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Pu Fu-zhou, originally named Qi Yu, was born on January 12, 1888, in Changxi Township, Zitong County, Sichuan Province, into a family of traditional medical practitioners. His grandfather, Pu Guozhen, and his father, Pu Zhongsi, were both renowned local doctors skilled in medical arts. As the eldest child with six younger siblings, Pu Fu-zhou's family relied on their medical practice for a living, leading a very modest life. He began his education in a private school at the age of seven and, by eleven, was studying medical texts under his grandfather while attending elementary school. By fifteen, under his grandfather's dedicated teaching, he had acquired substantial medical knowledge. He spent his days assisting his grandfather in clinical practice and his nights studying intensively until late. His foundational texts included the Neijing, Nan Jing, "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases," and Jingui Yaolue, supplemented by references like Waitai Miyao, Qianjin Fang, and various other medical texts from different dynasties. After three years of rigorous study and clinical practice, Pu Fu-zhou had accumulated considerable clinical experience and began practicing medicine in his hometown at the age of 18. Heeding the ancient teaching that "medicine is a benevolent art," he changed his name to Fu-zhou, symbolizing his commitment to aiding the poor and needy and providing relief to patients.

In 1917, Pu Fu-zhou moved to Chengdu to establish his practice, returning to Zitong several years later. In 1927, he was elected as a council member of the Zitong County Chamber of Commerce in Sichuan. By 1933, he was chosen as the head of the first district of Zitong County but resigned after a few months due to illness. During this period, he was actively involved in social welfare initiatives, founding the "Tongji Free Medical Clinic" in Zitong County in 1931. This charitable organization addressed the difficulties faced by the poor in affording medical treatment and medication. He also established several other charitable projects, including a civilian education factory, a "Free Coffin Society," and the Xihe Free Ferry, earning widespread acclaim from the local populace for his life-saving and world-benefiting efforts.

In 1936, disillusioned by the deteriorating political situation and unwilling to associate with local political circles, Pu Fu-zhou returned to Chengdu to practice medicine. There, he also set up a "Tongji Free Medical Clinic" and entered into an agreement with Taishan Pharmacy. Patients unable to afford medication could receive free diagnoses from him and then use his specific prescriptions to obtain medicine from Taishan Pharmacy, with the costs billed to his account, which he would settle periodically.

In 1940, when cholera broke out in Zitong, Pu Fu-zhou immediately sent 200 silver dollars and a prescription. He instructed his brothers to copy the cholera treatment prescription and post it widely for public awareness. The silver dollars were used to purchase medicines, which were sold at half price, with the poor receiving them free of charge.

In 1945, during a measles outbreak in Chengdu, Pu Fu-zhou often waded through water to reach the Yuh River and suburban areas where laborers lived, providing free medical treatment.

In 1955, when the Chinese Medicine Research Institute of the Ministry of Health was established, Pu Fu-zhou was summoned to work in Beijing. Before moving, he returned to Zitong to offer free medical consultations for three days, starting at dawn and continuing until nightfall. Upon arriving in Beijing, he worked in the internal medicine department at the Guang'anmen Hospital of the Chinese Medicine Research Institute.

In 1956, he joined the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party. By 1960, he was appointed as the head of the internal medicine department at the Chinese Medicine Research Institute. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1962 and became the vice president of the Chinese Medicine Research Institute in 1965. He also served as a standing committee member of the third and fourth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a deputy to the fourth National People's Congress, a member of the National Science Weizhong (BL40) Medical Special Committee, a standing council member of the Chinese Medical Association, and a central committee member of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party. He passed away in Beijing on April 29, 1975.

Throughout his life, Pu Fu-zhou was diligent in clinical practice but published relatively few works. Apart from several published papers, his clinical cases were compiled and published by his students and disciples in works such as "Pu Fu-zhou's Medical Cases" and "Pu Fu-zhou's Medical Experience."

He was meticulous and continuously strived for excellence in his scholarly pursuits.

Pu Fu-zhou is a renowned clinical expert. Throughout his more than 70-year medical career, he was dedicated to revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine, consistently delving into medical theories, extensively studying various sources, maintaining rigorous academic standards, and striving for excellence. From his youth, Pu Fu-zhou developed a habit of diligent reading, which remained unchanged for decades, regardless of the season. When he was transferred to Beijing, he was already in his advanced years and well-respected, yet he persisted in his reading habits. In addition to learning from books, he also sought knowledge from experienced doctors. The empirical formulas he commonly used, such as the pain wind formula, Bai Sun Wan, and the formula for treating pulmonary tuberculosis with hematemesis, were all passed down orally by other seasoned practitioners of Chinese medicine. The "Jiu Zi Rehmannia Pill," used for treating and controlling internal eye diseases and white internal visual obstructions, was also learned from an ophthalmologist in Sichuan. To verify the knowledge from books, Pu Fu-zhou was also courageous in practice. For instance, early on, he questioned the "eighteen antagonisms" and conducted an experiment using half a pound of honey mixed with four taels of Fistular Onion Stalk, which he mashed into a paste and mixed with honey. After letting it sit for half a day, he fed a third of it to a dog every hour. The dog showed no adverse reactions, and he himself consumed it without any issues, confirming that honey and Fistular Onion Stalk do not "counteract" each other. He also experimented with consuming seaweed and Liquorice Root together. Through multiple trials, he proved that seaweed can be used alongside Liquorice Root, and in clinical applications, he found that their combined use enhanced their ability to soften hardness and dissipate nodules. He also tried combining Gansui Root with Liquorice Root. Although the reaction was intense, he discovered that it was highly effective in expelling phlegm and eliminating turbidity.

Pu Fu-zhou believes that learning is endless and must be pursued with perseverance. The theories of Chinese medicine are profound and extensive, and without indomitable perseverance and the determination to keep learning throughout life, it is not easy to master them. He insists on reading every Chinese medicine literature, regardless of its length, chapter by chapter, section by section, word by word, and sentence by sentence, and he reads them repeatedly. Pu Fu-zhou says that each reading brings new insights, and only by carefully pondering can one draw inferences from one instance. There are myriad diseases and countless variations in medicine, and only through diligent study can one effectively treat illnesses. Pu Fu-zhou has always been strict with himself and never glosses over his mistakes. Early in his career, he practiced medicine in his hometown and had already gained a reputation, but due to an accidental medical error, he resolutely stopped practicing for three years, closed his doors to study, and reflected on his shortcomings. During this period, he spent a month copying and reading a borrowed book titled "Imperial Han Medicine" compiled by a Japanese author, and he感慨地说：“Foreigners have such profound research on Chinese medicine, how can Chinese people be content with self-deprecation!” His spirit of strict self-discipline is evident here. He set three principles for his own conduct:

• First, love reading, and seek thorough understanding. When encountering key points, take good notes to deepen memory; when in doubt, repeatedly verify to ensure clarity.
• Second, teach carefully, and always be prepared. When explaining original texts, the theme should be clear and well-supported; when analyzing, be profound yet accessible, and engaging.
• Third, practice medicine cautiously, and never be careless. When inquiring about symptoms, observe and understand in detail, and clarify the causes; when diagnosing and treating, be bold yet meticulous, and address the root cause.

His rigorous academic spirit enabled him to discern subtleties in clinical practice, and his accuracy in diagnosis and pulse reading surpassed that of others. For example, during a consultation for a severe case of encephalitis B, the attending doctors believed that the patient, who had high fever, chest and abdominal stuffiness and fullness, had not had a bowel movement for three days, with a deep and rapid pulse and a yellow, greasy tongue coating, could be treated with purgative methods. However, Pu Fu-zhou believed that although there was chest and abdominal stuffiness and fullness, it was not firm, the pulse manifestation was not deep and solid but showed a slippery quality at both chi positions, and the tongue coating was thick and greasy but not old yellow, so purgative methods were unnecessary, and the bowel movement would occur naturally. Just as the doctors were carefully analyzing and gradually reaching a consensus, the nurse reported that the patient had passed loose stools. His accurate diagnosis left his colleagues in awe.