講者：熊秉真教授 (香港中文大學)
論文題目: Becoming a Paediatrician: A Preliminary Observation on Specialization in Chinese Medical Profession and Its Implications

論文摘要：

This is a historical investigation on how specialization took place within the context of professional Chinese medical practice in late imperial China. Based primarily on textual studies, using the example of a few outstanding cases during the period when Chinese pediatrics became a sub-specialty of distinguished character, the paper examines how any particular individual was to make the decision to be a paediatrician, during the 12th to 18th centuries.

It first elucidated the socio-cultural conditions under which such a choice could be contemplated. After which literary and clinical training can be delineated for such a consideration. Career patterns and professional potentials of paediatricians of various ranking orders are than analyzed to illustrate the socio-economic return as well as the occupational possibilities of such a specialization.

At the end, the choice of becoming a paediatrician is then placed in the context of occupation training and career development in late imperial China to show its rewards as well as constraints. Thus that more may be learned of the historical circumstances and wider implications of occupational specialist in pre-modern China.