As a traditional healing art with a significant global presence, Chinese medicine raises intriguing questions about its classification and longevity. Why has it thrived alongside modern society? If it is deemed a science, what does that mean for our understanding of science itself? In his ethnography, Volker Scheid explores these queries while highlighting the adaptability that has allowed Chinese medicine to endure for over 2,000 years. Scheid, a medical anthropologist and practitioner since 1983, embraces the inherent plurality of medical practices. Notably, a patient might receive different treatments for the same issue from various practitioners, yet many of these approaches can be effective. To illuminate this diversity, Scheid redefines traditional anthropological concepts like tradition and culture, incorporating insights from science and technology studies, social psychology, and Chinese philosophy. His work not only enhances our understanding of Chinese medicine but also critiques the Western academic frameworks used to study it. Drawing on two decades of research, including interviews and case studies, this ethnography appeals to a diverse audience, including Western academics and practitioners of Chinese medicine, as well as those in the field of Western biomedicine.
Volker G. Scheid Livres
