• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2019

The Diary of Muk-Jae is a historical record that describes many social aspects of the Joseon period in the 16th century. It records many scenes of its author, Lee Mun-Geon, treating patients. This paper uses The Diary of Muk-Jae to examine changes in the perception of the concept of cold damage and the text of the Shanghanlun (Treatise on Cold Damage) in the Joseon period in the 16th century. In The Diary of Muk-Jae, cold damage is understood in connection with two categories: 'dangerous disease' and 'disease caused by cold'. The Diary of Muk-Jae also presents the Shanghanlun not as a work limited to the concept of cold damage, but as a medical text that could be widely used for many different diseases. Thus, The Diary of Muk-Jae may represent a point of transition between in the perception of cold damage as seen in the Uibang Yuchui (The Collection of Medical Procedures) of the 15th century and the Donguibogam of the 17th century.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.14-27
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• 2020

This study examined the document Shaemirok, which recorded the daily lives of people from Jangsoo (長水), Junrado to Pyeongang (平康), Gangwondo, from 1591 to 1601. This book represents the mid Josun dynasty Noble Lineage's diary together with Muk-Jae (默齋日記). This study analyzed the Shaemirok of Noble lineage's seasonal food and traditional Korean food through the lens of the Shaemirok. The Shaemirok recorded that Josun people practiced the Julsa (節祀) and Julshik (節食) during the spring, as follows: Sakil (中和節) five times on February 1, Dapchungil (Samjiknal) six times on March 3, Hanshikil five times on March 8, and Deungsuk (Chopile) three times on April 8. Samjiknal on March 3, which is mentioned six times, is the spring Julsa and Julshik that show up most frequently within the Shaemirok's records. The Shaemirok recorded that Josun people, practiced the Julsa and Julshik during the summer, as follows: Danyang (Danoh) eight times on May 5 Youdoojul six times on June 15, Chilsuk five times on July 7, and Bakjoong five times on July 15. Dangohjul on May 5, which is mentioned eight times, is the summer Julsa and Julshik that show up most frequently within the Shaemirok's records. The Shaemirok's author recorded Julsa and Julshik practiced in the autumn eight times annually. Joongangjul, which is mentioned six times, is the autumn Julsa and Julshik that show up most frequently within the Shaemirok's records. Shaemirok recorded that Josun people practiced the Julsa and Julshik during the winter, as follows: Dongji during November, Sul on January 1, and Daebohrum on January 15 Dongji and Sul, Daebohrum are mentioned eight and seven times, respectively, in the Shaemirok. The people of the Four Main Families of the mid-period Josun practiced more Julsa and Julshik in the winter than in any other season. The Josun people stored the most food during winter, thus had the highest abundance of food. This seasonal factor explains Dongji and Sul, Daebohrum's unusual frequency with which they were celebrated.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.13 no.2 s.20
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• pp.15-25
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• 2007

Neo-Confucianism(性理學) which provided an ideological base to found Chosun Dynasty which substituted for Koryu Dynasty, presented In-Cheong(仁政) as ideal statecraft. In-Cheong(仁政) is realizing spirit of In(仁) which means a forever creating power(生生之心), for that reason it was a natural result that the ruling class of Chosun Dynasty had interest in medical science. Therefore they remarked 'In-Cheong(仁政) has achieved' when medical books were published, also remarked Hwal-In-Seo(活人署） as an institute of realizing Wang-Cheong(王政) while Hwal-In-Seo(活人署) was placed in very low civil service grade, although the ruling class classified medical science as a Chap-Hak(雜學) which means not essential but necessary knowledge, and ranked it much lower than Confucianism. While had improved medical service system of Korea Dynasty, Chosun Dynasty had special interest in local medicine: expanding provincal medical centers, educating a medical student(醫生) in a medical school who was core human power in local medicine, etc. Nevertheless the local medicine was still depressed. The reasons are ; not providing enough medical center, not much fund to run each center and mobilizing a medical student(醫生) for miscellaneous labor. Depressed local medicine had changed when 士族 came to have an interest in medical science. 士族 had read a lots of medical books from the early Chosun Dynasty. 16th century they even wrote some books on medicine by themselves based on their experience as a provincial governor.　On the other hand Yi-Mun-Geon(李文楗) who wrote Muk-Jae Diary belongs to the latter. He did not use the art of acupucture. He was a civil official in Seoul, so he could get a lots of books and enough medical stuffs. After a while. he was exiled in Seong-Ju(星州) and took part in local medicine there. The local medicine was depressed in Seong-Ju(星州) at that time. Yi-Mun-Geon(李文楗) was a kind of medical consultant as well as a local doctor. Such medical doings by Sa-Jok(士族) may be a moment that provide power to local Sa-Jok(士族). Sa-Jok(士族) themselves were enthusiastic in treating their sick slaves because the slaves were financial foundation of Sa-Jok(士族). After 17th century, however, the relative importance which Sa-Jok(士族) in the country had held in 16th century had decreased gradually while professional doctors bad increased.