Journal of Scientific Reports 2024, 9(1), 1-16
ISSN: 2708-7085
Journal: ijsab.com/jsr
1
Bridging Traditions and Modernity:
Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Pingle
Guo’s Bone Setting in Global
Healthcare
Xiaoyin Guan
1, 2
, Lian Seng Lim
1
, Siew Boon Lew
1
, Shi Bin Tey
1
, Hongxia Li
2
,
Peng Sun
3
, & Wei Li
2,*
1
Institute of International Education, New Era University College, Kajang, Malaysia.
2
Shenzhen Pingle Orthopedic Hospital (Shenzhen Pingshan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital),
Shenzhen, China.
3
School of Management, Jinan University (JNU), Guangzhou, China.
* Corresponding author: Wei Li (13724317082@163.com)
Abstract
This study investigates the cross-cultural dissemination of traditional
medical practices in the globalized world, focusing on the Pingle Guo’s Bone
Setting Method (PGBS), a distinctive practice rooted in traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM). Originating from Luoyang, China, PGBS has transcended
cultural and geographical boundaries, gaining recognition in various
international healthcare systems. Using a multi-method approach, including
in-depth interviews, document analysis, and comparative case studies, this
research examines the mechanisms of PGBS’s internationalization. Key
aspects explored include cultural adaptation, the role of cultural brokers,
institutional collaboration, and the negotiation of medical paradigms. The
study reveals that PGBS’s success lies in balancing cultural authenticity with
necessary adaptations to fit diverse healthcare systems, such as in the United
States, Japan, and South Korea. Furthermore, it highlights challenges in the
global dissemination of traditional practices, particularly regarding
standardization, regulatory approval, and institutional recognition. The
findings contribute to cross-cultural healthcare management by offering
insights into how traditional knowledge can be integrated into global health
systems. This research also provides valuable implications for policymakers,
healthcare providers, and scholars interested in the future of traditional
medicine in a globalized world.
ARTICLE INFO
Research paper
Received: 20 October 2024
Accepted: 15 December 2024
Published: 20 December 2024
DOI: 10.58970/JSR.1091
CITATION
Guan, X., Lim, L. S., Lew, S.
B, Tey, S. B., Li, H., Sun, P. &
Li, W. (2024). Bridging
Traditions and Modernity:
Cross-Cultural Adaptation
of Pingle Guo’s Bone
Setting in Global
Healthcare, Journal of
Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1-
16.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2024 by author(s)
Papers published by IJSAB
International are licensed
under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License.
Keywords: Traditional medicine; Pingle Guo’s Bone Setting; Cross-cultural dissemination; Global
health systems; Cultural adaptation; Cultural brokers
1. Introduction
The globalization of traditional medical practices presents a unique and increasingly urgent
challenge in contemporary healthcare, as the world becomes ever more interconnected yet
culturally diverse (Steger, 2013). Traditional systems of medicine, such as Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), have long demonstrated profound therapeutic value within their local and
cultural contexts (Helman, 2007), but their integration into global health systems requires more