From Court Diagnostics to Folk Evangelism: A Study of Jesuit Missionaries-Led Localization of Medicine in China

Abstract

This study examines the Jesuit missionaries' pivotal role in the localization of Western medicine within China from the late Ming to the Qing dynasty. It traces their strategic shift from providing elite medical services within the imperial court to actively disseminating Western medical knowledge and practices among the broader populace. The research analyzes the complex processes of adaptation and integration undertaken by the Jesuits, demonstrating how they reinterpreted Western medical theories to resonate with Chinese cosmological and philosophical frameworks, such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases. It further explores their efforts to synthesize Western anatomical knowledge, surgical techniques, and pharmaceutical practices with elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), leading to the creation of hybrid medical texts and practices. Positioning the Jesuits as crucial cultural intermediaries, the paper evaluates their dual function as medical practitioners and knowledge brokers, facilitating a unique cross-cultural exchange while navigating significant challenges, including resistance from local practitioners and ideological conflicts. The study concludes by assessing the enduring legacy of Jesuit medical activities on the subsequent development of medical practices and institutions in China, arguing that their localized approach represents a significant, though complex, episode in the history of global medical transmission and Sino-Western cultural interaction.