Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the discursive structure and the essential meaning of “social needs” in relevant policy on attempt to advance the innovation of traditional Chinese medicine.

Paper long abstract:

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of curing people on this ancient land, using an alternative system of knowledge and practice. After the introduction of western medicine on a large scale in Ching dynasty however, the TCM was frequently attempted to be abolished by the "progressive people" due to its "pseudo-science" nature. The TCM doctors and relevant social groups at the same time, tried so hard to advance or at lease sustain their career, by arguing the "social needs" must be satisfied. But what is the "social" in this context is not only unclear, but also evolving though times. This paper accordingly, focuses specifically the "social needs" policy discourses in all levels since 1970s, to explore the justification, legitimacy construction as well as the self-fulfilling sense-making of the innovation, resource distribution, and the policy evaluation. A "discourse network analysis" (Leifeld, 2010, 2013) is employed to demonstrate the discursive structure and help to understand the essential meaning of "social needs", while special attention is also paid on the "big historical event" like curing of malaria (Tu Youyou's case) and SARS by TCM. It is argued the "social" in China's context, is a combination of professionalism and nationalism, and the both sides supporting or opposing TCM are actually seeking to draw the boundaries (Gieryn, 1983, 1995, 1999), via this powerful discourse (Foucault, 1972, Butler, 1993), for their own sake.