• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

The eminent brother doctors Cho-Gaek Hur (Young Hur) and Cho-Sam Hur (Eon Hur) represent the medical tradition of the southeastern region of Mt. Jirisan incluiding Sancheong. This study investigated and examined their herediatary testimonies and medico-historical facts described in the literature tale, genealogy and family collection of works. At an early age after their family run away to the southern region from the harm of political struggle, they gave up taking the highest-level state examination to recruit ranking officials and set their heart on learning medicine. Their choice of medicine was the second best plan for the survival of their family and descendents from the influence of their ancestors who suffered from the party strife during the late Joseon Dynasty. The case is a good example of the deliberate action of the nobility intellectuals since the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasties to who made attempts to have the minimum elegance and cause while securing livelihood after they have been collapsed politically. The tale of Cho-Gaek and Cho-Sam is a typical story of eminent doctors which combined reality and fiction about the persons who had outstanding medical skills. In the tale, the elder brother was good at herbal prescriptions and the younger brother was good at acupuncture, contrasting the treatment of administrative internal medicine and insertive acupuncture treatment. It shows that the prepositions for the choice of the treatment method for the public during that period were safety and fast efficacy. In their old age, they wrote a book titled Jinyangsinbang. Another Jinwoosinbang is estimated as a different kind of copy, which was a medical writing from experience that derived from the same original book as Jinyangsinbang. written by Cho-Gaek Hur and it is a valuable medical material that possesses the distinct features of the local medicine during the late Joseon Dynasty. Most of the contents are variations in application using the basis of Dongeuibogam, forming the roots of the traditional Korean medicine in Sancheong region together with the medical activities of the Hur brothers.