• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.2
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• pp.17-26
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• 2020

Ginseng, also known as Insam, has solidified its status as one of the supreme drugs classified as life time expansion drug since ancient times and was used as a panacea based on its pharmaceutical effectiveness. The demand for ginseng rapidly increased as the demand for ginseng, which targeted only noble class people, expanded to other social class people. Accordingly, the wild ginseng supply reached its limit due to the extinction caused by indiscriminate harvesting and the difficulty of harvesting, and thus the ginseng supply method shifted to the cultivation of high-priced ginseng rather than complicated wild ginseng foraging. Although the timing of ginseng cultivation (also called gasam) in Korea has been studied, the research on the first cultivation area has not been reported yet. In this study, we critically reviewed Korea's first ginseng cultivation site by arranging data related to ginseng cultivation, and the historical data cited here include Joseon Wangjo Sillog (The Annals of Joseon Dynasty), Imwon Gyeongjeji (The Mid-19 Century Encyclopedia Koreana on Rural Living, Edible plants and Herb Volumes), Oju Yeonmun Jangjeon Sango (An Encyclopedic Writing during the Latter Half Period of the Joseon Dynasty), Junggyeongji (The Junggyeong Town Chronicle), Jeungbo Munheon Bigo (The largest encyclopedia of Joseon Dynasty), Insamsa (The Ginseng History) and etc. As a result of data assortment and critical review, the first ginseng plantation in the Joseon Dynasty resulted in the Yeongnam region, and in Yeongnam region, I have no choice but to conclude that it is Punggi-myeon (currently Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk).

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes of ginseng properties through bibliographical records. The cultivation of Korean wild simulated ginseng (mountain cultivated ginseng) started from the Goryeo Dynasty around A.D. 1000. Thereafter, from A.D. 1500 to A.D. 1600, ginseng cultivation technology was established in the Joseon Dynasty. At this time, the ginseng was begun to grow in the field near the house, and it is recorded as Gasam (field cultivated ginseng). The Jung-Jo-Sil-Rok (A.D. 1790) states that Gasam cultivation has expanded to the whole country. The properties of ginseng described in almost all oriental medicine books from A.D. 250 to A.D. 1600 were a slightly cold. However, after A.D. 1600, it is said to be slightly warm or warm. Considering from this record, the slightly cold ginseng before A.D. 1600 can be recognized as the properties of wild ginseng or wild simulated ginseng, and the slightly warm ginseng after A.D. 1600 can be recognized as Gasam properties.