The aim of this paper is to suggest the future direction of research on the history of medical missionary works by taking a general view of performances of research on the history of Chinese modern protestant medical missionary works in three Eastern Asian countries and considering insufficiencies of the previous studies.BR The history of protestant medical missionary works is a very important research topic to understand the Chinese modern medical history, since those works introduced modern medicine to China in earnest. Besides, this research is required to comprehend the history of Chinese modern Christianity, since medical practice has been regarded as a kind of missionary work.BR Until the 70s, most studies were to criticized medical missionary works, considering them as cultural invasion of imperialism. But after the 80s, studies focusing on positive aspects of medical missionary works began to emerge. Since the 90s, the scope of research has expanded and research topics and regions have diversified.BR The first study on Chinese medical missionary works is a record that a medical missionary in China wrote and left himself. This is valuable as a historical record to show how missionaries thought about China at that time. The second is a study on figures, who were involved in medical missionary works. There are studies focusing on the identities of medical missionaries, who had to perform two roles as a doctor and as a missionary and focusing on lives and activities of medical activities of named medical missionaries. The third is a study on the indigenization discourse. This study is to examine the process in which the leading role of medical missionary activity switched from foreign missionaries to Chinese people. Fourthly, the studies on hospitals and medical schools occupy the biggest proportion of research from the perspective of the medical history, since hospitals and medical schools are where medical mission is realized directly. Fifthly the majority of studies on activities and influences of medical missionary groups are concentrated on the establishment of Medical Missionary Society in Guangzhou and the China Medical Missionary Association, their activities, and influences on Chinese society. Lastly, there are studies on translation of medical terms and publication of medical books of medical missionaries.BR After the 1980s, there was an increase in concern about the history of medical missionary works and a lot of research findings were announced. But it is hard to say that research on medical missionary works is a mainstream in the history of Christianity and in the history of medicine. For active future research on this field, following studies would be needed.BR First, there should be a study to compare and consider the histories of Korean, Chinese and Japanese medical missionary works, since medical missionaries worked in Korea and Japan as well as in China and they highly influenced modern medical development in Korea, China and Japan. This comparative study would help in figuring out the reasons why medical missionary works could develop in modern East Asia. Second, the studies on figures are mostly focused on specific regions or specific figures. Thus, microhistorical research focusing on more diverse figures and missionary groups should be conducted. Third, research on indigenization needs to consider both missionaries and Chinese people. It is also necessary to pay attention to “self-propagating”, in mission hospitals and medical schools. Fourth, research on the medical history lacks a consideration of specificity of church medical works represented by religiosity. On the contrary, research on the history of Christianity lacks an understanding of professional medical fields. There is a need to consider these two aspects comprehensively. Fifth, it is required to do comparative research, which includes activities of Catholicism, in addition to protestant medical missionary works.
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Jan 1, 2020
Dionisiy A Pozdnyaev 
Open Access
