Abstract:

By Carma Hinton and Richard Gordon. "The triology was described in the JOURNAL OF ASIAN STUDIES as 'an empathetic introduction to a handful of people who live in a complexly textured world of large power constellations, intimate social relations and deep moral dilemmas.' The national newspaper USA TODAY wrote that 'ONE VILLAGE IN CHINA allows real people to speak directly to us. Their simple words do more to illuminate our similarities and differences than any recap of research ever could.'" The series includes SMALL HAPPINESS: WOMEN OF A CHINESE VILLAGE, ALL UNDER HEAVEN: LIFE IN A CHINESE VILLAGE, and TO TASTE A HUNDRED HERBS: GODS, ANCESTORS and MEDICINE IN A CHINESE VILLAGE. TO TASTE A HUNDRED HERBS is a portrait of a traditional Chinese doctor whose Catholic faith shapes his values and gives him a special role in his community. Dr. Shen treats everything from minor aches to mental illness, emplaying a mixture of old and new, Chinese and Western herbs and medicines, acupuncture and physical therapy.