Clipping Board » Medical Myths ─ The truth about healthcare is often different from what you intuitively think.
In January 1925, Sun Yat-sen arrived in Beijing at the invitation of Duan Qirui and was admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital due to a liver cancer attack. Faced with a disease that was considered incurable even by Western medicine at the time, many debated whether traditional Chinese medicine should be used. Liu Ruheng, the director of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (who later served as the Minister of Health in the Nationalist Government), although an old acquaintance of Sun Yat-sen, remained firm in his stance: if Sun wanted to take Chinese medicine, he would have to leave the hospital. Sun Yat-sen later opted for radiation therapy. Although he left the hospital for a week to stay at Tieshi Hutong and switched to Chinese medicine treatment, he soon returned to the hospital and passed away on March 12.
**The First Abolition of Traditional Chinese Medicine**
Sun Yat-sen's death was a significant event in modern Chinese history, and the debate between Chinese and Western medicine surrounding him also held great historical significance. In fact, framing it as a debate between Chinese and Western medicine is somewhat inappropriate, as it overestimates the status of Chinese medicine, which was referred to as "old medicine" or even "pseudo-medicine" in the social atmosphere of the time. The views of the Western medicine faction were clearly expressed in an article by Tang Erhe (founder of the predecessor of Peking University Medical College): "Chinese medicine's theories are completely untenable. To take ten steps back, current practitioners of Chinese medicine are incapable of 'diagnosing diseases,' let alone 'treating them.'"
In reality, the attack on Chinese medicine began as soon as the Republic of China was established. During the Provisional Education Conference held in July of the first year of the Republic, various school regulations were established, but none included content on Chinese medicine, sparking protests from relevant parties. The Beiyang Government initially used the excuse of oversight to avoid the issue, but later dropped the pretense altogether. In 1914, Wang Daxie, the Minister of Education at the time, explicitly stated: "I am determined to abolish Chinese medicine and stop using Chinese herbs. The request for official recognition cannot be approved." This marked the first time in modern history that the abolition of Chinese medicine was proposed as a national policy. In response to continuous petitions from protesters, the Beiyang Government made two points: "There is no intention to abolish Chinese medicine," but "the request to establish separate regulations for Chinese medicine schools is not to be considered." The matter was left unresolved.
**The Second Abolition of Traditional Chinese Medicine**
In 1928, the Nationalist Government succeeded in the Northern Expedition. In 1929, the Ministry of Health passed the "Proposal to Abolish Old Medicine to Remove Obstacles in Medical Affairs," which included the "Principles for the Registration of Old Medicine Practitioners." Its main contents were:
1. "Old medicine" practitioners needed to register and obtain licenses to practice. However, even licensed practitioners had to undergo supplementary education. Registration was limited to the end of 1930, and supplementary education would only be provided for five years, after which it would cease.
2. The establishment of "old medicine" schools was prohibited.
3. Newspapers and media were prohibited from introducing or promoting "old medicine."
The main proposer, Yu Yunxiu, outlined four reasons why Chinese medicine hindered scientific progress and national development, hoping to gradually eliminate Chinese medicine over fifty years. This marked the second time in modern history that the abolition of Chinese medicine was proposed as a national policy and is the origin of the later claim that the Nationalist Government abolished Chinese medicine.
In fact, the numerous attacks on Chinese medicine in modern times were just one part of the historical process. From the Xinhai Revolution to the May Fourth Movement, a generation of students who had studied abroad returned to China, striving to build a new society in various aspects. Conflicts between the old and the new arose in politics, education, culture, and other areas. Amidst the clashes between "old culture" and "new culture," "classical Chinese" and "vernacular Chinese," "Chinese characters" and "Romanization," it was inevitable that Chinese medicine, representing tradition and the old ways, would face severe disdain and attacks. There were also reasons related to "historical correctness" or "political correctness."
First, this was a result of the broader trend following the Opium Wars, where China sought to save itself from destruction by extensively adopting Western learning, leading to a situation where "the West overwhelmed the East."
Second, it was also an example of the trend after the First Sino-Japanese War, where China sought to learn from Japan and take Japan as a model.Just as Japan proposed the "Kanji Useless Theory" and the "Romanization Movement" after the Meiji Restoration, which later spread to China, forming China's "Eliminate Square Characters," "Romanization Movement," and "Latinization Movement," it is quite reasonable that Japan's approach to eliminating traditional Chinese medicine during the Meiji Restoration would influence China through the Japan-returned students. (As mentioned earlier, Wang Daxie once served as the supervisor of students studying in Japan and was an envoy to Japan; Yu Yunxiu studied in Japan on a government scholarship.)
Thirdly, in the field of medicine, compared to the progress in bacteriology and scientific research and clinical advancements of Western medicine at the time, traditional Chinese medicine particularly highlighted the aspect of "forced interpretations and self-deception" in old culture. Therefore, in the debate between Chinese and Western, old and new cultures, the Western school of thought attacked from this point, which was justified on scientific grounds and had relatively less social impact, thus it could be said, "In short, as long as old medicine is not eradicated, the people's thoughts will not change, and the new medical cause will not progress, and public health administration will not advance." (Yu Yunxiu's words).
Special circumstances in mainland China
Of course, a question naturally arises here: Why did the Chinese Communist Party, which had always stood in opposition to the Nationalist Government and advocated for new culture with mass language and Romanization, continue to implement their consistent policies on language after establishing the regime, promoting Pinyin and simplified characters, yet took a supportive and encouraging stance towards traditional Chinese medicine, which represents the core of Chinese traditional culture and "old culture," and later promoted many new developments in traditional Chinese medicine? On the other hand, the Nationalist Government, which had always claimed to defend and revive traditional Chinese culture after moving to Taiwan, relatively speaking, consistently adopted a depreciative policy towards traditional Chinese medicine?
The CCP's support for traditional Chinese medicine was greatly influenced by the long-term struggle between the CCP and the KMT, as well as Mao Zedong's personal experiences. Firstly, the Communist Party, at a disadvantage in terms of equipment and resources, relied on traditional Chinese medicine and herbs during the Long March when Western medical systems and medicines were unavailable, making traditional Chinese medicine the best alternative. Secondly, Mao Zedong's personal experience with arthritis, which was not cured by Western medicine but was treated by traditional Chinese medicine during the Yan'an era, played a significant role. These historical backgrounds led Mao Zedong to propose the slogan "Unite Chinese and Western Medicine" from the Yan'an era.
After the establishment of the CCP regime, in 1954, it was further proposed that "Western doctors should first learn traditional Chinese medicine, rather than traditional Chinese medicine learning Western medicine." Thus, from the late 1950s, over 3,000 senior Western doctors were selected nationwide to participate in a systematic study of traditional Chinese medicine for more than two years. Many renowned Western medical experts participated in this study, cultivating a large number of talents who were deeply versed in Western medical scholarship and also mastered traditional Chinese medical theory and diagnostic methods, pioneering the integration of Chinese and Western medicine and scientific research in traditional Chinese medicine. Many significant scientific research achievements in the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, such as the treatment of fractures, acute abdominal diseases, acupuncture anesthesia, and the treatment of angina and myocardial infarction with blood-activating and stasis-removing formulas, were mostly made by these individuals. Since then, traditional Chinese medicine in mainland China has developed in a standardized, institutionalized, and comprehensive manner in theory, research, teaching, and clinical practice. In 1980, mainland China proposed the policy of the simultaneous development, coexistence, and cooperation of traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, and integrated Chinese and Western medicine; in 1982, "developing traditional medicine" was included in the Constitution, and in 1986, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established, marking the beginning of a new era. Recently, the effectiveness of integrated Chinese and Western medicine in treating Liu Haoruo and the achievements in combating SARS have been widely praised, reflecting the long-term historical background and the important role played by the state in the development of medicine.
Special circumstances in Taiwan
As for the Nationalist Government, the gradual abolition of traditional Chinese medicine announced in 1929 caused continuous protests.However, the Nationalist Government ignored this and continued to issue a proclamation through the Ministry of Education, requiring all traditional Chinese medicine schools to be renamed as "training institutes." The Ministry of Health also issued an order prohibiting traditional Chinese medicine practitioners from using Western medical instruments and drugs, which caused further uproar. Later, Chiang Kai-shek intervened, ordering the withdrawal of the aforementioned proclamation and order, temporarily quelling the controversy. Subsequently, while Chen Lifu became a spokesperson for those supporting traditional Chinese medicine, support for Western medicine remained mainstream. The struggle between the two sides persisted throughout various administrative and legislative processes.
After the Nationalist Government relocated to Taiwan in 1949, it utilized many foundations laid during the Japanese colonial period. Consequently, medical policies continued to develop modern Western biomedicine, while traditional Chinese medicine was consistently marginalized and neglected, which seemed natural. Due to the long-term failure of policymakers and administrators to objectively and comprehensively address the two distinct medical systems of Chinese and Western medicine and their interrelationship, Taiwan's policy toward traditional Chinese medicine has been described as the "Three No's Policy": "No cultivation, no suppression, no inquiry."
As a result, many peculiar phenomena can be observed: although traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan has established relatively large-scale teaching and research institutions, the existence of special examinations for traditional Chinese medicine has perpetuated skepticism within the Western medical system regarding the qualifications of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Although traditional Chinese medicine eventually began to be covered by public and labor insurance, albeit belatedly, it remains merely a category alongside dentistry in the Physicians' Act. Despite significant advancements in many traditional Chinese medicine research institutions, practicing traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are still prohibited from using modern medical drugs and equipment (including blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, thermometers, and biochemical tests). It is therefore unsurprising that during the SARS outbreak, Taiwanese traditional Chinese medicine practitioners were unable to participate in the fight against the epidemic. (According to one traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, under these environmental constraints, traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan has achieved a unique gain: with no other tools available, practitioners have maximized the use of their limited resources, leading to exceptional strength in purely traditional Chinese medicine methods such as decoctions.)
Source: http:/ / www. netandbooks. com/ t……agazine/ health/ artical3. html
Origins of Different Fates of Traditional Chinese Medicine across the Strait by Fu Ling
**The First Abolition of Traditional Chinese Medicine**
Sun Yat-sen's death was a significant event in modern Chinese history, and the debate between Chinese and Western medicine surrounding him also held great historical significance. In fact, framing it as a debate between Chinese and Western medicine is somewhat inappropriate, as it overestimates the status of Chinese medicine, which was referred to as "old medicine" or even "pseudo-medicine" in the social atmosphere of the time. The views of the Western medicine faction were clearly expressed in an article by Tang Erhe (founder of the predecessor of Peking University Medical College): "Chinese medicine's theories are completely untenable. To take ten steps back, current practitioners of Chinese medicine are incapable of 'diagnosing diseases,' let alone 'treating them.'"
In reality, the attack on Chinese medicine began as soon as the Republic of China was established. During the Provisional Education Conference held in July of the first year of the Republic, various school regulations were established, but none included content on Chinese medicine, sparking protests from relevant parties. The Beiyang Government initially used the excuse of oversight to avoid the issue, but later dropped the pretense altogether. In 1914, Wang Daxie, the Minister of Education at the time, explicitly stated: "I am determined to abolish Chinese medicine and stop using Chinese herbs. The request for official recognition cannot be approved." This marked the first time in modern history that the abolition of Chinese medicine was proposed as a national policy. In response to continuous petitions from protesters, the Beiyang Government made two points: "There is no intention to abolish Chinese medicine," but "the request to establish separate regulations for Chinese medicine schools is not to be considered." The matter was left unresolved.
**The Second Abolition of Traditional Chinese Medicine**
In 1928, the Nationalist Government succeeded in the Northern Expedition. In 1929, the Ministry of Health passed the "Proposal to Abolish Old Medicine to Remove Obstacles in Medical Affairs," which included the "Principles for the Registration of Old Medicine Practitioners." Its main contents were:
1. "Old medicine" practitioners needed to register and obtain licenses to practice. However, even licensed practitioners had to undergo supplementary education. Registration was limited to the end of 1930, and supplementary education would only be provided for five years, after which it would cease.
2. The establishment of "old medicine" schools was prohibited.
3. Newspapers and media were prohibited from introducing or promoting "old medicine."
The main proposer, Yu Yunxiu, outlined four reasons why Chinese medicine hindered scientific progress and national development, hoping to gradually eliminate Chinese medicine over fifty years. This marked the second time in modern history that the abolition of Chinese medicine was proposed as a national policy and is the origin of the later claim that the Nationalist Government abolished Chinese medicine.
In fact, the numerous attacks on Chinese medicine in modern times were just one part of the historical process. From the Xinhai Revolution to the May Fourth Movement, a generation of students who had studied abroad returned to China, striving to build a new society in various aspects. Conflicts between the old and the new arose in politics, education, culture, and other areas. Amidst the clashes between "old culture" and "new culture," "classical Chinese" and "vernacular Chinese," "Chinese characters" and "Romanization," it was inevitable that Chinese medicine, representing tradition and the old ways, would face severe disdain and attacks. There were also reasons related to "historical correctness" or "political correctness."
First, this was a result of the broader trend following the Opium Wars, where China sought to save itself from destruction by extensively adopting Western learning, leading to a situation where "the West overwhelmed the East."
Second, it was also an example of the trend after the First Sino-Japanese War, where China sought to learn from Japan and take Japan as a model.Just as Japan proposed the "Kanji Useless Theory" and the "Romanization Movement" after the Meiji Restoration, which later spread to China, forming China's "Eliminate Square Characters," "Romanization Movement," and "Latinization Movement," it is quite reasonable that Japan's approach to eliminating traditional Chinese medicine during the Meiji Restoration would influence China through the Japan-returned students. (As mentioned earlier, Wang Daxie once served as the supervisor of students studying in Japan and was an envoy to Japan; Yu Yunxiu studied in Japan on a government scholarship.)
Thirdly, in the field of medicine, compared to the progress in bacteriology and scientific research and clinical advancements of Western medicine at the time, traditional Chinese medicine particularly highlighted the aspect of "forced interpretations and self-deception" in old culture. Therefore, in the debate between Chinese and Western, old and new cultures, the Western school of thought attacked from this point, which was justified on scientific grounds and had relatively less social impact, thus it could be said, "In short, as long as old medicine is not eradicated, the people's thoughts will not change, and the new medical cause will not progress, and public health administration will not advance." (Yu Yunxiu's words).
Special circumstances in mainland China
Of course, a question naturally arises here: Why did the Chinese Communist Party, which had always stood in opposition to the Nationalist Government and advocated for new culture with mass language and Romanization, continue to implement their consistent policies on language after establishing the regime, promoting Pinyin and simplified characters, yet took a supportive and encouraging stance towards traditional Chinese medicine, which represents the core of Chinese traditional culture and "old culture," and later promoted many new developments in traditional Chinese medicine? On the other hand, the Nationalist Government, which had always claimed to defend and revive traditional Chinese culture after moving to Taiwan, relatively speaking, consistently adopted a depreciative policy towards traditional Chinese medicine?
The CCP's support for traditional Chinese medicine was greatly influenced by the long-term struggle between the CCP and the KMT, as well as Mao Zedong's personal experiences. Firstly, the Communist Party, at a disadvantage in terms of equipment and resources, relied on traditional Chinese medicine and herbs during the Long March when Western medical systems and medicines were unavailable, making traditional Chinese medicine the best alternative. Secondly, Mao Zedong's personal experience with arthritis, which was not cured by Western medicine but was treated by traditional Chinese medicine during the Yan'an era, played a significant role. These historical backgrounds led Mao Zedong to propose the slogan "Unite Chinese and Western Medicine" from the Yan'an era.
After the establishment of the CCP regime, in 1954, it was further proposed that "Western doctors should first learn traditional Chinese medicine, rather than traditional Chinese medicine learning Western medicine." Thus, from the late 1950s, over 3,000 senior Western doctors were selected nationwide to participate in a systematic study of traditional Chinese medicine for more than two years. Many renowned Western medical experts participated in this study, cultivating a large number of talents who were deeply versed in Western medical scholarship and also mastered traditional Chinese medical theory and diagnostic methods, pioneering the integration of Chinese and Western medicine and scientific research in traditional Chinese medicine. Many significant scientific research achievements in the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, such as the treatment of fractures, acute abdominal diseases, acupuncture anesthesia, and the treatment of angina and myocardial infarction with blood-activating and stasis-removing formulas, were mostly made by these individuals. Since then, traditional Chinese medicine in mainland China has developed in a standardized, institutionalized, and comprehensive manner in theory, research, teaching, and clinical practice. In 1980, mainland China proposed the policy of the simultaneous development, coexistence, and cooperation of traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, and integrated Chinese and Western medicine; in 1982, "developing traditional medicine" was included in the Constitution, and in 1986, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established, marking the beginning of a new era. Recently, the effectiveness of integrated Chinese and Western medicine in treating Liu Haoruo and the achievements in combating SARS have been widely praised, reflecting the long-term historical background and the important role played by the state in the development of medicine.
Special circumstances in Taiwan
As for the Nationalist Government, the gradual abolition of traditional Chinese medicine announced in 1929 caused continuous protests.However, the Nationalist Government ignored this and continued to issue a proclamation through the Ministry of Education, requiring all traditional Chinese medicine schools to be renamed as "training institutes." The Ministry of Health also issued an order prohibiting traditional Chinese medicine practitioners from using Western medical instruments and drugs, which caused further uproar. Later, Chiang Kai-shek intervened, ordering the withdrawal of the aforementioned proclamation and order, temporarily quelling the controversy. Subsequently, while Chen Lifu became a spokesperson for those supporting traditional Chinese medicine, support for Western medicine remained mainstream. The struggle between the two sides persisted throughout various administrative and legislative processes.
After the Nationalist Government relocated to Taiwan in 1949, it utilized many foundations laid during the Japanese colonial period. Consequently, medical policies continued to develop modern Western biomedicine, while traditional Chinese medicine was consistently marginalized and neglected, which seemed natural. Due to the long-term failure of policymakers and administrators to objectively and comprehensively address the two distinct medical systems of Chinese and Western medicine and their interrelationship, Taiwan's policy toward traditional Chinese medicine has been described as the "Three No's Policy": "No cultivation, no suppression, no inquiry."
As a result, many peculiar phenomena can be observed: although traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan has established relatively large-scale teaching and research institutions, the existence of special examinations for traditional Chinese medicine has perpetuated skepticism within the Western medical system regarding the qualifications of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Although traditional Chinese medicine eventually began to be covered by public and labor insurance, albeit belatedly, it remains merely a category alongside dentistry in the Physicians' Act. Despite significant advancements in many traditional Chinese medicine research institutions, practicing traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are still prohibited from using modern medical drugs and equipment (including blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, thermometers, and biochemical tests). It is therefore unsurprising that during the SARS outbreak, Taiwanese traditional Chinese medicine practitioners were unable to participate in the fight against the epidemic. (According to one traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, under these environmental constraints, traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan has achieved a unique gain: with no other tools available, practitioners have maximized the use of their limited resources, leading to exceptional strength in purely traditional Chinese medicine methods such as decoctions.)
Source: http:/ / www. netandbooks. com/ t……agazine/ health/ artical3. html