Ri Fang started training in acupuncture in 1969 under the master acupuncturist Song, Jing Xuan in Beijing. In 1969 the Chinese government sent her to Inner Mongolia for 6 years. During this period she was still under the guidance and training of Mr. Song. While in Mongolia she was trained as a "barefoot doctor" (i.e. working as GP), in which her duties involved all aspects of healing the sick such as diagnosing and treating disease, assisting with operations, treating all paediatric problems, skin problems, internal diseases, all women's complaints including pregnancy care and post natal problems, using both acupuncture and Chinese herbs, plus western medicine when necessary. She was trained to collect her own herbs from the countryside or mountains and to process them by chopping or grinding, then sometimes boiling to extract the active ingredient. She studied and practiced in a number of hospitals in Beijing and qualified as a Chinese Medical Doctor in 1987, graduating from Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She then carried out a further three years advanced studies under the guidance of three well-known professors, including Prof Zhang, Ru Xin, in the Acupuncture Department of Beijing hospital of TCM. Her studies and work included treating bone and soft tissue injuries.
