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How did Chinese medicine and Western medicine begin to interact in the 16th century?

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Moxibustion — traditional Chinese medicine In moxibustion, or moxa treatment, small cones of an herb (typically *Artemisia moxa*) are burned on top of needles placed in designated points of the body, generally the same points as those used in acupuncture.

In the 16th century, the interaction between Chinese and Western medicine began through tentative communication facilitated by the arrival of European representatives in China. A key milestone in this exchange occurred when the Portuguese Bishop Belchior Carneiro established Saint Raphael’s Hospital near Guangzhou during that century.12

This period marked the beginning of a shift in the character of traditional Chinese medicine as Western medical practices gradually made inroads into the country. While the preceding centuries had been characterized by the compilation of massive encyclopaedias and commentaries on classical works, the arrival of Western medical representatives introduced new influences that would eventually lead some to perceive Western medicine as more scientific. This initial contact laid the groundwork for a long-term, evolving relationship between the two systems of medicine.12