杏
林
About
The word "杏林" is formed from the characters "杏" meaning apricot and "林" meaning forest, directly deriving from an anecdote about the physician Dong Feng during the Three Kingdoms era, who accepted apricot trees planted by his cured patients as payment, eventually creating an apricot grove; this literal combination of elements from the story was adopted to refer to the medical profession.
Word Definition - 杏林
Xinglin District of Xiamen city (renamed Haicang 海滄區|海沧区[hǎi cāng qū] in 2003); forest of apricot trees; (fig.) honorific term for fine doctor (cf Dr Dong Feng 董奉[dǒng fèng], 3rd century AD, asked his patients to plant apricot trees instead of paying fees)