Research On Medical Welfare System In Song Dynasty

The Medical Welfare System, of which the ideological origins were the concurrent development of Chinese traditional cultures of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in Song Dynasty, was a concentrated epitome of the policies of benevolence of Song Dynasty. As a government-oriented system, it was established progressively as the dominating class particularly appreciated medicine. The target recipients of the Medical Welfare System were royal officials, military soldiers and common civilians, with the principle of "Benevolence of Medicine". Applying Medicaid and building a stable society, the Medical Welfare System adopted royal officials suggestion, imperial orders and other compulsory regulations as well as the medical institutions at all walks to complete the overall Medical Welfare System. This essay researches the Medical Welfare System from 6 perspectives:idea origin, course of proposal, decision-making process, operations, recipients, and historic significance.1. Idea Origin of Medical Welfare System in Song DynastyThe Medical Welfare System, of which the ideological origins were Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, reflected the policy of benevolence. These three traditional philosophies were concurrent and highly appreciated by the dominating class in Song Dynasty. Moreover, as the traditional Chinese medicine science was much influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, the principle of "Benevolence of Medicine" was highly appreciated by the dominating class as a political direction. And that was the idea origin of the Medical Welfare System in Song Dynasty.2. Course of Proposal of Medical Welfare System in Song DynastyThe proposal was presented by memorials of royal officials. Specifically, the proposals contained the issues of natural disasters, epidemic diseases, the survival difficulties of widows, widowers and the diseased, infanticide, the survival of the old and weak soldiers, and the discarded bones, and further proposed some feasible recommendations,which aroused the emperor’s concern. Because of the good domination environment, this kind of proposals were actively processed then.3. Specific Decision-making Process of Medical Welfare System in Song DynastyThe emperor issued orders to legalize proposals in the process of decision-making. The orders that related to the Medical Welfare System included:poverty relief, treatment of the diseased, the pensionsfor widows, widowers and the diseased, the concerns with military, and the gathering of bones. All these orders were received corresponding response to the proposals by the royal officials, which refleted the active respond of emperor. Moreover these imperial orders demonstrated that the dominating class emphasized the Medical Welfare System of which the target recipients were civilians due to the demand of centralization, ruling with benevolence and building a stable society.4. OperationsMedical Welfare System in Song DynastyThe operations of the Medical Welfare System were based on the establishment of Medical Administrations. Before then, there was no such concept of "Medical Administration". Since then, the ideas of Medical Welfare increased. With the target recipients of different social stratum of the royal family, officials, soldiers and civilians, medical institutions were constructed with the functions of medical treatment. In the meanwhile, it conducted the management of medical personnel through Training medical talents while suppressing witchcraft, cultivating expertise and restrictions on medical officials.5. Recipients of Medical Welfare System in Song DynastyThe Medical Welfare System enjoyed 3 major levels of recipients:royal family, official,soldiers, and civilians. As for royal family, it conducted health preserving, treatment and medicine use; for soldiers it employed prevention, medical care, and pensions; and for civilians, it establish medical institutions and pharmacies institutions. Except from all the regulations said above, it further legitimized the principle of protecting the weak people. Moreover it built the Free Graveyard(Louze Graveyard) to bury unnamed bodies, preventing epidemic diseases. All these measures formed the systematic Medical Care of pensions for the lived, treatments for the diseased, and graveyard for the deceased.6. Significance of Medical Welfare System in Song DynastyLed by the government, the Medical Welfare System was based on the establishment of institutions, and the supply of medical care, and thus formed a sound system as well as a stable society. However the deficits were explicit as the system was influenced by the personal preference of the emperor, which revealed a hierarchy, corruption and mismanagement. All in all, it took initiative to create the systematic Medical Care, which was of transitional significance.7. Conclusions(1) The establishment of the Medical Welfare System in Song Dynasty was by no means an accident, but it seized the chance of the integration of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, applying the concept of "Benevolence of Medicine" onto the reign of the dominating class.(2) It had direct relations with the means of memorials by the royal officials. This kind of proposals notified the emperor with emergencies such as natural disasters and epidemic diseases, providing reference to the decision-makers.(3) The decision-making process was predominated by the imperial orders of medicine, which were highly influenced by the proposals, reflecting the active responds of the emperor.(4) The operations were based on the establishment of Medical Administrations, which were specifically implemented through the construction of medical institutions at different levels and the management of medical personnel.(5) The System enjoyed a wide range of recipients, including the royal family, soldiers and civilians, with its destination of building a stable society through limited medical resources.(6) As a well-equipped system, the Medical Welfare System provided reference to the contemporary medical welfare system.