Wan Quan, also known as Quanren, with the courtesy name Shi and the pseudonym Mizhai, was from Luotian, Hubei. His ancestral home was Yuchuan (now Nanchang City, Jiangxi). His grandfather, Xingcheng, was renowned in the local area for his expertise in pediatrics. His father, Juxuan, settled in Dahe'an, Luotian due to the turmoil of war and was also famous for pediatrics, "widely praised by people near and far." Disappointed by the imperial examinations, Wan devoted himself to medicine.

Wan extensively absorbed the experiences of his predecessors, inherited his family's medical knowledge, and wrote numerous books, including Baoming Ge Kuo in 35 volumes, Cold-Damage Disease Zhai Jin in 2 volumes, Yangsheng Si Yao in 3 volumes, Neike Yao Jue in 3 volumes, Youke Fahui in 4 volumes, Yuying Mijue in 4 volumes, Smallpox Xinfa in 23 volumes, Pianyu Xinshu in 5 volumes, Pianyu Juzhen in 13 volumes, Guangsi Jiyao in 16 volumes. These works collectively form Wan Mizhai's Ten Medical Books , totaling 108 volumes and over 700,000 characters. Additionally, there are more than 10 handwritten manuscripts, among which Wan's Waike Xinfa , Jiubing Diandian Jing , and Wan's Michuan Yanke are extant. Published works such as Smallpox Ge Kuo and Youke Zhinan have also been collected.

Wan was particularly renowned for his work in pediatrics and gynecology. In pediatrics, he followed Qian Yi, emphasizing the care and disease prevention in children, and stressed the importance of the four diagnostic methods in pattern identification, with a focus on the spleen and stomach in treatment. Family-prescribed formulas such as Bovine Bezoar Heart-Clearing Pill, Yushu Dan, and Anchong Wan were highly effective, some of which are still in clinical use today.