Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China – Nathan Sivin – 1987
Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China
Nathan Sivin’s Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China is a detailed examination of the continuing relevance and evolving nature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) within the context of modern China. The work moves beyond a simple description of TCM practices, instead focusing on how these practices are understood, utilized, and legitimized in a society increasingly influenced by Western biomedicine. Sivin explores the historical foundations of TCM, its theoretical underpinnings – including concepts like qi, yin and yang, and the five elements – and the ways in which these are interpreted and adapted by both practitioners and patients.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 1987, this book emerged from a period of significant change in China, following the Cultural Revolution and the beginning of economic reforms. These changes presented both challenges and opportunities for TCM. The work addresses the political and social forces that shaped TCM’s status, including the state’s attempts to integrate it into the national healthcare system while simultaneously subjecting it to scientific scrutiny. Sivin contextualizes TCM not as a static tradition, but as a dynamic system continually renegotiating its position within a modernizing society. It responds to a growing Western interest in alternative medical systems, offering a nuanced perspective informed by extensive fieldwork and historical research.
Who This Book Is For
This book is primarily aimed at readers with an academic interest in the history of medicine, anthropology, and Chinese studies. However, it is accessible to a broader audience with a general curiosity about traditional healing systems and the intersection of culture, science, and medicine. The author’s careful explanations of complex concepts and his avoidance of overly technical jargon make the work understandable to those without a specialized background. Readers interested in the psychology of belief, and specifically how cultural frameworks shape perceptions of health and illness, will find the book particularly rewarding.
Further Reading
- Volpe, H. (1999). Dealing with Dragons: The U.S. Air Force and Contemporary Chinese Medicine. University of Washington Press. This explores the unusual intersection of TCM and US military intelligence.
- Scheid, V. (2007). Chinese Medicine in the 21st Century: Space, Time, and Body. Continuum International Publishing Group. Offers a contemporary perspective on TCM’s adaptation to globalization.
- Unschuld, P. U. (1985). Medicine in China: A History of Pharmaceutics. University of California Press. Provides a historical background to Chinese pharmaceutical practices.
Disclaimer.
Oraclepedia is an independent educational and cultural project. The material presented explores myths, belief systems, symbolic traditions, and aspects of human perception from historical, cultural, and psychological perspectives.
Content is provided for informational and reflective purposes only and does not promote specific beliefs, spiritual practices, or ideological positions. Interpretations presented reflect scholarly, cultural, or symbolic analysis rather than factual claims about the natural world.