Health care in eleventh-century China / Nathan Sivin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sivin, Nathan, author.

Series:

Archimedes (Dordrecht, Netherlands) ; volume 43.

Archimedes ; volume 43

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Public health--China--History--11th century.

Public health.

Medical care--China--History--11th century.

Medical care.

History.

China.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

Cham : Springer, 2015.

System Details:

Mode of Access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

By examining all the prevalent varieties of therapy from self-care to religious ritual, this book explores health care practices in China, before modern times. In ancient China most people were unable to afford a doctor, even in the unlikely case that one lived near their village and was willing to treat peasants. What did they do when their children got sick? The answer is to be found in this book, which goes far beyond the history of medicine. The author uses methods of medical anthropology to explain the curative roles of popular religion, Daoism, Buddhism, and the therapeutic rites performed by imperial officials. Readers will discover the steady interaction of religious healing and classical medicine in this culture. This highly readable book builds on over forty years of study and analysis of early liturgical and medical writings, and a wide variety of other sources. Its focus on the eleventh century throws new light on a period of rapid transition in many aspects of therapy, and it will appeal to scholars and general readers alike.

Contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: The Question of Efficacy

Chapter 3: Classical Medicine

Chapter 4: Therapy in Popular Religion

Chapter 5: Therapy in Elite Religions

Chapter 6: Therapy in the State Religion

Chapter 7: Conclusions

Appendix.

Notes:

Online resource; title from PDF title page (EBSCO, viewed September 9, 2015)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Printed edition:

ISBN:

9783319204277

3319204270

3319204262

9783319204260

OCLC:

920465949

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.