IDIS 220 - Chinese Medicine and Culture

(2, 4)

WI, SP, SU, alternate years. The world’s most populous country has a long, rich cultural tradition featuring unique views of life, persons, the human body, medicine, and nature. As China has sought to modernize over the last half century, some of its traditions and practices have persisted, while others have become Westernized. Part of a two-thousand-year-old tradition is the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is still as vibrant today as in history. TCM, with its practice in acupuncture and herbal remedies, is becoming more and more recognized and popular in Western societies, including the US and Europe. With a holistic approach, TCM focuses more on improving the body’s natural ways of healing rather than combating diseases directly. Knowledge about and familiarity with TCM has increasing values for future healthcare professionals as well as for anyone interested in improving their own health. Half of this course focuses on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and the other half focuses on Chinese culture. Students will learn about Chinese history, philosophy, and culture in this class. China has a five-thousand-year-long recorded history with rich and distinctive cultures. As China becomes more and more influential on the global stage, an understanding of Chinese values and culture is increasingly important. When this course is offered off campus, students will learn TCM from a medical school in China and travel and explore various cities and cultural sites in China. When this course is offered on campus, students will learn from instructor(s) on campus and have field trips to Chinese restaurant, stores, churches, and Chicago Chinatown. In either case, students will experience Chinese culture firsthand. The course consists of lectures, discussions, presentations, an independent project, and trips.