LA 101: Chinese medicine Albion College, Fall 2001

Class hours: MWF 1-2, Vulgamore 301

Office hours: Mondays 2-5; Wednesdays 11-12 , 2-4; Fridays 11-12, 2-4

Dr. Yi-Li Wu

208 Robinson Hall

E-mail: ywu@albion.edu

Tel: 517-629-0233 (w), 734-747-6887 (h)

Course description

Over the past few decades, so-called "alternative medicines" have become a booming business in America. Notable among these therapies are ones originating in China, such as acupuncture, herbal therapies, and qigong (manipulation of "vital force"). Whether as health care consumers or providers you will likely encounter Chinese healing techniques in your post-college lives. The models of the human body, illness, and healing that underlie these therapies, however, are entirely different from the models espoused by contemporary bio-medicine. As a result, people inevitably ask, “Does Chinese medicine really work?” This class will teach you the conceptual tools and basic knowledge that will permit you to examine this issue in a critical and informed manner.

Course texts

To purchase from bookstore:

Kaptchuk, Ted. The Web That Has No Weaver (make sure you have the 2000 edition)

Kleinman, Arthur. Patients and Healers in the Context of Culture (also on library reserve)

Unschuld, Paul. Medicine in China: A History of Ideas

Recommended: Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook. Fifth edition. Boston: Bedford Books, 1998

To purchase from instructor:

Wang, Kang Ying and Martha Dahlen. Streetwise Guide: Chinese Medicine: 60 common herbs, principles, and practice

Packet of articles

To consult in library (on reserve):

Bensky, Dan and Andrew Gamble. Chinese herbal medicine

Grading and assignments

1) Writing assignments #1 and #2 (10% total):

--3 pp. each, typed, doubled-spaced. See separate assignment sheet for details

2) Two research projects (55% total):

--Two papers of 7 pp. each (20% each)

--Two research bibliographies that you will use to write your papers (5% each)

--Final in-class presentation on research (5%)

See separate assignment sheet for details.

3) Weekly reflection essays (25% total)

--1.5 to 2 pp. each. See separate assignment sheet for details.

--Usually due each Wednesday (but check syllabus for exceptions)

4) Your contribution to the success of the course (20%)

This is a discussion-based seminar course, which means that we learn by sharing ideas with each other. It will only succeed if everyone contributes to the course by attending class regularly, doing the reading thoughtfully and on time, and participating in class discussions and other activities.

I will determine your “class contribution” grade based on:

--Your attendance and level of preparation for class

--Whether you participate actively in class discussions and exercises

--Whether you complete all assignments

--The amount of effort you demonstrate in your ungraded written assignments

--Whether you participate in class-related activities (includes attending campus talks, field trips)

Examples of “contribution” grades:

Student A comes to class regularly, and her reflection essays show that she is doing the reading. Nevertheless, she hardly ever joins in class discussion. She will not speak in class except when the professor calls on her directly. Grade: 2.3

Student B comes to class regularly. Although she is uncomfortable speaking in front of the entire class, she makes a real effort to do so and her comments show that she has thought carefully about the readings. Her ungraded written assignments generally demonstrate real effort, and some are highly thoughtful. Grade: 3.3

Student C almost always comes to class with questions and comments on the class material and she frequently brings up issues that other people (including the professor) had not thought about. She tends to take a leadership role in the small group exercises, and takes initiative during class discussions. She clearly takes great pride in her work, and even her ungraded written assignments are insightful and polished. Grade: 4.0

Schedule of class meeting and readings

Note: All reading is to be done before you come to class on the specified day

This schedule is subject to change.

Week #1: Alternative medicine in the U.S.

Aug. 20 (M): What is “TCM” and does it “work”?

Aug. 22 (W): Exploring “alternative and complementary” medicine

Readings: * www.nccam.nih.gov

* www.med.umich.edu/camrc

Written assignment #1 due: analysis of web sites on CAM, TCM

Aug. 24 (F): Popular and professional attitudes towards CAM

Readings: Kaptchuk, Ch. 1 (Medicine East and West)

Written assignment #2, step 1 due: (ungraded)

Week #2: The concept of Qi

Aug. 27 (M): “The mystery of Qi” (video)

Written assignment #2, final write-up due

Aug. 29 (W): Discussion and video

“Qigong: Ancient Chinese healing for the 21^st century”

(excerpts, to be shown in class)

Aug. 31 (F): Video and discussion

“Qigong” (excerpts, to be shown in class)

Readings: Articles on qigong, Falun gong (see packet)

Reflection essay due (on readings, in-class videos)

Week #3: Chinese medicine and the body

Sept. 03 (M)—Labor Day (no class)

Sept. 05 (W): Composition of the “body”

Readings: * Kaptchuk, Ch. 2 (“The Fundamental Textures”)

Written assignment due (ungraded): one page summary of Katpchuk

(bring 2 copies--will be used for in-class exercise)

Sept. 07 (F): The “body”(2)

Readings: * Kaptchuk, Ch. 3 (“The Organs”)

Reflection essay due

Week #4: Meridians, acupuncture, and herbs

Sept. 10 (M): The “body” (3)

Readings: * Kaptchuk, Ch. 4 (“The Meridians;” read footnotes also)

Sept. 12 (W): Chinese herbs

Readings: * Wong and Dahlen, Chinese Herbal Medicine (read all)

* Bensky and Gamble (focus on selected herbs)

* www.eastearthtrade.com (browse)

Reflection essay due

Sept. 14 (F): In-class reports on internet research sources

Written assignment due (ungraded): what makes a “good” web site?

Week #5: What is an “illness”? what is a “disease”?

Sept. 17 (M): Mind and body

Readings: * Kaptchuk, Ch. 5 (“Origins of disharmony”)

* Sivin, “Emotional Countertherapy”

Reflection essay due

Sept. 19 (W): Ancestors and demons

Readings: * Unschuld, Chs. 1 and 2

Sept. 21 (F): Research bibliography due

In-class oral reports on research sources

Week #6: Doctors and patients

Sept. 24 (M): Kaptchuk, Ch. 6 (“Four examinations”) and

Ch. 7 (“Eight principal patterns”)

Sept. 26 (W): Kaptchuk, Ch. 8: (“Patterns of the human landscape”)

Farquhar, Judith. Knowing Practice, pp. 41-59.

Reflection essay due

Sept. 28 (F): Readings: Kaptchuk, Ch. 9: “Chinese medicine as an art” and

Ch. 10, “The Web that has no Weaver”

Week #7: Assessing TCM

Oct. 01 (M): Medicine in 20^th c. China—one view

In-class video: “To Taste a Hundred Herbs”

Oct. 03 (W): Guest speaker: Jason Pettet, acupuncturist

Oct. 05 (F): Discussion of video, speaker

Reflection essay due (on video, guest speaker)

Week #8: Historical roots of Chinese medicine

Oct. 08 (M: Fall break (no class)

Oct. 10 (W): Research paper #1 due: “Assessing TCM”

Oct. 12 (F): Towards a “system of correspondence”

Readings: * Unschuld, Chs. 3, 7

Week #9: Daoism (Taoism) and medicine

Oct. 15 (M): Daoist medicine in historical context

Readings: * Unschuld, Ch. 4

Oct. 17 (W): Daoist techniques

Readings: * Akahori, Akira. "Drug taking and immortality."

Reflection essay due

Oct. 19 (F): * Roth, Harold. "The Inner Cultivation Tradition of Early Daoism."

Week #10: Religion and medicine

Oct. 22 (M): Cross-cultural perspectives on religion and medicine

Readings: * Recent articles on religion and medicine

* Unschuld, Ch. 5

Oct. 24 (W): Historical perspectives

Readings: * Unschuld, Ch. 6

* Yü, Chün-fang. "A Sutra Promoting the White-Robed Guanyin as Giver of Sons"

Reflection essay due

Oct. 26 (F): Charms and incantations

Readings: * Henri Doré, Researches into Chinese Superstitions (selections)

* Unschuld, pp. 215-228 (excerpts from Ch. 8)

Week #11: Cross-cultural perceptions of efficacy

Oct. 29 (M): Chinese medicine encounters the West (1)

Readings: * Unschuld, Ch. 9

Oct. 31 (W): Chinese medicine encounters the West (2)

Readings: * Andrews, Bridie. "Tuberculosis and the Assimilation of

Germ Theory."

Reflection essay due

Nov. 02 (F): What is “efficacy”?

Readings: * Etkin, Nina. “Cultural Constructions of Efficacy”

In-class writing assignment (ungraded)

Week #12: Case studies in Chinese medical anthropology

Nov. 05 (M): What is “Chinese” and what is “medicine”?

Readings: * Kleinman, Ch. 1 ("Orientations 1”)

* www.qi-journal.com

Reflection essay due

Nov. 07 (W): Readings:* Kleinman, pp. 49-70 (“Inner Structure of Health Care Systems”), Ch. 6 (“Family-Based Popular Health Care”)

Nov. 09 (F): Research bibliography due

In-class presentation on sources

Week #13: Swing week (field trip, speakers)

Nov. 12 (M): TBA

Nov. 14 (W): TBA

Nov. 16 (F): TBA

Week #14: Medical anthropology, con’t

Nov. 19 (M): Defining “illness”

Readings: * Kleinman, Ch. 7 (“Sacred Folk Healer-Client Relationships)

Reflection essay due

Nov. 21 (W): Thanksgiving—no class

Nov. 23 (F): Thanksgiving—no class

Week #15: Medical anthropology, con’t/Student presentations

Nov. 26 (M): What constitutes “healing”?

Readings: * Kleinman, Ch. 9 (“The Healing Process”)

Reflection essay due

Nov. 28 (W): Student research presentations (3)

Nov. 30 (F): Student research presentations (4)

Week #16: Presentations

Dec. 03 (M): Student research presentations (4)

Dec. 05 (W): Student research presentations (4)

Dec. 10 (M): Research paper #2 due: “The place of TCM in the American health

care system”