Disease, Medicine And Illness Narratives

DiariesfromMid-19th century to the early20thdocumentedlarge amounts diseases and medical experience of Chinese literati class, the rise and development of social and cultural history providednew theoretical method to interpretationthose Content.The idea of disease and health care alwaysrelated to social and cultural backgrounds.Although historians are usually regarded the late Qing Dynasty as era of change, however,the traditional social factors still widespread. The diaries shows that many literati’s idea of disease and health carestill rooted in Chinese medicine system. Chinesemedicine in the Qing Dynasty has developed into numerous school, medicalpractitioners’sgrow in the number, but both knowledge andpractice shows lack of standardization. Western medicine brought anatomical and physiological knowledge into China, but did not show a clear advantage in the method of treatment. Chinese medicine and Western medical resources are concentrated in developed regions, unevenly distributed in geography and among classes.Chinese families lived in the end of the19th century facing the threat of many diseases,from mild cold and diarrhea to deadly smallpox and cholera, including both old epidemic and new diseases broughted by international exchanges.The sick and their families’sunderstanding of these diseases came from medical knowledge, but also influenced folk culture. They will actively seek different treatment: apply Yangsheng method to maintain health, exercise or diet, purchasing andtaking Chinese and Western medicine or find cure from books and communication, take acupuncture and massage, using Zhuyou,making wishes,or put hope in the power of godsand Buddha.Patients familiar with Western culture would considerwestern therapy includeing surgery.The sick and their families may hire professional Chinese or western medical practitioner, also likely to invite friends and relatives who proficient in medicine.Diaries also mentioned monks,Wuxi(witch-doctors), barber as healer.The sick and their families often hope medicine shows immediately effect, if not obvious effect, they will question the healer’s ability, eitherconsultingwith other heals, or find someone else. Since the popularization of medical knowledge in Ming and Qing, patients and the healer’s knowledge may came from the same books.Patients could use their medical knowledge interrogate or questione doctor’s judgment, and the importance of patients’ feelingin diagnosis and treatment also give them power to control medical procedure. Different identity, age and sex of the patient also give them different power in medical procedure.Illness narratives in diary also bear social and cultural significance. The concept equal disease with punishment shows moral values.Tragedyand misfortunes can be regarded as the cause of the disease, emotions like sorrow and anger are expressed though description of physical pain. Illness narrativesalso express how daily life being affected by illness, as well as anxiety about aging and disability. Care for the sick family members is a way to practice Xiao and affection. Under certain circumstances, the suffering of illness could transcendent into positive strengththrough Confucianism.