• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.45-67
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• 2022

Currently, there are about 20,000 or so known ancient medical texts from the East Asian medical traditions. Although the most famous texts are widely known, many texts still exist only as original manuscripts. We are interested exploring these texts to uncover the potential benefits of their therapeutic knowledge. This study aims to develop a database program that automatically converts the treatment skills described in the text version into a more structured version. In the previous study, our team analyzed patterns in the way that treatment skills are described and then tried to design a database program algorithm that identified every meaningful keyword used to describe treatment skills and put that word in the right cell of a structured table. This study continues the development of this program. East Asian medical herbal treatment information is broken down into 4 elements: the first one is the name or title of treatment skills, and the second is the symptoms to which the treatment is applied, the third is ingredients used, the fourth is how information is processed and the indications taken. This study presents the algorithm's principles on how to analyze and structure the fourth element, the processing of information and taking of indications, which is described in a form of ancient natural language.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.101-119
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• 2024

Objectives : This study examined the characteristics of famine relief and fasting formulas in Korean Medical Texts from early Joseon to early modern period. Methods : In addition to previous studies and texts, basic materials were collected from various academic database such as the Korean Medical Classics Database, Korean History Database, Chinese Text Project, Weijiwenku, etc., then analyzed. Results : In Korean Medicine from the early Joseon to early modern Korea, there was a strong awareness to use fasting prescriptions which were applied in Daosim for the purpose of famine relief, using both medicinals and common food ingredients together as complex prescriptions rather than single ingredient formulas. Famine relief and fasting formulas were continuously listed in many medical texts published after the Donguibogam, in modified or newly improved forms. Moreover, the food ingredients and medicinals used in these formulas were consisted of those which could be easily found in the famished nation of the time. Many of these formulas were tried and tested prescriptions, frequently used in clinical settings. Most of the ingredients and medicinals used in the famine relief and fasting formulas were sweet, bland, and neutral in nature, supporting Qi circulation and tonifying the Spleen and Stomach. Therefore in times of famine, these medicinals could help prevent digestive problems and decline of stamina. Conclusions : Research and contemporary interpretation on the famine relief and fasting formulas could contribute to not only health management but to relieving nutrition imbalance and famine, expanding the field of Korean Medicine application.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.111-133
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• 2017

Objectives : Dryness pathogen, which is one of six pathogenic factors, causes dryness diseases. Currently, the theory on dryness disease is composed of external dryness and internal dryness. External dryness, in turn, is composed of cool dryness and warm dryness. However, these categorizations and their symptoms bear ambiguity for many reasons. Therefore, this paper aims to review various texts in order to study the special features of dryness pathogen and dryness disease. Methods : Texts that deal with dryness pathogen and dryness disease were studied. Most texts are comprised of dissertations and historical medical texts, therefore, CNKI and The Sikuquanshu's databases, and Traditional Chinese Medical(TCM) book webdatabases were utilized. Materials are listed in chronological order, and their main points regarding dryness pathogen and dryness disease are compared. Results & Conclusions : It is difficult to accept the assertion that dryness pathogen does not lead to external dryness. Dryness does not have the elements of chill and fever in itself. Dryness's elements of chill and fever are determined in the ways they combine with each individual element. Moreover, the symptoms of chill and fever on dryness disease are subject to the host's body type. External dryness and internal dryness cannot be discussed within an identical premise. Whereas the dryness in external dryness signifies the cause of a disease, the dryness in internal dryness is the consequence of a disease. In other words, internal dryness revolves around cause of disease and external dryness revolves around the mechanic of disease. It's difficult to determine whether these diseases are caused by dryness or wetness in Autumn. There is an understanding which integrates these together through the Yunqi theory, but it is imperfect.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

Objectives : This study reviews whether the traditional medical thought process reflected in the Traditional Chinese Medical Treatment Plan for COVID-19 is based on existing classical texts, and examine concerns over the quality of evidence that the plan is based on. Methods : First, terminology and basic formulas composing the compound formulas in the COVID-19 TCM Treatment Plan were collected. Next, their usage in existing classical texts were searched in the medical classics database. Results : Infectious diseases similar to COVID-19 were understood as external disease due to Six Qi in the texts. Basic formulas used for treatment were those applied in Shanghan and Wenbing, among which cases where such formulas were applied in infectious diseases could be found in the classics. Conclusions : The level of evidence of the Treatment Plan suggested by various specialists could be evaluated as insufficient if we consider the literature. However, if application of such a plan could be supported institutionally, it could become a starting point for evidence generation.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.155-172
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• 2022

Objectives : Contents on the 64 trigrams in major medical texts from early to late Joseon such as the Uibangyuchwi(醫方類聚), Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑), Somundaeyo(素問大要), Gyeokchigo(格致藁) were analyzed to examine their characteristics and historical context. Methods : Related contents in each medical texts were collected, sorted and analyzed for thorough examination. Results : The study of Changes which was widely applied in the field of medicine throughout the Joseon period focused more heavily on each of the trigram patterns, especially in regards to the qi interaction between the upper and lower axis of the body, rather than the various meanings of the ten wings[十翼]. This is a result of the Jing-Qi-Shen perspective of the body and the universe that transcends the Daoist inner cultivation method[內丹術], under which concepts related to qi circulation such as the opening and closing[闔闢] of the Heaven[乾] and the Earth[坤], the interaction between Water[水] and Fire[火] were considered more important. Conclusions : The historical context of the study of medicine and Changes[易] of Korea could be grasped through analysing the 64 trigrams in medical texts of each period in Joseon. Further research with the field of History of Changes studies is much anticipated.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.1-21
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• 2013

Objective : This study is about how theory on seven kinds of prescriptions in Yellow Emperor's Cannon of Internal Medicine(黃帝內經) had been developed and how it had been applied for in prescription books or clinical texts. Method : I made a comparison of this theory between prescription books and clinical texts. After it, I investigated the change or development of it. Result : The first explanation about this was made by Wang Bing(王氷). Yu Wanso(劉完素) made up several varieties and meanings of it, Jang Jahwa(張子和) corrected what Yu Wanso added. Besides, someone for example, Wang Hogo(王好古), Yi Cheon(李梴), and so on added new varieties and meanings of odd prescription and even prescription. Conclusion : Theory on seven kinds of prescriptions in Yellow Emperor's Cannon of Internal Medicine had been constantly changed and developed in prescription books or clinical texts.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.59-69
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• 2022

Objectives : The existence of specialized medical texts on a certain disease is reflective of its prevalence of the time. Smallpox and measles were major pediatric diseases, of which previous studies examined the outbreak of measles in late Joseon and the relationship among various specialized texts, and how records of the two diseases in the general medical literature has changed chronologically. Research on the two diseases recorded in different texts written by the same author has not been conducted before. Methods : Examination of the organization of the smallpox and measles parts in the Yosandangsinjipuibangkeumnangjibo and Bojeoksinbang, followed by comparative analysis was undertaken. Results : While the two texts show great similarity in the general contents of smallpox and measles, there was difference in the way they were written. In the case of the Yosandangsinjipuibangkeumnangjibo the author lists referenced literature, while in the Bojeoksinbang he does not. Also, compared to the Yosandangsinjipuibangkeumnangjibo, the Bojeoksinbang has detailed titles for the contents in both introduction and the detailed parts, while in the Bojeoksinbang there are contents that could not be found in the Yosandangsinjipuibangkeumnangjibo, along with more pattern differentiation in the former. Conclusions : The Yosandangsinjipuibangkeumnangjibo which was published in May of 1806 is a general type of medical text, in which the part on pediatrics is positioned in the first two volumes out of the entire 12 volumes, indicative of the author's emphasis on pediatric disease. The Bojeoksinbang which was published in December of 1806 discusses in-depth theories on smallpox and measles out of all pediatric disease, from which we can glimpse a specialized field of pediatrics in the late Joseon period.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.47-57
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• 2019

Objectives : We aim to assist in choosing an appropriate method for word extraction when analyzing East Asian Traditional Medical texts based on unsupervised learning. Methods : In order to assign ranks to substrings, we conducted a test using one method(BE:Branching Entropy) for exterior boundary value, three methods(CS:cohesion score, TS:t-score, SL:simple-ll) for interior boundary value, and six methods(BExSL, BExTS, BExCS, CSxTS, CSxSL, TSxSL) from combining them. Results : When Miss Rate(MR) was used as the criterion, the error was minimal when the TS and SL were used together, while the error was maximum when CS was used alone. When number of segmented texts was applied as weight value, the results were the best in the case of SL, and the worst in the case of BE alone. Conclusions : Unsupervised-Learning-Based Word Extraction is a method that can be used to analyze texts without a prepared set of vocabulary data. When using this method, SL or the combination of SL and TS could be considered primarily.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.55-67
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• 2023

Objectives : Contents on causes of male infertility, reproductive health improvement, sexual tips were studied in classical texts of Korean Medicine, followed by representative formulas for male infertility treatment. Methods : Related texts from the Qiusimen chapters of the Yixuerumen, Yixuexinwu, Donguibogam, Nukejinglun, Jiaozhufurenliangfang, Jiyingandmu were collected, and their medical meaning discussed. Results : As immoderate libido and excessive mental consumption leads to sexual dysfunction causing male infertility, 'moderating sexual desire and accumulating Jing' should be the principle for improving reproductive health. Also, sufficient foreplay is recommended. In terms of formula, the Wuziyanzongwan with sufficient therapeutic evidence in both classical texts and contemporary Korean Medicine can be applied in cases of male infertility. Conclusions : Excessive sensual stimulation and immoderate sexual desire consumes the mind and results in decline in male reproductive health. While moderating sexual desire and accumulating Jing through controlling desire, not overworking, moderating anger, drinking in moderation, balanced eating should be the principle for improving reproductive health, having sexual intercourse 2~3 times per week rather than long-term abstinence is recommended. To improve the success rate in pregnancy, sufficient foreplay and time should be done and taken for intercourse. Wuziyanzongwan should be taken for at least three months or longer.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.17-29
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• 2019

Objectives : This paper is an analysis of the name 'Shanghan(傷寒)' and its related contents in unearthed documents. "Shanghanlun" as we know it is an edited version by Wangshuhe of the Jin period, as the original text as written by Zhangzhongjing has been unavailable. Recently in China, documents of the Xian Jin and Liang Han periods are being unearthed, allowing us to look at medical texts of previous times that Zhang referenced. The aim of this paper is to look at the developmental process of the Shanghan theory based on these medical texts. Methods : Research documents include all unearthed documents that include the name 'Shanghan'. There were a total of 4 written cases, 2 in "Wuweihandaiyijian", and one each in "Dunhuanghanjian" and "Juyanhanjian". Meaning of extracted examples were analyzed in reference to the shape of the character, then compared and analyzed with existing medical texts such as "Shanghanlun", "Jibeiqianjinyaofang", and "Bencaogangmu" Conclusions : By examining the 4 examples, Bianzhenglunzi and clinical prescriptions which are characteristics of Shanghanlun could be found. There was an 'Eliminating Wind' formula that was used to eliminate Cold pathogen of the exterior which showed remarkable resemblance to that found in "Jibeiqianjinyaofang". There are also formulas that 'Communicate to Disentangle' and 'Disentangle the Stomach' which are used in progressed stages of Shanghan disease, showing that Bianzhenglunzi had already been applied to Shanghan conditions.