Traditional Korean Medicine, Past and Present

Don Baker
Name in Latin Alphabet:	Don Baker
Nationality:	Canada
Affiliation:	University of British Columbia

강연 소개

Biomedicine, often called “Western medicine,” is relatively new to Korea. The first biomedical physicians began practicing in Korea in the last quarter of the 19th century. However, Koreans were systematically treating diseases and other bodily malfunctions and promoting health for at least 1,500 years before that.

The traditional medicine of Korea, often called “Oriental Medicine” today, is based on the medical lore and practices of China. However, it would be misleading to think of it as “Chinese medicine.” Over the centuries Koreans have modified the medical knowledge and practices they imported from China and made them their own. Rather than labeling it “Chinese medicine,” or “Oriental Medicine,” we should instead call it “East Asian medicine” or even “Traditional Korean Medicine” (TKM).

Tonight I will discuss two of the more distinctive features of traditional Korean medicine. The first is the great medical encyclopedia, the Dongui Bogam. Published in the early 16th century, it is still in use today and is much admired for its focus on health maintenance as well as for its comprehensive coverage of traditional diseases and the treatments for them. The second feature of TKM that I would like to discuss is its recent revival and transformation in Korea as it has responded to the challenge of biomedicine as well as the expectations of patients in the twenty-first century

강연 영상

Traditional Korean Medicine, Past and Present