The successful replantation of a severed limb by CHEN Zhongwei in 1963 marked the beginning of microsurgery in China. The complete survival of a completely severed finger replantation and the successful free transplantation of the second toe to reconstruct the thumb in 1966, as well as the successful transplantation of a free inguinal skin flap in 1973, were all landmark achievements. The Guangzhou Experience Exchange Conference on Limb Replantation in 1972 and the American Replantation Mission to China in 1973 promoted academic exchanges and technology dissemination both domestically and internationally in China’s microsurgery field. China’s limb (finger) replantation techniques and principles were recognized and promoted worldwide, and Chinese microsurgery developed in step with the world and created many world firsts. Since then, Chinese microsurgery has long been among the advanced academic ranks internationally.
