More than 100 of China’s most skilled surgeons took part in the three-hour-long online contest in December 2023.
Two months after the competition was completed, a spectator shared the unique event on mainland social media platforms.
Each doctor who took part presented a pre-recorded six-minute circumcision video with live commentary.
Judges evaluated the surgery based on technique, explanation and innovation.
Some contestants showcased innovations in technique, such as homemade post-operative penile protection devices and meticulous application of post-operative ointments.
The winning doctor, urologist Jiang Qiqi, spelled out the value of circumcision using comic illustrations, earning praise for demonstrating the humanistic care which is rarely present with Chinese doctors.
Organisers, Guo Tao and host Wang Xin, also urologists said their aim was to raise awareness of male health.
The contest was live streamed, and viewers had to undergo a strict identity verification process to confirm that they were “serious observers”.
One female viewer said: “At first, seeing so many male reproductive organs made me feel a bit curious and embarrassed, but I quickly adapted and focused on the surgeries.”
In China, the cost of circumcision at a regular hospital ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 yuan (US$270 to US$550), with the procedure usually lasting about 30 minutes and not requiring hospitalisation.
For many people in the mainland, circumcision is viewed as an exercise is “shameful body modification” and there is a lack of accurate understanding of the procedure.
Jiang, the champion doctor, said: “In traditional Chinese beliefs, anything related to ‘sex’ tends to be sidelined.”
One contestant shared the case of a patient who suffered severe penile pain during sexual intercourse, leading to extreme self-doubt and a 30-year absence from home.
After undergoing an examination, it was discovered that penile cancer resulted from excessive foreskin.
In 2022, one mainland man thought that circumcision would enhance sexual function but felt “too embarrassed” to visit a hospital.
Instead, he purchased tools online to circumcise himself, leading to painful injury.
“There is a common misconception in China, in fact circumcision doesn’t necessarily equate to enhanced sexual function,” said Wang Xin, the host of the contest.
Wang Xiang, a urologist at the Fudan University in Shanghai, suggests that not all cases of excessive foreskin require circumcision.
“Consulting a doctor is essential before making a decision,” said Wang.
It is estimated that one-third of men worldwide have undergone the procedure either for religious or health reasons, or as part of tradition.
The male circumcision rate is relatively low in China, with an overall prevalence of 14 per cent reported in 2016.