• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2018

Today, knowledge itself has become a resource which must be protected by the pertinent community of its contributors and users, from being manipulated or distorted by third-party players. The preservation of knowledge in relationship to the cultural context of its origins, has been recognized by international organizations intent on maintaining authentic voice and perspective. Globally, the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) organizes the annual IGC (Intergovernmental Committee) meeting to address various issues associated with each country's utilization of intellectual and bio source property. Korean Medicine is the official name for the traditional medicine that has been inherited from the cultures of the Korean Peninsula. It is one of the four practices of East Asian Medicine including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from China, Kampo Medicine of Japan, and Sino-Vietnamese Medicine in Vietnam. As a cultural treasure representing centuries of evolving knowledge, Korean Medicine is protected under intellectual property rights afforded by WIPO, and must be understood in relationship to, and distinct from, TCM. It is understood that China has a strong political purpose to claim all the traditional medicines of the East Asian region under the name of TCM, including Korean Medicine. In fact TCM was authorized as the representative name for all East Asian medicine by decisions made by the ISO (International Standard Organization) in 2015. This paper proposes a pilot study on how to protect the intellectual property of Korean Medicine from efforts by China to claim it under the umbrella of TCM. Using the Uibang Yuchui (醫方類聚, Classified Collection of Medical Formulas) this paper suggests establishing a Database of UBYC, which was published in 1477 by the Joseon Korea government. UBYC was the reorganized version of contemporary East Asian medical sources, and has already hundreds of year's rich indigenous and culturally specific medical history of Korea, from which Korean Medicine has been built.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to report a newly discovered book whose title is Ikkam (翼鑑) and prepare for a full-scale study. The book, Ikkam, has a variety of contexts in which it seems to be written by Park Ji-won. First, 'Sanin' in 'Yeonam-Sanin' is consistent with the behaviors of Yeonam Park Ji-won who lived in hiding in the Yeonam valley in 1777. In addition, many statements written in the introduction, such as "as we stick to the old things, we do not know a makeshift", "we are well versed in changes" and "many soldiers are not always good" remind us of other writings of Park Ji-won. Moreover, he writes the statements using antithesis. It is the force of writing style of a literary person who is not engaged in medical service. In addition, he puts six qi in the introduction, but it is not as sophisticated as Jejungsinpyeon (濟衆新編). It suggests that this book may be published earlier than Jejungsinpyeon. When comparing Ikkam with Euimunbogam (醫門寶鑑) and Jejungsinpyeon, it seems common to place six qi in the introduction at the time. In addition, through this book, we find that Park Ji-won known as a writer of Geumryosocho (金蓼小抄) has fairly much knowledge in the medicine. We can estimate his passion and depth about the medicine through a longing for a new medical book shown in the introduction of Geumryosocho. However, various approaches to similar disease symptoms shown in the introduction help us to recognize his true qualities in the medicine. In addition, like other experience prescriptions, this book excludes prescriptions using medicinal herbs with toxicity or rare medicinal herbs in the situation with a limited supply of them in remote areas but includes prescriptions which are widely used. It shows that experience prescriptions in the Joseon Dynasty are effective to specifically identify medicinal herbs and prescriptions which are widely used in Korea. These values cannot be compensated by Donguibogam (東醫寶鑑) which has an infinite value.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2013

Objectives : "Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑)" is a medical book of the Joseon Dynasty compiled by Heo Jun and was first published in 1613. It recorded a great deal of prescriptions which contained pork and gave detailed explanations of parts of pork's natural properties and effects. Pork is widely used as a food ingredient in the world but the traditional medicine community has a contraindication of pork and traditional herbal medicines taken together. The aim of this study was to find the supports to develop pork functional foods for the treatment of diseases in "Donguibogam". Methods : Therefore we investigated the documents recorded in "Donguibogam" about usefulness of pork which were used for not only a food ingredient but also a medicine. Results : "Donguibogam" introduced 25 parts of pork including liver, kidney, stomach, bladder, heart etc, and a variety of taking ways i.e. common usages which are internal, external, common use, and aid use which cure a variety of diseases not a simple food but a therapies food. Conclusions : We confirmed that pork has been used to treat many diseases, so we propose to develop pork functional foods available for prevention and cure of certain diseases.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.35-57
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• 2014

This study examines how biopolitics, constructed in the West, has been accepted in the Korean peninsula, by focusing on the discourses of "sanitation" and "OTC (Over-the-Counter) medicine" perpetuated in the late Joseon Dynasty and the colonial period. There are two meanings of sanitation in Korea before and after the opening of her ports. The pre-modern sanitation attends to the strong vitality of one's body and mind, while the modern sanitation emphasizes a healthy environment. What is observed between the two meanings of sanitation is a transition of viewpoints from the first-person to the third-person. This transformation has constructed passive bodies that allow the intervention of biopolitics. OTC medicine has reinforced this viewpoint of a third-person and combined it with commodification. The discourses of sanitation and OTC medicine continue, for example, in the strong discourse of regular medical examinations in contemporary Korean society.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2009

Jejung Sinpyeon (New Edition of Medical Prescriptions) is a medical book that was compiled in order to overcome the shortcomings of Donguibogam (Exemplar of Korean Medicine), to improve and offer prescriptions suitable for new diseases according to the changing times, and simply to publish new medical books. As a result of an analysis of Yakseongga of Jejung Sinpyeon (a book of medicine written by Kang Myeong-gil in 1799, the 23rd year of the reign of King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty), it was found that a total of 303 lines had been quoted from Wan-bing-hui-chun of the Ming Dynasty of China] and Dongeui Susebowon and that 83 lines had been newly inserted by the author. Of the 303 lines, 296 were quoted from Dongeui Susebowon, and only seven from Wan-bing-hui-chun. This means that the author of Jejung Sinpyeon chiefly used Dongeui Susebowon as the source of Yakseongga quoted therein. 275 lines, or 76%, of a total of 386 lines of Yakseongga of Jejung Sinpyeon, have their Korean names marked. Medicinal herbs marked as Chinese herbs number 83 out of 386. Among the 83 herbs named, one belongs to the part newly inserted by the author, while the remaining 82 are quoted from Yakseongga. The foregoing suggests that the author expected that the knowledge could be used by people easily based on an effort to make it localized knowledge, although Yakseongga was compiled based on quotations from Chinese literature. Yakseongga of Jejung Sinpyeon has significant value as the country's first State-compiled book of medicine to contain Yakseongga.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-87
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• 2016

Queen Jangyeol was proclaimed as the second wife of King Injo at the age of 15 in 1638. This study was carried out in order to confirm if Queen Jangyeol actually came down with epilepsy or if she pretended to do. The keywords, "Jungjeon" and "Junggungjeon" were searched among the articles from "Seungjeongwonilgi" in the 16th reign to the 27th reign of King Injo. After that, articles only related to convulsion were selected. The symptom of convulsion and the therapy were analyzed. King Injo gave an order, and royal doctors diagnosed the queen's illness as epilepsy in August in the 23th reign. The Queen was confined in Gyeongdeok in November, and took herbal drugs for treating the epilepsy. After the death of King Injo, she stopped taking the drugs. As the Queen's epilepsy took place consistently more than 1~2 times in a month, it is the generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Also, it is the epilepsy overlapping reiteration with the brain function disorder because the convulsion lasted throughout 1 hour. However, after King Injo died, she lived for long without the brain function disorder. So it is difficult to judge she actually came down with the epilepsy.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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• v.96
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• pp.209-223
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• 2019

The Iron Seated Buddha sculpture in the National Museum of Korea had long sat unregistered in storage at the museum. However, a new accession number "bon9976" has recently been assigned to it. This sculpture was excavated from the neighborhood of Heungnyongsa Temple in Baekun-ri, Yidong-myeon, Pocheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do Province together with another Iron Seated Buddha sculpture(bon9975) called "Iron Buddha from Pocheon." A comparison and examination of Gelatin Dry Plate and official documents from the Joseon Government-General Museum during the Japanese occupation period have revealed that these two Iron Buddha sculptures were transferred to the Museum of the Government-General of Korea on December 17, 1925. The Iron Seated Buddha sculpture(bon9976) has a height of 105 centimeters, width at the shoulders of 57 centimeters, and width at the knee of 77 centimeters. The Buddha is wearing a robe with rippling drapery folds and the right shoulder exposed. He is seated in the position called gilsangjwa(the seat of good fortune) in which the left foot is placed over the right thigh. The features of the Buddha's oval face are prominently sculpted. The voluminous cheeks, eye sockets in a large oval shape, slanted eyes, short nose, and plump lips can also be found in other ninth-century Iron Seated Buddha sculptures at Silsangsa Temple in Namwon, Jeollanam-do Province, Hancheonsa Temple in Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and Samhwasa Temple in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do Province. Moreover, its crossed legs, robe exposing the right shoulder, and rippling drapery folds suggest that this sculpture might have been modeled after the main Buddha sculpture of the Seokguram Grotto from the eighth century. The identity of this Iron Seated Buddha can be determined using the Gelatin Dry Plate(M442-2, M442-7). In them, the Buddha has its right palm facing upwards and holds a medicine jar on its left palm. Until now, the Iron Seated Bhaiṣajyagura(Medicine) Buddha(bon1970) excavated from Wonju has been considered the sole example of an iron Medicine Buddha sculpture. However, this newly registered Iron Seated Buddha turns out to be a Medicine Buddha holding a medicine jar. Furthermore, it serves as valuable material since traces of gilding and lacquering clearly remain on its surface. This Iron Seated Buddha sculpture (bon9976) is presumed to have been produced around the ninth century under the influence of Esoteric Buddhism by the Monk Doseon(827~898), a disciple of the Monk Hyecheol, to protect the temple and help the country overcome geographical shortcomings. According to the records stored at Naewonsa Temple(later Heungnyongsa Temple), Doseon selected three significant sites, including Baegunsan Mountain, built "protector" temples, created the Bhaisajyagura Buddha triad, and enshrined them at the temples. Moreover, the inscription on the stele on the restoration of Seonamsa Temple states that Doseon constructed temples and produced iron Buddha sculptures to help the country surmount certain geographical shortcomings. Heungnyongsa Temple is located in Dopyeong-ri, Yidong-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province. This region appears to have been related to rituals directed to the Medicine Buddha since Yaksa Temple(literally, "the temple of medicine") was built here during the Goryeo Dynasty, and the Yaksa Temple site with its three-story stone pagoda and Yaksadong Valley still exist in Dopyeong-ri.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.113-132
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• 2016

Objectives : In this study, the Abdominal Diagnostic Method of Kitao Shunpo(北尾春圃) about Movement Qi between kidneys in Sanghauidam(桑韓醫談) and Jeonggisinron(精氣神論) are investigated for the purpose of understanding the definite technique of the method and the position in the context of abdominal diagnosis in Japan. Methods : The materials related to the abdominal diagnosis to Movement Qi between kidneys were selected from Sanghauidam and Jeonggisinron written by Kitao Shunpo, and analyzed to know the characteristics of the method. Results : Kitao Shunpo suggested the theoretical background of the Abdominal Diagnostic Method that Original Qi(元氣) is made from Original Essence(元精) when a person is born, and mentality(神) and body essence(精), qi(氣) and blood(血) are formed from those. Movement Qi between kidneys(腎間動氣), that is to say innate Original Qi can be diagnosed in abdominal region by the method in Japanese Medicine. Kitao Shunpo decided deficiency and excess of Original Qi and prognosis in clinical treatment by the method, and suggested the standard pulse condition of the Movement Qi between kidneys. Conclusions : After the theory about Movement Qi between kidneys appeared in Nanjing(難經), many doctors have not made attention to diagnose that for a long time, until Kitao Shunpo with other Japanese doctors established the theoretical background of the Abdominal Diagnostic Method, and applied the theory to clinical treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2012

Smallpox and measles might be the typical epidemics through Choson Danasty. Especially Sookjong was the first king who suffered from smallpox during the period of his reign. This study was examined critically focused on the Clinical Records about Smallpox which occurred in the 9th year of Sookjong's reign. The clinical records in Seungjeongwon Ilgi("承政院日記") was the main source and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty was reffered. It tells us that Sookjong caught infectious disease, smallpox spread in town and the whole process of smallpox. Seungmagalgeuntang(升麻葛根湯) and hwadoktang(火毒湯) were given at the early term for treating Sookjong's smallpox, but later on, Bowontang(補元湯) was given for the treatment of smallpox. It showed us the medical view which placed emphasis on the vital force of human body. A dermatologist, Yoo Sang had joined since the beginning of the treatment and Siyakchung(侍藥廳) was established for Sookjong. Sasunghoichuntang(四聖回天湯) which was Chunyoohyung(全有亨)'s prescription showed us enough clinical experience and the ways of treatments. At the same time, the medical culture at that time was well known through the fact that smallpox was taboo among the royal family.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.101-110
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• 2011

There are not a few cases in Oriental medicine where a different prescription should be given to some of the patients whose symptoms are similar to each other. In other words, there might happen a misdiagnosis due to an extremely delicate difference in symptoms of the same diseases, causing a patient's condition to get worse or to be even on the brink of death. In such a context, the records in "WooJam JabJeo(愚岑雜著)" are worthwhile to do in-depth research on. Jang-Taegyung described his first-hand experience in major medical treatment very vivaciously during his ages between 25 and 42. Particularly, most of the prescriptions recorded in this book include not only his empirical prescriptions on the patients who life was almost on the brink of death but it also so plentifully contained the process of overcoming the side effect caused by other clinics' misdiagnosis; thus, that this book is drawing attention in that it could be indispensable materials not only in the research on medical history but also for clinical treatment. Particularly, as regards two cases of insanity, this book mentions the reason for using totally different prescription on one case from the other case even though the two cases had a similar symptom, through which we can acquire somewhat concrete experience in curing scenes though indirectly during the period of the Joseon Dynasty. We were able to get the result from the analysis of the two cases of insanity as follows: 1. WooJam, in treating the two cases of insanity due to the severe exacerbation of yang energy, managed to treat the one case by inducing a bowel movement and the other case by inducing urination. Such a different treatment seems to be greatly attributable to the constitutional factor of the two patients. Such an Oriental-medicine-based method of diagnosis and prescription as WooJam's is rarely found in Western medicine-i.e., that's why more thorough research on Oriental medicine is deeply required. 2. In case of the second patient, the patient arrived at insanity due to another clinic's treatment on perspiration on the patient with severe mouth thirst. This medical story once again highlights the importance of a diagnosis in today's Oriental medicine and at the same time it's a good example showing how big the side effect caused by the abuse of medicinal herbs is. The second patient's body fluids ran dry and finally his yang energy got exacerbated all the more due to the treatment by perspiration.