ABSTRACT
Little is known about the lives and work of Chinese midwives in history and even less has been written about them recently. The absence of an account of their work would be a source of regret for the maternity care in modern China. In this chapter the life stories of five midwives are recounted. They are from rural, urban and different geographic and social groups. As to their views, the ideas of 12 midwifery leaders and academics are presented to examine scholarship in midwifery, debates and prospects. Midwives in China should be understood through not only an understanding of their past but also of their present situation. Their stories reveal the reality of their lives, their work and their struggles to find their identity and social position. These primary sources can be incorporated into a wide range of other primary materials and the evaluation of a range of accounts. By doing so the reliability of the historical knowledge of Chinese midwifery can be judged and the result of this will improve the understanding of their views and perspectives.
