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Shi Jin-mo, originally from Xiaoshan County, Zhejiang, was originally named Shi Yu-qian. Because his grandfather had served as an official in Yunnan and Guizhou, Shi Jin-mo was born in Guizhou, hence the name "Yuqian." In his early years, due to his mother's frequent illnesses, he resolved to study medicine. His uncle, Li Keting, a renowned physician in Anyang, Henan, recognized his intelligence and began teaching him Chinese medicine when Shi Jin-mo was 13 years old. He often told him, "A thousand acres of fertile land are not as valuable as a modest skill." Thus, Shi Jin-mo studied medicine diligently and by the age of 20, he had mastered the theories of Chinese medicine and could practice independently.

Shi Jin-mo's father believed that an official career was the right path and once sent him to Shanxi University. There, influenced by progressive ideologies, he developed democratic and reformist thoughts. Later, due to his opposition to the autocratic rule of Timothy Richard, the head of the Western Branch of Shanxi University and a missionary, he was expelled from the school. He then transferred to Shanxi School of Law and Politics, where his excellent performance earned him a recommendation to the Capital School of Law and Politics. It was during this time that he was introduced to Huang Xing by someone and, through Huang Xing, joined the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance, thus beginning his revolutionary career. Using medicine as a cover, he followed Huang Xing in revolutionary activities until the success of the 1911 Revolution, which overthrew the Qing dynasty. As a representative of Shanxi, Shi Jin-mo attended the inauguration ceremony of Sun Yat-sen as the Provisional President in Nanjing and, as a guest official, assisted Huang Xing, the Minister of War, in drafting military codes. Shi Jin-mo's contributions are evident in the "Military Criminal Law," "Military Disciplinary Regulations," and "Military Trial Regulations." Later, when Yuan Shikai usurped power, Sun Yat-sen fled, and Huang Xing passed away, Shi Jin-mo was invited by Tan Yankai, the military governor of Hunan, to serve as the Director of Education in Hunan. However, amidst the warlord conflicts, education was neglected, and Shi Jin-mo's ambitions were thwarted. In 1917, at the invitation of Xiong Xiling, the director of the Shunzhi Water Conservancy, he took up the position of Vice President at the Beijing Xiangshan Orphanage. At that time, he envisioned creating an isolated utopia at the Xiangshan Orphanage, where orphans could grow up to be self-reliant, working in factories and farms he established, embodying freedom, equality, and fraternity. However, the corruption of society, the infighting in officialdom, and the arrogance of certain officials' wives made it difficult for Shi Jin-mo's ideals to be realized. Frustrated, he resigned and decided to abandon politics for medicine. In 1921, he changed his name to "Jinmo," which carries three meanings: first, to commemorate his birthplace, as "Jinmo" is homophonous with "Qian"; second, to honor Mozi, practicing the way of universal love, treating the sick regardless of their status, and showing love without distinction between the rich and the poor; third, to be bold in medical innovation, aiming to become a contemporary medical standard (the meaning of "Jinmo"). Even while studying at the School of Law and Politics and later participating in the Revolutionary Alliance's political activities, Shi Jin-mo often treated patients and had already gained some reputation. Once he devoted himself entirely to medicine and delved deeply into medical studies, his fame soared, and he became renowned in the capital, with his clinic often crowded with patients.

In 1925, when Sun Yat-sen was bedridden in Beijing, Shi Jin-mo was invited to participate in the consultation and offered pertinent advice. In 1930, he traveled to Xi'an to treat General Yang Hucheng, and with his effective treatment, he returned with great acclaim. In 1935, the Nationalist government promulgated the Chinese Medicine Regulations, stipulating examination methods and registration procedures. During the first examination in Beijing, authorities selected highly skilled and reputable doctors to oversee the process. Shi Jin-mo, along with Xiao Longyou, Kong Bohua, and Wang Fengchun, was appointed as chief examiners, responsible for setting questions and grading papers. Subsequently, they were referred to as the "Four Great Physicians of Beijing."

In 1928, the Nanjing National Government threatened to abolish traditional Chinese medicine. In 1929, Yu Yunxiu was the first to propose a bill to abolish traditional Chinese medicine, and the Nanjing National Government planned to formally resolve it. The survival of Chinese medicine was in imminent danger. When the news spread, the whole country was in an uproar. Shi Jin-mo traveled north and south, united his colleagues, established the Chinese Medicine Guild, organized the North China Chinese Medicine Petition Group, and went to Nanjing several times to petition in order to turn the tide. At that time, Wang Jingwei, a young member of the Kuomintang, only believed in Western medicine and was in charge of the Executive Yuan, making it seem inevitable that traditional Chinese medicine would be abolished. Coincidentally, Wang Jingwei's mother-in-law suffered from dysentery, and despite consulting numerous Western doctors, her condition did not improve and she was on the verge of death. Someone suggested consulting Shi Jin-mo, and Wang Jingwei, having no other choice, agreed to give it a try. Shi Jin-mo took her pulse and every word he said hit the mark, convincing Wang Jingwei's mother-in-law, who nodded frequently in agreement. When prescribing, Shi Jin-mo said, "Take the medicine with peace of mind, and you will be cured after one consultation, no need for a follow-up." How could a condition so critical be cured after just one consultation? Everyone was skeptical. However, after taking only a few doses of the prescribed medicine, the result was exactly as Shi Jin-mo had predicted. Only then did Wang Jingwei believe in the miraculous efficacy of Chinese medicine, and he inscribed a plaque with the words "Mei Yi Yan Nian" (a phrase from Zhuangzi), and from then on, he never mentioned abolishing traditional Chinese medicine again. Later, under the pressure of national public opinion, the National Government had to retract its decision, approved the establishment of the Central National Medicine Institute, and appointed Shi Jin-mo as the deputy director. Chinese medicine finally won the right to survive with its miraculous healing effects.

In order to revitalize Chinese medicine, Shi Jin-mo established hospitals and pharmaceutical factories, but both endeavors failed. Ultimately, Shi Jin-mo realized that the revitalization of Chinese medicine lies in people—high-quality Chinese medicine talents must be cultivated. To achieve this, it was necessary to establish schools so that his academic ideas could be mastered by more practitioners of Chinese medicine, leading to significant progress in the field. In 1931, Shi Jin-mo founded the North China College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He loved traditional Chinese medicine but did not shy away from acknowledging its shortcomings or envying the strengths of Western medicine. He vigorously advocated for the innovation of Chinese medicine. He clearly stated, "I believe that the method for improving Chinese medicine lies in borrowing the physiology and pathology of Western medicine for mutual verification—there is no other way." He integrated this philosophy into the educational principles of the college. The curriculum at the North China College of Traditional Chinese Medicine primarily focused on Chinese medicine theory, offering courses such as Neijing, "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases," Jingui Yaolue, Nan Jing, and Wenbing Tiaobian. Western medicine theory was supplementary, with courses in physiology, pathology, anatomy, and pharmacology. Shi Jin-mo emphasized practical training and incorporated Western medical examination and laboratory techniques during student internships. He also frequently collaborated with Western medicine experts like Jiang Sichang to explore new approaches to integrating Chinese and Western medicine. He excelled at learning from various schools of thought, summarizing experiences, and continuously enriching his knowledge. Upon hearing about the profound medical expertise of the renowned Shanghai physician Ding Gan-ren, Shi disguised himself as a patient and sought treatment multiple times, carefully observing Ding's diagnostic process. He was greatly inspired, believing that Ding's standardized application of theory, methods, prescriptions, and medicine, as well as his clinical cases, held significant reference value after being organized. To benefit students, Shi used Ding Gan-ren's medical cases as teaching materials at the North China College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and personally lectured on them.

In clinical practice, Shi Jin-mo did not distinguish between Chinese medicine and Western medicine, nor between classical formulas and contemporary prescriptions. As long as it benefited the patient, he would readily use it. He once told his students, "Conduct comprehensive examinations, explore diligently, apply flexibly, and master meticulously. Select prescriptions based on the disease and choose medicines based on the prescription. Do not adhere rigidly to a single formula for all diseases, nor to a single medicine for all formulas. Do not follow the preferences of one school and lose sight of others, nor indulge in the exclusivity of one faction and make mistakes. Those who seek shortcuts and rely solely on a few fixed formulas or single remedies to treat all ailments are not my disciples." Under his influence, students had no bias against classical formulas or contemporary prescriptions and could apply them flexibly, achieving good clinical results. The graduation theses of students at the North China College of Traditional Chinese Medicine were also of high quality, earning praise from the Chinese medicine community. During the more than ten years of Shi Jin-mo's leadership, the college held 16 sessions and graduated over 600 students, who are now distributed across the country as key figures in Chinese medicine.