Chinese Project Notes: October 20 2016

Cite For My Source

Pg. 3

Disease was attributed to the mystical energy of Qi.

" The ancient Chinese understanding of disease naturally lacked the concept of bacteria and viruses, but qi (气 air or energy) is a factor worth exploring, especially with regards to infectious or epidemic diseases. Qi was regarded as a vehicle for disease: it has passed through many interpretations and can be used to patch the holes in many theories, while its characteristics led people to believe that it could be avoided or resisted but could not be eradicated through public methods."

Pg: 6

Upper-Middle Class Were Served By Physicians

Most people worked with shamans and those who practiced witchcraft.

"many people believed in witches and not in doctors"

" The prevalent practice of moxibustion is one example. The government also encouraged the people to practice self-care: thus, when facing the threat of disease, doctors were never the only force of resistance. Moreover, doctors in ancient China lacked support from religious groups, instead relying completely on the market. As a result, they had only to meet the needs of the “class served by physicians” (primarily the upper-middle class)."

Pg. 7

Doctors didn't actively work to help the populace. Most people didn't trust doctors.

"“Many doctors have adopted this trade in name but not in substance; yet they cultivate an empty reputation in pursuit of material benefit.”9 Arguably, both the elite physicians, who held discursive power, and the lower-class physicians, who constituted the majority in the trade, lacked the motivation to consider the health of the entire populace. According to the doctor–patient relationship of that era, doctors were accustomed to simply wait passively for patients to summon them and lacked the motivation to participate actively in public affairs. For this reason, when facing a large-scale epidemic event, doctors did not necessarily believe that they were the primary line of defense. They had no lack of social responsibility, but they did not elevate this sense of responsibility to the motivation and capacity to take “health measures.”"

General Notes #1

This makes sense because their beliefs were focused around the manipulation of Qi, they believed disease was caused by supernatural entities. Who would you trust to combat negative, supernatural entities? Would you prefer an uneducated doctor attempt to use random medicine to help you, that you don't understand, or would you rather someone who understands the supernatural, help you overcome the supernatural. Even with people trusting shamans more than doctors, the government encouraged self-care, people were motivated to help themselves overcome illness. There are even fatalists who believed that everything is fate, and didn't even fight illness.

General Notes #2

Nicholas Benson: Imagine you are living in Han Dynasty, China. You believe that all disease is caused by a mystical energy, known as Qi. Most doctors are doctor by name alone, and aren't very intelligent. Religious groups don't support the practices of these doctors, and the most elitist doctors are more focused on achieving personal immortality, rather than on public health. Speaking of public health, there is no word for 'health'. The government encourages you take care of yourself, and your friend down the street is a fatalist, so he believes getting sick is simply fate. He's probably going to die soon. Your other neighbor is a shaman, who claims to understand how to manipulate Qi, and help people overcome illness. What is the point of you visiting an uninformed doctor, or a doctor that is more motivated by personal gain, when you can take care of yourself, or visit a shaman down the road who truly understands your troubles?! If you are a member of the lower class, the cheapest option is to take care of yourself, after all, your government thinks its a good idea. If you are middle class, more than likely you don't trust doctors due to their negative reputation. More than likely you'll see a shaman. If you were Upper-Middle Class, more than likely you actually went to see a doctor. Upper-middle class citizens can afford the services of elitist doctors.

Image Citations

2016. Image. http://archive.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/images/maps/china-han-large.gif.

2016. Image. https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2016/02/21/09/33/buddha-1213332_960_720.jpg.

2016. Image. https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/03/20/04/53/martial-arts-291046_960_720.jpg.

2016. Image. https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2016/04/20/15/36/yin-1341378_960_720.png.

2016. Image. https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/04/12/07/35/hands-718560_960_720.jpg.

Han Dynasty Map. 2016. Image. http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/chinese_dynasty_maps/Han_Dynasty_Map.jpg.