chinese-language academic fraud-exposing website, "XYS New Threads," exposing numerous cases of corruption in science, education, journalism, and other fields. Known for speaking out, Fang faced widespread criticism in late 2006 for advocating the "abolition of traditional Chinese medicine." However, when he stepped forward to expose the truth behind "Liu Taiyi," China's "unpaid academic watchdogs" quickly forgave him and stood with him on the same front.
Fang Zhouzi and others take aim at "Liu Taiyi"
Before April Fool's Day in 2006, Liu Hongzhang, who claimed to be a "descendant of Liu Taiyi," was publicly known only as a "renowned doctor" treating cancer with traditional Chinese medicine, presenting himself under the banner of a "hereditary tumor specialist." Liu declared that his family had been treating cancer since 1475, making them China's only "hereditary tumor specialists," and he was the 24th-generation descendant of this "hereditary medical family."
To prove his "family legacy," Liu Hongzhang, an obscure figure in the TCM field, crafted a legendary resume for himself. In his self-written article *Liu Hongzhang: Hereditary Tumor Specialist*, he claimed that since 1967, under his father's guidance, he had treated 59 types of malignant solid tumors, treating a total of 18,963 domestic and international patients by 1997. He asserted that tumors typically disappeared completely within two years, with a three-year survival rate as high as 13,919 cases (73.4% of patients). For those who had not undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the five-year survival rate was 100%, while all deaths occurred among patients who had received chemotherapy or radiotherapy before coming to him. In other words, he claimed to cure all cancer patients who had not undergone any other treatment.
Later, Liu Hongzhang adorned himself with an even more glamorous identity. He claimed to have graduated from the Beijing Medical College in 1970 and in May 2001 was awarded the "World Famous Doctor Award" by the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation." He described this as the highest global medical honor established by the UN to recognize doctors contributing to human health, and he was the only TCM expert specializing in cancer treatment to receive it. Additionally, he declared himself a "United Nations double Ph.D. in Science and Medicine" and a "tumor biology researcher."After embarking on the study of "health preservation" with his son Liu Bo, Liu Hongzhang also adorned Liu Bo with an equally glamorous facade—born in 1977, he allegedly began learning medicine from his grandfather at the age of 5. By 16, while studying at the "U.S. National Cancer Institute," he purportedly saved several cancer patients using traditional Chinese medicine, earning him the nickname "Little Doctor" from American colleagues. At 26, he "earned a United Nations Medical Doctorate" and became a recipient of the "United Nations Natural Medicine Award and Meritorious Service Award" granted by the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation"...
Liu Hongzhang posted photos of the "United Nations certificates" he and his son had obtained on every website and publication he could access. His reasoning was simple: "Due to the unbelievable content, many readers might suspect I'm illiterate, medically ignorant, or some underground expert who suddenly emerged. But after seeing these certificates, they will understand."
Upon encountering such shameless "credentials," Fang Zhouzi couldn't sit still. He quickly wrote an article exposing the true nature of the Liu father-son duo: the so-called "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation" was actually self-established by Yu Hairuo, who claimed to be a "Ph.D. and professor at the International University of Exchange Medical Sciences, chairman of the United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation, and a lord." It was nothing more than a fraudulent organization exploiting the "United Nations" name to deceive people. Yu Hairuo, born in December 1942 in Tangshan, Hebei, was originally a retired factory doctor at Beijing Xinhua Printing Factory. He boasted of "winning the highest gold cup award at the First World Traditional Medicine Congress in April 1994 and being unanimously awarded an international medical doctorate by a special session of the United Nations International University of Exchange Medical Sciences." However, the truth was that the "World Traditional Medicine Congress" was actually called the "World Alternative Medicine Congress," a gathering of quack doctors from around the world, organized by the "Open International University of Complementary Medicine" in Sri Lanka—so-called "alternative medicine" and "complementary medicine" refer to medical practices not recognized by mainstream medicine.
Since the mastermind behind the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation," the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," and the "United Nations Natural Medicine Award and Meritorious Service Award" was a complete fraud, the most dazzling claims in the Liu father-son duo's resumes fell apart. Moreover, Fang Zhouzi and others raised further doubts, such as how the Liu "Imperial Physician" family could diagnose cancer in 1475 when imaging and blood marker tests—let alone pathological biopsies—didn’t exist.
Peeling Away the Disguise of the "Imperial Physician’s Descendants"
The exposé first published by Fang Zhouzi and others in May 2005 did not deter Liu Hongzhang and his son from their self-aggrandizing delusions. Instead, it spurred them to quickly "publish books" to cement their leadership in the "world natural medicine field." The "Liu Imperial Physician Series" soon appeared, prominently featuring the various "world-class certificates" the father and son had allegedly obtained. Consequently, an article titled *Exposing the True Nature of Liu Hongzhang and His Son* appeared on Fang Zhouzi’s *New Threads* website on November 10, 2006, once again debunking the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," the "Natural Medicine Golden Bull Award," and the "Meritorious Service Award" touted by the Lius, condemning them with the remark: "It’s these frauds masquerading as traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who have brought TCM to its current state!"
After the article was published, it immediately attracted many netizens passionate about academic integrity, who soon unraveled the scams behind the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," the "Natural Medicine Golden Bull Award," and the "Meritorious Service Award."It turns out that the United Nations never established the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation." The real "founder" of this organization, Yu Hairuo, used it to amass wealth on a large scale, recruiting thousands of members nationwide. Anyone could become a member by paying 2,500 yuan, while paying 10,000 to 50,000 yuan would allow them to "serve" as the chair of local branches. For 3,000 to 150,000 yuan, they could receive awards such as the "World Famous Doctor Award," "World Medical Contribution Award," "International Natural Medicine Award," and "Natural Medicine Outstanding Talent Award." In other words, the Liu father and son could buy a full set of epic "overseas achievements" by paying money domestically.
Some netizens discovered that Liu Hongzhang had explicitly stated in 2005 that the "Cultural Revolution" delayed his education, leaving him "without even a bachelor's degree from mainland China." Yet in his book *Illness Comes from One’s Own Life*, he claimed to be a "dual Ph.D. in science and medicine," further confirming the fact that the Liu father and son purchased awards. Additionally, Liu Hongzhang spent a significant amount promoting his "Imperial Physician Network" to boost his reputation and make it easier to rake in money. Starting from July 2002, he used Baidu’s paid ranking service to promote the site, employing 49 keywords.
Perhaps due to being too grassroots yet overly imbued with an "Ah Q spirit," Liu Hongzhang failed to patch up the holes when fabricating Liu Bo’s resume. Netizen "Liang Zhong" spotted numerous issues at a glance: "Someone who went to the U.S. National Cancer Institute for advanced studies should have certain professional qualifications. It’s hard to imagine a 16-year-old’s medical level being sufficient for such training. The claim that he 'saved several cancer patients with Chinese medicine' is pure fantasy—where did he get the prescription rights? Moreover, using Chinese medicine with unclear pharmacology, untested in U.S. animal or clinical trials—how is that possible? 'Obtained a... Ph.D.'—what kind of phrasing is that? At best, it means he qualified for doctoral studies, nothing more than a Ph.D. candidate!"
Some netizens noticed the words "The Open International University" on Liu Bo’s "Ph.D. certificate." An online search revealed it to be an alternative medicine institution based in India that openly sells doctoral degrees for just $800 each. When Liu Hongzhang was questioned about his Ph.D. during a Q&A session in a Sina chatroom on February 14, 2007, he responded incoherently: "The United Nations Medical University should be called the Natural Medicine Research Institute. Its headquarters are in India, and it has some international reputation. The certificates it issues carry some influence, but it’s not about academic credentials—it’s a thesis-based Ph.D., different from the ones you’re familiar with. It’s of little value, practically useless... Let’s not dwell on that. Even if I were a beggar, as long as my books are useful, people will read them. Drop this topic." This shows that Liu Hongzhang’s Ph.D. and Liu Bo’s came from the same dubious source.
What was it like when the Liu father and son treated patients? One netizen who took their cancer-stricken mother to Liu Hongzhang’s home saw him smoking cheap cigarettes, looking much older than in his book’s photos, with no trace of a renowned doctor or dual Ph.D. in his demeanor or speech.After seeing the patient, he never checked the pulse or provided any specific guidance or advice. Instead, he went on and on about his influence overseas. It wasn’t until the very end that he declared: the patient must first drink "ox tendon soup" for three months, then purchase a special device he sells to confirm that the cancer cells are "encapsulated," and finally pay a $5,000 membership fee to become a "Liu Family Member." Only then would they qualify to take his "Kong Yan Powder," priced at nearly 10,000 yuan per set. His justification? The powder is "extremely rare and precious," reserved only for "high-level individuals above the white-collar class who have contributed to humanity."
Netizens investigated the so-called "Liu Family Pharmacy," a long-established and internationally renowned Hong Kong company claimed by the father and son duo. They discovered it was registered in November 2005 as an office of a Sri Lankan pharmacy, virtually unknown in Hong Kong. This suggests the earlier "Hong Kong Liu Family Pharmacy" was either operating without a license or entirely fabricated.
Others found that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been dismissed as unscientific "witchcraft" in the U.S. since the 18th century. The FDA, established in 1862, strictly regulates drug imports—herbal medicines can only be marketed as dietary supplements or beverages, with no therapeutic claims allowed. Liu Hongzhang boasted that his medical skills were highly regarded in the U.S. and that his pre-1960 Chinese patent medicines were exempt from FDA inspection. This was an outright lie. Moreover, there was no way he could have obtained a U.S. medical license, let alone exclusively served Americans.
All this evidence points to one conclusion: the father and son are nothing but frauds!
The Power of Netizens’ Investigations
Liu Hongzhang and his son claimed to be descendants of a renowned physician from the late Song Dynasty and imperial physicians of the Ming Dynasty. However, netizens pointed out that hereditary or secretive folk medical practices (such as passing knowledge only to sons or keeping it within a closed circle) often deviate from genuine TCM traditions. Additionally, under feudal autocracy, imperial physicians who secretly passed down their skills risked extermination of their entire clans, as royal prescriptions and medicines were strictly confidential. Most descendants of imperial physicians had long since abandoned the profession. Thus, whether the Lius are truly "descendants of imperial physicians" is highly questionable.
Many netizens shared their impressions of Liu Hongzhang: "He is neither a graduate of a formal medical school nor a traditionally trained folk healer—more like a self-proclaimed 'doctor.' He understands neither TCM culture nor its history. He likely practiced without a license, and if he has one, it’s only from the last decade. Why? Because while he boasts about his family’s global presence in his books and on the 'Imperial Physician Network,' his knowledge of China’s medical field is shockingly inaccurate, leading to an inflated sense of arrogance."
Some even noted that the Chinese government has long protected hereditary medical traditions, especially those of imperial physicians. Prominent doctors in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai were personally invited by the state. If Liu’s father were truly a descendant of imperial physicians still practicing, he would have been famous in TCM circles long ago, and his family’s ancient manuscripts would have been donated to the state. Why, then, has this "medically profound" Liu family never received such recognition?
Netizens with an interest in antique collecting scrutinized Liu’s so-called "Ming Dynasty Yongle Imperial Physician Liu Chun’s works." They found that the seals on these "ancient books" did not match the official Ming Dynasty standards—definitely not something an imperial physician would use. The printing style also bore little resemblance to genuine Ming-era texts, appearing more like recent replicas. The conclusion? These poorly forged books were fakes, likely bought from street vendors in Tianjin’s cultural markets.On the "Li Yue'er Education Forum" website, there were also numerous netizens questioning the identity of "Imperial Physician Liu." One netizen raised doubts about Liu Hongzhang's claim that his ancestor Liu Chun was "ordered by imperial decree to test medicine on prisoners," stating: "If it were truly 'by imperial decree,' such an extremely unusual event as 'testing medicine on prisoners' should have been recorded in official history." As a result, netizens scoured the Ming Dynasty historical records but found no such mention. Another netizen commented: "Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that 'each person is different, and each moment is different,' meaning everything is in a state of change. It never relies on probability and certainly cannot conduct large-scale live experiments." It is evident that Liu Hongzhang's writings are filled with exaggeration and fabrication, mostly specious, essentially exploiting the poor state of China's medical environment to deceive people."
Liu Hongzhang claimed that his ancestor Liu Chun was the "chief imperial physician—Marquis of Anting, a second-rank official, and head of the Imperial Medical Bureau" during the Ming Dynasty. However, netizens discovered in the "Ming History: Official Records III" that the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau in the Ming Dynasty was only a fifth-rank official. Liu Hongzhang also claimed that Liu Chun's son became the son-in-law of the Yongle Emperor, but netizens found that none of the Yongle Emperor's five sons-in-law bore the surname Liu.
In "Medical History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties," some netizens even found precise records about Liu Chun: "Liu Chun (circa 1340–1412), courtesy name Zonghou, was a renowned physician in the early Ming Dynasty. He authored 'Elementary Studies of Medical Classics,' 'Subtle Meanings of the Jade Mechanism,' 'Treatment Examples for Miscellaneous Diseases,' and 'Treatment Examples for Cold Damage.' Liu Chun's ancestral home was Wuling (modern-day Jiangsu Jiangyan and Rugao area). He lived in Huainan in his early years and was a second-generation disciple of Zhu Danxi. The preface to 'Subtle Meanings of the Jade Mechanism' states, 'Zonghou, impoverished and of low status, could not farm to support himself, so he turned to medicine to sustain and conceal himself.' In middle age, he moved to Xianning, Shaanxi, to practice medicine and once accompanied the army as a medic to Liangzhou (modern-day Wuwei, Gansu) and other places. In his later years, he settled in Ganzhou (modern-day Zhangye, Gansu), practicing medicine in Shaanxi and Gansu for about 40 years. His medical skills were profound, and his works were extensive, earning him the reputation of 'divine prescriptions and miraculous techniques.' After his death, his works were published by the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission and have been passed down to this day. He was a representative physician of the Danxi School in the northwest during the early Ming Dynasty."
This means Liu Chun was definitely not a descendant of "Liu Wansu, the foremost of China's four great physicians of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties," nor did his medical skills come from family tradition. He lived for 72 years, not the 126 years claimed by Liu Hongzhang. He lived a life of hardship and wandering, never serving as an imperial physician, and died a decade before the Yongle Emperor "passed away." However, when Liu Hongzhang and his father introduced their "ancestor" Liu Chun, they changed his courtesy name from "Zonghou" to "Jinghou," his ancestral home from "Jiangsu Jiangyan" to "Hubei Xianning," and fabricated a dazzling "resume" for him. Their goal was singular: to exploit the public's inability to verify facts and engage in large-scale deception. The blind faith of readers also became the social root of the Liu father-and-son duo's fabrications—after all, a lie repeated a thousand times can start to sound like the truth.
Source: http://view. news. qq. com/ a/ 20070916/ 000011. htm
Reference: "Imperial Physician Liu" Admits to Fraud While in Prison, Victims Remain Unconvinced
http://www. cns. hk:89/ jk/ news/ 2009/ 07- 29/ 1795586. shtml
Unveiling "Liu Taiyi"
Who is Fang Zhouzi? Born in September 1967 in Yunxiao County, Fujian Province, he graduated from the Department of Biology at the University of Science and Technology of China in 1990 and went to the United States for further studies. In 1995, he earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University and later conducted postdoctoral research in the Biology Department at the University of Rochester and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies before settling in California. In 1994, he founded *New Threads*, the world's first Chinese online literary journal. In April 1999, he was among the first to criticize Falun Gong on the internet. In 2000, he established the first Chinese-language academic fraud-exposing website, "XYS New Threads," exposing numerous cases of corruption in science, education, journalism, and other fields. Known for speaking out, Fang faced widespread criticism in late 2006 for advocating the "abolition of traditional Chinese medicine." However, when he stepped forward to expose the truth behind "Liu Taiyi," China's "unpaid academic watchdogs" quickly forgave him and stood with him on the same front.
Fang Zhouzi and others take aim at "Liu Taiyi"
Before April Fool's Day in 2006, Liu Hongzhang, who claimed to be a "descendant of Liu Taiyi," was publicly known only as a "renowned doctor" treating cancer with traditional Chinese medicine, presenting himself under the banner of a "hereditary tumor specialist." Liu declared that his family had been treating cancer since 1475, making them China's only "hereditary tumor specialists," and he was the 24th-generation descendant of this "hereditary medical family."
To prove his "family legacy," Liu Hongzhang, an obscure figure in the TCM field, crafted a legendary resume for himself. In his self-written article *Liu Hongzhang: Hereditary Tumor Specialist*, he claimed that since 1967, under his father's guidance, he had treated 59 types of malignant solid tumors, treating a total of 18,963 domestic and international patients by 1997. He asserted that tumors typically disappeared completely within two years, with a three-year survival rate as high as 13,919 cases (73.4% of patients). For those who had not undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the five-year survival rate was 100%, while all deaths occurred among patients who had received chemotherapy or radiotherapy before coming to him. In other words, he claimed to cure all cancer patients who had not undergone any other treatment.
Later, Liu Hongzhang adorned himself with an even more glamorous identity. He claimed to have graduated from the Beijing Medical College in 1970 and in May 2001 was awarded the "World Famous Doctor Award" by the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation." He described this as the highest global medical honor established by the UN to recognize doctors contributing to human health, and he was the only TCM expert specializing in cancer treatment to receive it. Additionally, he declared himself a "United Nations double Ph.D. in Science and Medicine" and a "tumor biology researcher."After embarking on the study of "health preservation" with his son Liu Bo, Liu Hongzhang also adorned Liu Bo with an equally glamorous facade—born in 1977, he allegedly began learning medicine from his grandfather at the age of 5. By 16, while studying at the "U.S. National Cancer Institute," he purportedly saved several cancer patients using traditional Chinese medicine, earning him the nickname "Little Doctor" from American colleagues. At 26, he "earned a United Nations Medical Doctorate" and became a recipient of the "United Nations Natural Medicine Award and Meritorious Service Award" granted by the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation"...
Liu Hongzhang posted photos of the "United Nations certificates" he and his son had obtained on every website and publication he could access. His reasoning was simple: "Due to the unbelievable content, many readers might suspect I'm illiterate, medically ignorant, or some underground expert who suddenly emerged. But after seeing these certificates, they will understand."
Upon encountering such shameless "credentials," Fang Zhouzi couldn't sit still. He quickly wrote an article exposing the true nature of the Liu father-son duo: the so-called "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation" was actually self-established by Yu Hairuo, who claimed to be a "Ph.D. and professor at the International University of Exchange Medical Sciences, chairman of the United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation, and a lord." It was nothing more than a fraudulent organization exploiting the "United Nations" name to deceive people. Yu Hairuo, born in December 1942 in Tangshan, Hebei, was originally a retired factory doctor at Beijing Xinhua Printing Factory. He boasted of "winning the highest gold cup award at the First World Traditional Medicine Congress in April 1994 and being unanimously awarded an international medical doctorate by a special session of the United Nations International University of Exchange Medical Sciences." However, the truth was that the "World Traditional Medicine Congress" was actually called the "World Alternative Medicine Congress," a gathering of quack doctors from around the world, organized by the "Open International University of Complementary Medicine" in Sri Lanka—so-called "alternative medicine" and "complementary medicine" refer to medical practices not recognized by mainstream medicine.
Since the mastermind behind the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation," the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," and the "United Nations Natural Medicine Award and Meritorious Service Award" was a complete fraud, the most dazzling claims in the Liu father-son duo's resumes fell apart. Moreover, Fang Zhouzi and others raised further doubts, such as how the Liu "Imperial Physician" family could diagnose cancer in 1475 when imaging and blood marker tests—let alone pathological biopsies—didn’t exist.
Peeling Away the Disguise of the "Imperial Physician’s Descendants"
The exposé first published by Fang Zhouzi and others in May 2005 did not deter Liu Hongzhang and his son from their self-aggrandizing delusions. Instead, it spurred them to quickly "publish books" to cement their leadership in the "world natural medicine field." The "Liu Imperial Physician Series" soon appeared, prominently featuring the various "world-class certificates" the father and son had allegedly obtained. Consequently, an article titled *Exposing the True Nature of Liu Hongzhang and His Son* appeared on Fang Zhouzi’s *New Threads* website on November 10, 2006, once again debunking the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," the "Natural Medicine Golden Bull Award," and the "Meritorious Service Award" touted by the Lius, condemning them with the remark: "It’s these frauds masquerading as traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who have brought TCM to its current state!"
After the article was published, it immediately attracted many netizens passionate about academic integrity, who soon unraveled the scams behind the "United Nations World Famous Doctor Award," the "Natural Medicine Golden Bull Award," and the "Meritorious Service Award."It turns out that the United Nations never established the "United Nations World Natural Medicine Foundation." The real "founder" of this organization, Yu Hairuo, used it to amass wealth on a large scale, recruiting thousands of members nationwide. Anyone could become a member by paying 2,500 yuan, while paying 10,000 to 50,000 yuan would allow them to "serve" as the chair of local branches. For 3,000 to 150,000 yuan, they could receive awards such as the "World Famous Doctor Award," "World Medical Contribution Award," "International Natural Medicine Award," and "Natural Medicine Outstanding Talent Award." In other words, the Liu father and son could buy a full set of epic "overseas achievements" by paying money domestically.
Some netizens discovered that Liu Hongzhang had explicitly stated in 2005 that the "Cultural Revolution" delayed his education, leaving him "without even a bachelor's degree from mainland China." Yet in his book *Illness Comes from One’s Own Life*, he claimed to be a "dual Ph.D. in science and medicine," further confirming the fact that the Liu father and son purchased awards. Additionally, Liu Hongzhang spent a significant amount promoting his "Imperial Physician Network" to boost his reputation and make it easier to rake in money. Starting from July 2002, he used Baidu’s paid ranking service to promote the site, employing 49 keywords.
Perhaps due to being too grassroots yet overly imbued with an "Ah Q spirit," Liu Hongzhang failed to patch up the holes when fabricating Liu Bo’s resume. Netizen "Liang Zhong" spotted numerous issues at a glance: "Someone who went to the U.S. National Cancer Institute for advanced studies should have certain professional qualifications. It’s hard to imagine a 16-year-old’s medical level being sufficient for such training. The claim that he 'saved several cancer patients with Chinese medicine' is pure fantasy—where did he get the prescription rights? Moreover, using Chinese medicine with unclear pharmacology, untested in U.S. animal or clinical trials—how is that possible? 'Obtained a... Ph.D.'—what kind of phrasing is that? At best, it means he qualified for doctoral studies, nothing more than a Ph.D. candidate!"
Some netizens noticed the words "The Open International University" on Liu Bo’s "Ph.D. certificate." An online search revealed it to be an alternative medicine institution based in India that openly sells doctoral degrees for just $800 each. When Liu Hongzhang was questioned about his Ph.D. during a Q&A session in a Sina chatroom on February 14, 2007, he responded incoherently: "The United Nations Medical University should be called the Natural Medicine Research Institute. Its headquarters are in India, and it has some international reputation. The certificates it issues carry some influence, but it’s not about academic credentials—it’s a thesis-based Ph.D., different from the ones you’re familiar with. It’s of little value, practically useless... Let’s not dwell on that. Even if I were a beggar, as long as my books are useful, people will read them. Drop this topic." This shows that Liu Hongzhang’s Ph.D. and Liu Bo’s came from the same dubious source.
What was it like when the Liu father and son treated patients? One netizen who took their cancer-stricken mother to Liu Hongzhang’s home saw him smoking cheap cigarettes, looking much older than in his book’s photos, with no trace of a renowned doctor or dual Ph.D. in his demeanor or speech.After seeing the patient, he never checked the pulse or provided any specific guidance or advice. Instead, he went on and on about his influence overseas. It wasn’t until the very end that he declared: the patient must first drink "ox tendon soup" for three months, then purchase a special device he sells to confirm that the cancer cells are "encapsulated," and finally pay a $5,000 membership fee to become a "Liu Family Member." Only then would they qualify to take his "Kong Yan Powder," priced at nearly 10,000 yuan per set. His justification? The powder is "extremely rare and precious," reserved only for "high-level individuals above the white-collar class who have contributed to humanity."
Netizens investigated the so-called "Liu Family Pharmacy," a long-established and internationally renowned Hong Kong company claimed by the father and son duo. They discovered it was registered in November 2005 as an office of a Sri Lankan pharmacy, virtually unknown in Hong Kong. This suggests the earlier "Hong Kong Liu Family Pharmacy" was either operating without a license or entirely fabricated.
Others found that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been dismissed as unscientific "witchcraft" in the U.S. since the 18th century. The FDA, established in 1862, strictly regulates drug imports—herbal medicines can only be marketed as dietary supplements or beverages, with no therapeutic claims allowed. Liu Hongzhang boasted that his medical skills were highly regarded in the U.S. and that his pre-1960 Chinese patent medicines were exempt from FDA inspection. This was an outright lie. Moreover, there was no way he could have obtained a U.S. medical license, let alone exclusively served Americans.
All this evidence points to one conclusion: the father and son are nothing but frauds!
The Power of Netizens’ Investigations
Liu Hongzhang and his son claimed to be descendants of a renowned physician from the late Song Dynasty and imperial physicians of the Ming Dynasty. However, netizens pointed out that hereditary or secretive folk medical practices (such as passing knowledge only to sons or keeping it within a closed circle) often deviate from genuine TCM traditions. Additionally, under feudal autocracy, imperial physicians who secretly passed down their skills risked extermination of their entire clans, as royal prescriptions and medicines were strictly confidential. Most descendants of imperial physicians had long since abandoned the profession. Thus, whether the Lius are truly "descendants of imperial physicians" is highly questionable.
Many netizens shared their impressions of Liu Hongzhang: "He is neither a graduate of a formal medical school nor a traditionally trained folk healer—more like a self-proclaimed 'doctor.' He understands neither TCM culture nor its history. He likely practiced without a license, and if he has one, it’s only from the last decade. Why? Because while he boasts about his family’s global presence in his books and on the 'Imperial Physician Network,' his knowledge of China’s medical field is shockingly inaccurate, leading to an inflated sense of arrogance."
Some even noted that the Chinese government has long protected hereditary medical traditions, especially those of imperial physicians. Prominent doctors in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai were personally invited by the state. If Liu’s father were truly a descendant of imperial physicians still practicing, he would have been famous in TCM circles long ago, and his family’s ancient manuscripts would have been donated to the state. Why, then, has this "medically profound" Liu family never received such recognition?
Netizens with an interest in antique collecting scrutinized Liu’s so-called "Ming Dynasty Yongle Imperial Physician Liu Chun’s works." They found that the seals on these "ancient books" did not match the official Ming Dynasty standards—definitely not something an imperial physician would use. The printing style also bore little resemblance to genuine Ming-era texts, appearing more like recent replicas. The conclusion? These poorly forged books were fakes, likely bought from street vendors in Tianjin’s cultural markets.On the "Li Yue'er Education Forum" website, there were also numerous netizens questioning the identity of "Imperial Physician Liu." One netizen raised doubts about Liu Hongzhang's claim that his ancestor Liu Chun was "ordered by imperial decree to test medicine on prisoners," stating: "If it were truly 'by imperial decree,' such an extremely unusual event as 'testing medicine on prisoners' should have been recorded in official history." As a result, netizens scoured the Ming Dynasty historical records but found no such mention. Another netizen commented: "Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that 'each person is different, and each moment is different,' meaning everything is in a state of change. It never relies on probability and certainly cannot conduct large-scale live experiments." It is evident that Liu Hongzhang's writings are filled with exaggeration and fabrication, mostly specious, essentially exploiting the poor state of China's medical environment to deceive people."
Liu Hongzhang claimed that his ancestor Liu Chun was the "chief imperial physician—Marquis of Anting, a second-rank official, and head of the Imperial Medical Bureau" during the Ming Dynasty. However, netizens discovered in the "Ming History: Official Records III" that the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau in the Ming Dynasty was only a fifth-rank official. Liu Hongzhang also claimed that Liu Chun's son became the son-in-law of the Yongle Emperor, but netizens found that none of the Yongle Emperor's five sons-in-law bore the surname Liu.
In "Medical History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties," some netizens even found precise records about Liu Chun: "Liu Chun (circa 1340–1412), courtesy name Zonghou, was a renowned physician in the early Ming Dynasty. He authored 'Elementary Studies of Medical Classics,' 'Subtle Meanings of the Jade Mechanism,' 'Treatment Examples for Miscellaneous Diseases,' and 'Treatment Examples for Cold Damage.' Liu Chun's ancestral home was Wuling (modern-day Jiangsu Jiangyan and Rugao area). He lived in Huainan in his early years and was a second-generation disciple of Zhu Danxi. The preface to 'Subtle Meanings of the Jade Mechanism' states, 'Zonghou, impoverished and of low status, could not farm to support himself, so he turned to medicine to sustain and conceal himself.' In middle age, he moved to Xianning, Shaanxi, to practice medicine and once accompanied the army as a medic to Liangzhou (modern-day Wuwei, Gansu) and other places. In his later years, he settled in Ganzhou (modern-day Zhangye, Gansu), practicing medicine in Shaanxi and Gansu for about 40 years. His medical skills were profound, and his works were extensive, earning him the reputation of 'divine prescriptions and miraculous techniques.' After his death, his works were published by the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission and have been passed down to this day. He was a representative physician of the Danxi School in the northwest during the early Ming Dynasty."
This means Liu Chun was definitely not a descendant of "Liu Wansu, the foremost of China's four great physicians of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties," nor did his medical skills come from family tradition. He lived for 72 years, not the 126 years claimed by Liu Hongzhang. He lived a life of hardship and wandering, never serving as an imperial physician, and died a decade before the Yongle Emperor "passed away." However, when Liu Hongzhang and his father introduced their "ancestor" Liu Chun, they changed his courtesy name from "Zonghou" to "Jinghou," his ancestral home from "Jiangsu Jiangyan" to "Hubei Xianning," and fabricated a dazzling "resume" for him. Their goal was singular: to exploit the public's inability to verify facts and engage in large-scale deception. The blind faith of readers also became the social root of the Liu father-and-son duo's fabrications—after all, a lie repeated a thousand times can start to sound like the truth.
Source: http://view. news. qq. com/ a/ 20070916/ 000011. htm
Reference: "Imperial Physician Liu" Admits to Fraud While in Prison, Victims Remain Unconvinced
http://www. cns. hk:89/ jk/ news/ 2009/ 07- 29/ 1795586. shtml