Gathering Medicines: Nation and Knowledge in China's Mountain South

The central government of China encouraged registered minorities to "salvage, sort, synthesize, and elevate" folk medical knowledges to create local health care systems comparable to traditional Chinese medicine. Judith Farquhar and Lili Lai worked with seven minority nationality groups in China's southern mountains for six years, observing how medicines were gathered and local healing systems codified. Gathering Medicines shares their intimate view of how people understand ethnicity, locality, the body, and nature, and is a testament to the rural wisdom of mountain healers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 26 April 2021
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

In the early 2000s, the central government of China embarked on a remarkable initiative to promote the preservation, organization, synthesis, and elevation of folk medical knowledge among the registered minority nations. This endeavor aimed to establish local healthcare systems that could rival the well-established institutions of traditional Chinese medicine, which were nationally supported.

Gathering Medicines, a captivating book by Judith Farquhar and Lili Lai, provides a firsthand account of this transformative journey. Over a span of six years, the authors collaborated with seven minority nationality groups residing in the southern mountains of China. Through their meticulous observations, they shed light on the intricate processes of medicine gathering and the establishment of local healing systems.

What makes Gathering Medicines truly exceptional is its ability to convey the profound insights into the ways in which people perceive ethnicity, locality, the body, and nature. Through their ethnographic lens, the authors offer a unique perspective on the dynamic interplay between formal statist knowledge and the revered authority of the wild. This book serves as a testament to the rural wisdom of mountain healers, who have developed intricate systems of healing that are deeply rooted in their cultural heritage.

By delving into the intricate details of medicine gathering, local healing practices, and the cultural significance of medicinal plants, Gathering Medicines offers a rich and nuanced understanding of the diverse knowledge systems in multiethnic China. It challenges conventional notions of knowledge hierarchy and highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing the knowledge held by marginalized communities.

Through its engaging narrative and insightful analysis, Gathering Medicines provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between healthcare, culture, and the natural world. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and nurturing traditional knowledge, as well as the potential for cross-cultural collaboration in the pursuit of better health outcomes.

In conclusion, Gathering Medicines is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of healthcare, culture, and the environment. It offers a profound and thought-provoking perspective on the diverse healing traditions of southern China and sheds light on the importance of recognizing and valuing the knowledge held by marginalized communities. This book is a valuable contribution to the field of ethnobiology and anthropology, and it will undoubtedly inspire future research and initiatives in this area.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 228 x 151 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226763651