Historical difference between traditional Korean medicine and traditional Chinese medicine

BACKGROUND

Although traditional Korean medicine (TKM) has been influenced by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it has developed distinctive features. Around the tenth century, Chinese medical books were introduced to Korea. In those days, Koreans started movement to develop its own medical system.

METHODS

We reviewed Korean and Chinese medical literatures, and analysed the characteristics between two medical systems.

RESULTS

In the early 17th century, Dongeuibogam was published by Dr Joon Hur. He provided a turning point to establish Korean medical system independent from TCM. TKM emphasizes specific characteristics of the individual who suffered from the disease, rather than single symptom. The concept was elaborated by Dr Jae Ma Lee who published Dongeuisusaebowon in the early 20th century.

CONCLUSION

Through historical development, TKM has established the unique characteristic and modality as the whole-person-centered medicine.

Of germs, public hygiene, and the healthy body: the making of the medicalizing state in Thailand

The historical study of Western medicine in nineteenth-century Siam has emphasized the dichotomy between Western medicine and traditional Thai medical practice. The former is often represented as a monolith, and the epistemological transformation of Western medicine during the nineteenth century is glossed over without sufficient attention. Pasteurian medicine, especially the idea of germs, was introduced to Siam by the American missionary Dan Beach Bradley. Its introduction spurred a process of negotiation with both pre-Pasteurian Western and traditional Thai medicine. In its pre-Pasteurian and Pasteurian variants, Western medicine was constituted as a new medical practice and disciplinary regime in Siam. As a discursive instrument of state hegemony, the ideas, structures, policies, and institutions of Western medicine furthered the understanding and management of virulent epidemics, the institution of the sanitary system, the shaping of new concepts of population and a healthy workforce, and not least, the framing of a medicalizing project to police people's bodies pursued by the Thai state in the 1930s.

[Chronological table-I of public medical care, medicine and pharmacy in Korea]

S. Miki wrote a valuable chronological table of Korean medical events from the origin of the country up until 1945 in Japanese, and then published the book in 1985. In 1996, Q.J. Kim made a new chronological table of public medical care in Korea from the origin of the country up until 1994 in Hangul. So, J.H. Kim translated the new table into Japanese, and J. Okuda added some important medical and pharmaceutical events to the table. The revised chronological table has been divided into two parts. This first report covers the history from the origin of the country up until 1659 A.D.

[Research on the original plants of Gou-wen and Ye-Ge--and the herbological thoughts of Jin]

Ye-Ge exists in the SHOOSOUIN, and the herbal origin was decided as Gelsemium elegans Bentham. On the other hand, Gou-Wen may be a general term that means poison plants as well as Jin. At least four kinds of Gou-Wen were known in ancient times: three herbs and one wood-like plant. The shi-leaf Gou-Wen may be Gelsemium elegans Bentham, in short, the same as Ye-Ge. The huang jing-leaf Gou-Wen may be Croomia heterosepala. The qin-leaf Gou-Wen may be Cicuta virosa L. The wood-like Gou-Wen may be Coriaria nepalensis Wall.

[Chronological table-II of public medical care, medicine and pharmacy in Korea]

The first report from the origin of Korea up until 1659 A.D. appeared previously in this journal. The chronological table of Q.J. Kim from 1660 A.D. to 1994 A.D. was partly revised by adding medical and pharmaceutical events, including the recent Korean history of pharmaceutical education and that of Korean pharmacists, for Japanese pharmacists. In this paper, Table-II, a concise history of public medical care, medicine and pharmacy from 1600 A.D. to present is reported.

[A study on the general public understanding and utilization of Korean traditional medicine in colonial period]

During Colonial Period, Western Medicine was introduced, and due to the lean-to-one-side policy by the Japanese, Western Medicine became the mainstream medical science while Oriental Medicine was pushed to the outskirts. The general public in colonial period got help from medical profession after they tried something they could do at home when they got sick or injured. There were differences to get help from western or traditional medicine according to their economic status, living area, and educational status, the character of disease or injury, etc. In general, public made more use of traditional medicine than western medicine. Although the traditional medicine had better regional and economic approach, there was another important factor that made the general public prefer traditional medicine to western medicine. The general public had strong belief in the treatment of traditional medicine. There was no strong belief that western medicine was better in scientific ground and modern than oriental medicine. In spite of their general preference for traditional medicine, the general public had some conflict in everyday choice on medicine. The belief of relatives, personal experience, economic status, the character of the disease made the conflict possible. Sometime the general public chose both traditional and western medicine altogether.

[The gaze of the others: how the Western medical missionaries viewed the traditional Korean medicine]

It is generally known that the Western medical missionaries played an important role in introducing Western medicine into Korea. However, little is known about their role in introducing traditional medicine of Korea to the Western world. The present paper aims at showing various efforts of the Western medical missionaries to understand the Korean traditional medicine and to introduce it to the Western world. Allen payed attention to the clinical effect and commercial value of the Ginseng; Busteed gave anthropological descriptions of the traditional medical practice; Landis translated a part of the most cherished medical textbook of Korean traditional medicine Dong-Eui-Bo-Gam (see text) into English; Mills, along with his colleagues in Severance Union Medical College, tried more scientific approaches toward the traditional medicine. All these various efforts proves that the attitudes of the Western medical missionaries cannot be summarized as one simplistic view, that is, the orientalism, a term which is quite en vogue today. Of course, we cannot deny that there may be such elements, but to simplify the whole history as such does not only reflect the fact, but also miss a lot of things to be reflected in history.

[The academic trend of Oriental medicine during the Japanese colonial period as observed through the publication of medical books]

This thesis examines the academical trend of Oriental Medicine in the Japanese colonial period observed through medical books published during the Japanese colonial period. This is a period in which Western Medicine was introduced, and due to the lean-to-one-side policy by the Japanese, Western Medicine became the mainstream medical science while Oriental Medicine was pushed to the outskirts. Even after all this, the academic activity was flourishing during this period compared to any other periods. This article is divided into various chapters each with its own theme in order to understand the academic trend of Oriental Medicine during the Japanese colonial period. Focusing on the publication of medical books, this article is divided and observed according to various themes such as the study of Dong-Eui-Bo-Gam (see text), the study of Bang-Yak-Hap-Pyeun (see text), the study of Sang-Han-Ron (see text), the study of Sa-sang (see text) constitutional medicine, the study of Eui-Hak-Ip-Mun (see text), the study about Bu-Yang-Ron (see text), On-Bo-Ron (see text), and pediatrics, compromise between Western and Oriental Medicine, the study of experience medicine, the study of acupuncture and moxibustion, and etc.

[The association between the medical arts of Japan, Korea, and Ming Dynasty China during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's War]

Traditional Korean medicine's pronounced impact on Japan came about as a result of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's war on Korea in the late 16th century. The influences of Korean medicine on Japan were caused by the introduction not only of a large number of medical books printed in the Yi dynasty and the techniques of publication but also those of the people of talent. We researched one doctor who came to Japan during the war of the Bunroku periods. The name of the doctor was Kintokuho. He learned medicine from a Chinese, Unkai(YunHai). He caused the iatrogenic diseases in the first year and so he changed his medical prescription to fit Japanese. After this, his treatment produced a curative effect. After his death, his art of medicine was passed on to his pupils.

[The life of medical historian Miki Sakae, and the "history of Korean medicine and of diseases in Korea"]

Miki Sakae was a Medical historian, who is well known for his studies of Korean medicine. He authored the renowned trilogy which dealt with subjects of Korean medicine and diseases, namely the "History of Korean Medicine and of Diseases in Korea", "Bibliography of Korean Medical Books", and "The Chronological Table of Medical Events in Korea"), during the Japanese Occupation period. He was born in 1903 in Osaka, Japan, and graduated from the Kyushu College of Medicine. In 1928 he was assigned to the Gyeongseong Imperial University's College of Medicine as a professor, and also served as Chief of the Suweon Provincial Hospital while he was staying in Korea. During the 18-year period of his stay, he widely collected medical books of Korea and also thoroughly studied them. He returned to Japan in 1944 due to the illness of his father, but continued his studies of Korean medicine, and in 1955 published the "History of Korean Medicine and of Diseases in Korea" for the first time. Following such accomplishment, "Bibliography of Korean Medical Books" was published in 1956, the next year, and finally "The Chronological Table of Medical Events in Korea" was published a few decades later, in 1985. Since the 1950s, aside of continuing to study and author the history of Korean medicine, he had also engaged himself in a joint effort associated with the members of the Medical History Association of Japan (which also included the alumni of the Kyushu College of Medicine) in a group study of Huseya Soteki, the first Japanese Experimental Physiologist. He also attempted at establishing an academic branch which could be referred to as Experimental Historical Studies of Medicine, by recreating the experiments of Huseya Soteki with his own son. Later he also expanded his interest and studies to the medical history of the world and also the area of Medical Ethics. But his ultimate interest and passion were always targeted at the Medicine of Korea, and the one consistent position he maintained during his entire life regarding the Korean medicine, was that 'One can only talk about the medicine of China and Japan when he or she is well versed in the medicine of Korea'. And his lifetime achievement, "History of Korean Medicine and of Diseases in Korea" was authored upon the basis established by such conviction and philosophy. First, in this book the perspective of Cultural Transmission, which considers the flow of cultural qualities and assets to be ordinarily flowing from highly developed regions to less developed ones, was firmly maintained. He argued that the medicine of China had to pass through the Korean peninsula to reach Japan. Second, he suggested that studies of medicine and diseases could only be fully and thoroughly understood when it is approached not only from the perspective devised by medical historical studies but also from perspectives devised for general and total historical examination of human life events. And third, he argued that all historical studies should be based upon proofs and evidences, and the 'development' factor of a particular type of studies or practices should be measured by whether that study or practice has reached or accomplished the level of Western modern science. Demonstrating such conviction, out of Korean traditional medical practices he particularly examined the medical procedures of treating tumors or regulations and procedures developed for forensic medicine, which he considered superior to or at least at the same level with Western medicine. In his final years he was forced to battle cancer, but he refused to be hospitalized. Instead, he exhibited his firm belief that medicine and medical practices which believe in the ultimate power of human body and soul are what the practitioners should pursue in order to acquire the very core of medicine. He died in 1992, at home, surrounded by his family. He is known to have always uttered that one of the most celebrated Medical books of Korea, the "Dongeui Bogam" authored by Heo Jun, was a true example of a book containing 'Medicine Based upon Human Body and Soul'. A huge portrait of Heo Jun is reported to have been hung at the living room of his house all the time.

[The medical theory of Lee Je-ma and its character]

Lee Je-ma 1837-1900) was a prominent scholar as well as an Korean physician. classified every people into four distinctive types: greater yang [tai yang] person, lesser yin [shao yin] person, greater yin [tai yin] person, lesser yin [shao yin] person. This theory would dictate proper treatment for each type in accordance with individual differences of physical and temperament features. Using these four types he created The Medical Science of Four Types. This article is intended to look into the connection between Lee Je-Ma's 'The Medical Science of Four Types' and 'The Modern' with organizing his ideas about the human body and the human being. Through The Modern, the theory of human being underwent a complete change. Human being in The Premodern, which was determined by sex, age and social status has been changed to the individual human being, which is featured by equality. Lee Je-Ma's medical theory of The Medical Science of Four Types would be analyzed as follow. His concept of human body is oriented toward observable objectivity. But on the other hand, it still remains transcendent status of medical science, which is subordinated by philosophy. According to Lee Je-Ma's theory of human being, human is an equal individual in a modern way of thinking, not as a part of hierarchical group. But on the other hand, it still remains incomplete from getting rid of morality aspect that includes virtue and vice in the concept of human body. The common factors in Lee Je-Ma's ideas about the human body and the human being is 'Dualism of mind and body that means all kinds of status and results depends on each individual. As is stated above, Lee Je-Ma's medical theory has many aspects of The Modern and it proves that Korean traditional medicine could be modernized by itself.

[Oriental and European medicine in the local historian Masamichi Teraishi's book]

There was a prevalence of beriberi in the Meiji era. We found articles about Souhaku ASADA, Syouan TOUDA and Jun MATSUMOTO in the Toukayogeidan, written by Masamichi TERAISHI. The book tells about the treatment and its side effects. This book reveals that Doumei YAKAZU's investigation was correct. It is of interest to learn from this book how one patient consulted doctors in the Meiji era and talked about the treatment and side effects of the doctors.

[What's the original concept of meridian and acupuncture point in oriental medicine?--A perspective of medical history]

Meridian and acupuncture point (MAP) is a core theory of acupuncture and essential building blocks of oriental medicine. There still continue theoretic or experimental arguments and controversies on the origination or original concept of MAP, without any definite approval or disapproval of a hypothesis. The theory of MAP is an historic product and has never been outside of historic influences. This study discusses the original concept of meridian and acupuncture point theory and its historical evolution, based on the review of classic literatures on meridian including the mawangdui medical texts of Han dynasty. The concept of MAP served as a empirical reference system in clinical settings irrespective of the anatomical entity of MAP.

[Encounters of the Korean body with the traditional and modern medical systems]

The body has been an intense focus of attention since the 1990s both in academic and mundane discourse. In philosophy, literature critique, sociology and anthropology the body has been found to have various implications and auras around it.I try to explain the body as the subject of medicine rather philosophically, in terms of nature, culture and phenomena. And then I look into the Korean body of the late 19th century when western biomedicine was first introduced. The Korean body was encountering traditional and modern biomedical medicines in three different spaces i.e., corporal, social and moral. The corporal space was the space into which direct intervention such as surgery was performed. The body was also situated in the social space where imperative social measures such as sanitation and sterilization was imposed. The body also had the moral space, invasion into which evoked great moral upheaval. It was when the government ordered the public to cut the long and bound hair, which had long been the symbol of their identity. Reflecting upon the philosophical perspectives and examining concrete cases of the encounters of the body with the two medical systems, I argue that we should have new perspectives that embodies the historical and phenomenological experiences of the body.

[Traditional medicine under Japanese rule after 1930s]

Japan, which occupied Korea from 1910 through the end of World War II, transformed traditional medicine. Japanese colonialists propagandized the "benefits of modern civilization such as western medicine" and rejected the advantages of traditional medicine. This bias against Korean traditional medicine mirrored the government's rejection of its own traditional medicine. So, Korean traditional medicine was marginalized in the national health care system: traditional doctors were excluded from public institutions and references to traditional medicine were purged from school textbooks and newspapers. The wars that Japan waged between 1931 and 1944 effected a favorable change toward traditional medicines, however. The wars created a severe shortage of drugs and medical personnel. Thus the colonial government was eager for Koreans to cultivate and gather herbal drugs; it also built a large research institute for herbalism at the Keijo Imperial University in 1938. The colonial government made pharmacopoeia for traditional herbal drugs including plant and animal drugs from 1937 to 1942, independently from Japan. Under these conditions, the prestige of traditional medicine was greatly improved. Influential newspapers and magazines covered the traditional medicine and public lectures on traditional medicine drew large audiences. The wartime government abandoned its opposition to traditional medicine, and appointed a traditional practitioner to the staff of the public hospital in 1934. Moreover, the government allowed the association of the traditional medical doctors in Seoul to train three hundred more practitioners between 1937 and 1942. Japanese colonial policy toward traditional medicine reflected the contradiction between modernizing ideology and the reality of poor colonial medical care. Japanese propaganda promised that the colonial regime would provide more advanced medicine to Korea, but the promise was an empty one. In this situation, traditional medical doctors and herbalists once again shouldered the main responsibility for the health of the Korean people.

Orientalism in Euro-American and Indian psychology: historical representations of "natives" in Colonial and postcolonial contexts

The author examines the historical role of Euro-American psychology in constructing Orientalist representations of the natives who were colonized by the European colonial powers. In particular, the author demonstrates how the power to represent the non-Western "Other" has always resided, and still continues to reside, primarily with psychologists working in Europe and America. It is argued that the theoretical frameworks that are used to represent non-Westerners in contemporary times continue to emerge from Euro-American psychology. Finally, the author discusses how non-Western psychologists internalized these Orientalist images and how such a move has led to a virtual abandonment of pursuing "native" forms of indigenous psychologies in Third World psychology departments.

[Medicine and orientalism in the late nineteenth century Korea]

The paper investigates medical missionaries that exerted a significant role in establishing Western medicine in the late nineteenth century Chosun, in relation to orientalism, an academically popularized concept introduced by Edward Said. Historical analysis is focused on several important medical missionaries such as Horace N. Allen, William B. Scranton, John W. Heron, C. C. Vinton, and Oliver R. Avison to explain how their activism as medical missionary contributed to the formation of medical orientalism in which Western medicine was 'taught, studied, administered, and judged' in that period. In addition, I explore into how medical orientalism was in service of Japanese imperialism by showing that medical missionaries had to be under imperial surveillance by Japanese colonizers. The article explores the medical system of the Koryo Dynasty period and its social characteristics. First, the structure of medical system and roles of medical institutions during the Koryo Dynasty period will be summarized. Then the characteristics of the medical system will be identified through exploring the principles of its formation in a view of social recognition of medical care and a view of social recognition of medical care and a view of public policy.

[A revaluation of the late Dr. Noriyuki Sugihara in Korea]

We investigate the achievements in pharmacology and administration in the field of traditional Korean and Kampo medicines by Dr. N. Sugihara. Dr. Sugihara became a professor of the 2nd dept. of pharmacology, School of Medicine, Keijo University of Seoul in 1926. Since then, until 1946, he was involved in almost all the projects related to traditional medicine in Korea and Manchuria. Also he founded several research centers in Korea, such as the Natural Product Research Institute of Keijo University (the present Natural Product Research Institute of Seoul National University). We confirm Dr. Sugihara's contribution to traditional medicine, based on an investigations of his academic records from his disciples in Korea and Japan, including the former director of Natural Product Research Institute.

[A study of the licensing system in Korean Oriental medicine]

In 1952, the Licensing System of Korean Oriental Practitioners was established by law and practiced until now. It was the most important aspect of the Professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine, and it also affected other aspects of the Professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine, such as the standardization of knowledge, the strengthening of its organization, and the development of an occupational ideology. The Licensing System of Korean Oriental Practitioners came about as a result of conflicts between the National Assembly, governmental agencies, and medical doctors. The range of Korean Oriental Practitioners Licensing is partially limited, especially with respect to certifying someone as a public health doctor and in conferring the right to direct medical technicians. However, the limitations have been reduced gradually.