LCS Lecture Series - Healing Women: History of Gender and Medicine in Modern China

Healing practice is arguably the most important aspect of history; it not only denotes the political institutions of a nation-state, but more importantly it also represents the ethnic custom and regional culture of a civilization. Medicine, therefore, becomes a key issue in history of women and gender. Every person requires healing at times, but there are some medical conditions or illnesses that are considered gender specific. In the context of modern China, the system of medicine was dominated by male physicians, but every woman played the healer role some time in her life. This lecture will explore various aspects of gender and medicine in Modern China by examining the healing culture represented in Chinese Medicine, as well as changes brought forth and challenges brought about by "Western Medicine" when it was introduced to China in the nineteenth century.

Speaker: Dr. KANG Jong Hyuk

David is a historian of Modern Hong Kong and China. His research focuses mainly on the cultural interactions between the East and the West in historical contexts, including the areas of religion, medicine, and gender. Dr. Kang also studies the collision among cultures within East Asia, especially within colonial and post-colonial societies.