The Concept of Health in History: The Health Discourse of Traditional Chinese Doctors and Chinese Doctors who studied Western Medicine in Late Qing and Republic of China
Authors
辛圭煥
Citation
Journal of Korean Studies (동방학지), Vol.138 : 179-223, 2007-06
Health ; Traditional Chinese Doctor ; Chinese Doctor trained by western medicine ; Personal Health ; Public Health ; National Health Care System
Abstract
The traditional Chinese term Weisheng(衛生) has been used with
Yangsheng(養生), Daosheng(道生), Shesheng(攝生), and Yangxing(養性) in
Chinese traditional texts. Yangsheng, which means preserving human life,
was the representing discourse on health in traditional society. With the
emphasis on disinfection in China by Western Power in the late nineteenth
century, a novel type of health discourse was introduced into China. The
health discourse mainly meant personal health at the time, and the Chinese
people expressed both expectations and anxiety about the arrival of
Japanese, European and American health discourse. Japanese health texts
were translated and introduced into China, and the Qing court started the
health administration in the early twentieth century.
The increasing role of public health and the state in the health sphere
shifted the health discourse in this period. The reform of Qing court's
system and the enlightenment discourse played a critical role in the
transition. As the new type of health discourse expanded, the traditional
health discourse of Yangsheng became increasingly obsolete. The traditional Chinese doctors on the whole managed the personal health of their patients,
but some took interest in and supported the state's intervention in health
and health administration. It is worth noting the interest of traditional
doctors in the health administration.
The Western Chinese doctors separated personal health from public
health, and acknowledged the need for state power to improve public health.
Because they thought the traditional Chinese doctors offered no contribution
to public health, they argued the abolishment of Chinese medicine.
As the new type of health discourse brought the enormous responses, the
contestation between Western and traditional Chinese doctors became
conspicuous. The conflicts between Western and traditional Chinese medicine
did not imply the suppression of Chinese medicine by Western medicine, nor
a formal recognition of Chinese medicine. The Western and traditional
Chinese doctors felt sympathy with the necessity and significance of health
administration and national health care system despite their different
perspectives on health.