Paper Short Abstract:

My research focuses on the transmission of knowledge and practice of – and in – Chinese medicine, comparing a clinic and a university in Taiwan. Based on my case study, I will attempt to reflect on the challenges medical anthropology faces to better understand contemporary Chinese medicine.

Paper Abstract:

Chinese medicine (CM), commonly referred to as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), represents one of the oldest and most widespread medical systems worldwide. Its importance is evidenced not only by its increasing use by Eastern and Western countries but also by the World Health Organization's continuous push to integrate CM into local medical systems. It follows that, in the era of globalisation, it becomes necessary to consider the role of Chinese medicine when reflecting on the concepts of health and medicine. But what is the role of medical anthropology in better understanding contemporary CM? What challenges does it face in analysing the process of learning and teaching the knowledge and practice of Chinese medicine?

In this paper, I discuss the importance of using the qualitative method of ethnography to better understand the pluralism of Taiwanese Chinese medicine and, broadly, different ideas of medicine and healthcare. Based on my case study, through a comparative approach between different modes of transmission of knowledge and practices of CM in Taiwan, I will attempt to reflect on the challenges of medical anthropology. My study draws on nine months of ethnographic research in a private clinic in Taipei and at China Medical University in Taizhong. Methodologically, I observed Chinese medicine lectures and medical practices, conducted semi-structured interviews with doctors and practitioners, and carried out participant-observations, both in the clinic and at the university.