Xuekai Zhang
Ph.D., CMD, L.Ac.
Xuekai Zhang is a licensed acupuncturist and board-certified Diplomate in Oriental Medicine. He is licensed to practice in Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, and also holds medical licensure in China.
With more than 12 years of clinical experience in both China and the United States, Dr. Zhang specializes in integrative, whole-person care that combines Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern neuroscience, and mind-body medicine. His approach focuses on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of illness while helping patients improve their overall health, resilience, and quality of life.
Dr. Zhang’s education spans three countries and multiple medical disciplines. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine and a Master’s degree in Integrative Chinese and Modern Medicine from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. He later completed a Ph.D. at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, where his study focused on brain, behavior, and mental health.
Before moving to the United States, Dr. Zhang spent more than five years working in a leading neurology department affiliated with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. During this time, he gained extensive experience treating patients with neurological, psychological, and chronic health conditions. His clinical approach evolved through years of integrating acupuncture, herbal medicine, modern medical knowledge, and patient-centered care.
Today, Dr. Zhang helps patients with a wide range of conditions, including:
· Acute and chronic pain, like various musculoskeletal pains and headaches
· Stress, anxiety, and mood disorders, sleep disturbances and insomnia
· Neurological conditions and cancer recovery support
· Seasonal allergies and other immune diseases
· Gastrointestinal tract problems and other chronic health conditions
Dr. Zhang is passionate about helping patients restore balance in both body and mind. He believes that true healing occurs when physical symptoms, emotional well-being, lifestyle, and overall health are addressed together.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Zhang has authored or co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, holds two acupuncture-related patents, and has presented his research internationally in the United States, United Kingdom, and at the United Nations Science Summit. He has also served as a medical educator, journal reviewer, and guest editor. Bilingual in English and Chinese, Dr. Zhang brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to patient care. His mission is to combine the best of Eastern and Western medicine to help patients achieve lasting health and well-being.
John M. Shih
CMD. L.Ac
John Michael Shih is a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist and herbalist, credentialed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). He is licensed to practice in both Virginia and Maryland, and also holds licensure as a Chinese medical physician in China. With over ten years of clinical experience in both the United States and China, John is dedicated to providing integrative, patient-centered care rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and supported by modern healthcare principles.
John earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine—one of China’s most prestigious and pioneering institutions—completing a five-year undergraduate program in Acupuncture and a three-year Master’s degree in Internal Medicine of Chinese Medicine.
His training includes clinical residencies at Jiangsu Province Hospital of TCM and Qinhuai District Hospital in Nanjing, where he gained extensive hands-on experience in acupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, and integrative medicine. John specializes in treating a wide range of conditions including pain management, mood disorders, insomnia, seasonal allergies, digestive issues, and infertility. He employs a comprehensive, individualized treatment approach that integrates acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, and acupressure to promote optimal health and healing.
Beyond clinical practice, John is deeply committed to education and public health outreach. He served as an adjunct professor at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine and delivered guest lectures at the School of Pharmacy at Management & Science University in Malaysia. He also spoke at the District of Columbia International School, introducing high school students to the fundamentals and modern relevance of Chinese Medicine.
Born in Connecticut and raised in Taipei, John brings a unique bicultural perspective to his practice. His diverse cultural background and extensive clinical experience have shaped his belief in the transformative power of integrative healthcare—where Eastern and Western modalities work together to restore balance and enhance the body’s natural healing capacity.
Outside of the clinic, John enjoys photography, traveling, and cooking. He especially loves spending time with his wife, daughter, and dog—often drawing inspiration from their everyday adventures and shared moments.
Ashley Xia
Ph.D., CMD, L.Ac
Ashley Yue Xia is a licensed acupuncturist in Maryland, where she has been practicing since 1996. She studied Chinese medicine at the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (now Beijing University of Chinese Medicine), After graduating, she joined the university’s newly established Department of Acupuncture as an instructor. To pursue her interest in the mechanisms of acupuncture, she entered a graduate program at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, where she studied the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at the Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.
In 1986, Dr. Xia came to the United States and completed her graduate education, earning M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in biology from Wayne State University. She later completed postdoctoral training in molecular neuropharmacology and continued her career in genomics research, contributing to the sequencing of the first version of the human genome at Celera Genomics. She then served for more than 20 years as a program director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overseeing mechanistic and clinical research.
After moving to Maryland in 1996, Dr. Xia received her acupuncture license and began integrating her extensive knowledge of Chinese and modern medicine. She combines the holistic principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a deep understanding of human physiology and pathology, particularly the physiology of neuro-immune and neuro-endocrine interactions—key mechanisms underlying acupuncture-activated self-healing. In addition to pain management, she brings extensive experience in treating neuro-immune mediated conditions such as allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases, as well as neuro-endocrine and metabolic disorders including acne, women’s reproductive health concerns, menopausal symptoms, obesity, pre-diabetes, and diabetic neuropathies.
Due to her volunteer status at the Center, Dr. Xia is only available on Saturday.
Jing Wang
CMD, L.Ac
Jing Wang is a highly accomplished, board-certified acupuncturist and herbalist who has maintained her credentials as an NCCAOM Diplomate of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology since 1995. Spanning over four decades of dedicated study and clinical practice in both China and the United States, Jing seamlessly bridges ancient classical knowledge with modern medical insights to offer compassionate, evidence-informed patient care.
Dr. Wang specializes in comprehensive acute and chronic pain management, palliative care, and complex internal medicine disorders. Utilizing evidence-informed acupuncture techniques, herbal therapies, and mind-body approaches, she helps patients manage complex pain conditions, restore physical function, and enhance overall quality of life.
Jing earned her Doctor of Chinese Medicine degree following an intensive six-year program (1982–1988) at the prestigious Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, completing her clinical residency at Dongzhimen Teaching Hospital. Upon graduation, she served for four years as a Medical Doctor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Beijing Badachu Hospital, specializing in complex respiratory diseases.
After moving to the United States, Jing established a decades-long career in clinical practice. In addition to running private practices in Colorado and Maryland (2003–2019), she serves as a Physician Acupuncturist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center within the Pain and Palliative Care Department, as well as an acupuncturist at the US Center of Chinese Medicine in Rockville, Maryland.
A dedicated educator, Jing served as a full Professor and Clinic Supervisor at Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado, teaching foundational TCM theory, diagnostics, and herbal formulas. She has also lectured on clinical pathology at the Tai Sophia Institute, provided NCCAOM-approved continuing education, and served as an expert curriculum reviewer for Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She co-authored the textbook Materia Medica - Clinical Reference and Study Guide (2002).
Wei Li
Ph.D., CMD, L.Ac
Wei Li is a Professor, Chief Physician, and Master’s Supervisor at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), as well as a specially appointed expert at BUCM Guoyitang. Formerly the Director of the Nephrology Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of BUCM, she brings more than 30 years of clinical experience across China and the United States and has mentored nearly 20 postgraduate master's students.
Dr. Li holds a Doctorate in Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, a U.S. Master’s degree in Acupuncture, a U.S. acupuncture license, and certifications as an Aromatherapist, Public Nutritionist, and Weight Management Specialist. Her international background includes four years of full-time practice at the BUCM American Chinese Medicine Center, two visiting scholar appointments at the Texas Medical Center, and service as an Adjunct Professor at the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine.
A Standing Committee Member of national academic society for TCM Nephrology and senior specialist at Beijing Difficult Nephropathy Center, Dr. Li was honored as a Capital Xinglin Health Guardian and has led over 30 research projects. Fluent in English, she delivers gentle, patient-centered natural care combining acupuncture, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, and nutrition for fluid retention, elevated uric acid, metabolic disorders, chronic pain, menopausal transition, anxiety, fatigue, and wellness support during cancer recovery—bridging Eastern holistic healing with modern Western wellness science.