Abstract
Patterns are symbolic expressions of life style or sentiment of people as a product of culture. Furthermore, it is a type of language that the shape or implication does not change much over time. Patterns shown on the Korean medical containers are related to human life and health that they are not very diverse and splendid but closed used in real life. The medical containers include the alcohol container or tea-ware in broad sense, but under this study, it would be handled only for the Korean medical containers directly used to protect human health and treatment of diseases. They would be the Medicine Mortar and Pestle that is used to grind the herbal medical ingredients, pots that hold the liquid decoction, containers to keep the medical ingredients in general conceptual use for medical purposes. The patterns inscribed are classified in animal pattern, plant pattern or alphabet pattern. Turtle, crane, ginseng, and life patterns have the contemplation to pray for long life without disease or good fortune, while plum pattern, dragon pattern and the like are used in the medical containers used mainly in royal families with the social status and dignity shown. As such, patterns have not only ornament elements but also the symbolic implication to represent long life without illness for human. It provides the basic data of medical wisdom contained in the pattern and willingness of human to protect life from illness. On the basis of such research, it would require ensuing studies to make comparison and analysis with the medical containers with the patterns in the adjacent countries in the days to come.
