Abstract:

Presents a unique view of the development of the barefoot doctors in the Chinese countryside in the 1970s. One of the first films about China made by Americans of Chinese descent, Barefoot Doctors of Rural China presents an intimate view of life in rural China. Filmed entirely in the People's Republic of China, this film examines China's innovative efforts to provide adequate health care services for its agrarian population of over 600,000,000 people. The film focuses on the training and activities of peasant paramedics, known as 'barefoot doctors,' and their 'walk on two legs' policy of combining both western and Chinese medical techniques. It also discusses the barefoot doctor's role in China's current family planning campaign and the importance of jobs for women to the success of the program.