Wang Wen-Hsing's third modernist novel, Man with Clipped Wings, delves into the intricate interplay of illness and religious themes. Grounded in the modernist framework of subjectivity and combined with an illness narrative told from a medical humanities perspective, this article explores how Man with Clipped Wings employs linguistic symbols to craft a unique discourse of the body-self. It is through this linguistic artistry that the protagonist's journey of self-discovery and transformation unfolds. This article also employs the model of "quest narrative" proposed by sociologist Arthur W. Frank to demonstrate that Wang's analysis of the protagonist's journey through the crucible of illness is a masterful exposition of the crisis of self-identity, the redemptive power of faith, and the emergence of a moral subjectivity that embraces virtue while forsaking vice. The resulting insights are profound, revealing illness as an opportunity for self-renewal. The equilibrium that Wang Wen-Hsing achieves within the narrative, a state where neither recovery nor deterioration dominates, is a testimony to the author's skill. As the story unfolds, readers bear witness to a profound connection with the divine, simultaneously immersing themselves in the state of void (śūnyatā) described by the traditional Chinese literati. This fusion of experiences leads to a remarkable reconstruction of self, characterized by purification and healing. Ultimately, Man with Clipped Wings ascribes new meaning to the concept of illness as it chronicles the journey of self-healing, all contextualized within the broader modernist literary tradition of illness narratives. This approach extends the boundaries of formal modernism, offering an innovative perspective on the analysis of the self and the exploration of illness narratives.