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A Malaysian Perspective on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) During Postpartum Care and Its Relevance Towards China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (BRI)

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Silk Road to Belt Road

Abstract

Malaysia and China have shared long lasting, historic and friendly ties since the start of the Malay dynasty of Malacca which rose from the ancient maritime Silk Road to become a major trading hub in Southeast Asia, attracting traders and visitors from both East and West. Malaysia has been an early supporter of China’s One Belt and One Road Initiative (BRI) and has actively embraced this initiative to promote its healthcare system. This paper aims to develop a cultural connectivity between traditional Chinese medicine in the context of postpartum care and its relevance to China’s BRI. Chinese mothers and Chinese medical practitioners in Penang, Malaysia were interviewed regarding their practices using traditional Chinese medicine during postpartum care, connecting the benefits of BRI towards the Malaysian healthcare system. The main framework for this study is the Humoral Theory based on the concept of Yin and Yang which suggests ‘hot’ food to keep the balance in the body because women suffer blood loss during and after childbirth. Chinese women in Malaysia still maintain the same traditional practices which has been passed down from generation to generation and this study discusses the most effective way in restoring much needed sources during the postpartum period. The significance of these findings can be linked to the BRI where traditional Chinese medicine will be improved through commercial, cultural and personal exchange which benefits bilateral and multilateral organizations in Malaysia and China.

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  • 15 February 2019

    This book was inadvertently published with errors in the FM and chapters 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15 and 18.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anthropology & Sociology Section, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

    Shariffah Suraya Syed Jamaludin & Maria Aloysius

Authors
  1. Shariffah Suraya Syed Jamaludin
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  2. Maria Aloysius
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Correspondence to Shariffah Suraya Syed Jamaludin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. United International College, Zhuhai, China

    Md. Nazrul Islam

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Jamaludin, S.S.S., Aloysius, M. (2019). A Malaysian Perspective on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) During Postpartum Care and Its Relevance Towards China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (BRI). In: Islam, M.N. (eds) Silk Road to Belt Road. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2998-2_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2998-2_15

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2998-2

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