At the recently concluded World Traditional Fair Medicine and Festival in Sancheong, the donguibogam took center stage. The ancient book was showcased with esteem, being one of the classic works of Oriental medicine. Published 400 years ago, from the ivory tower of old Korea’s pantheon, the book brims with medical knowledge and treatment techniques compiled by Heo Jun, the royal physician of King Seonjo. Heo Jun compiled several ancient medical books and integrated them into one, coherent collection. As the donguibogam was immortalized at the world’s first ever assembly on traditional medicine, it also gained entry into UNESCO’s Memory of the World.
The donguibogam: Heo Jun’s contribution
to Korean traditional medicine.
Sancheong is the rightful host to the international assembly that dreams of wellness and well-being. It sits right at the foot of Jirisan, where an elixir plant was known to exist. Also, Heo Jun grew up in here. From his master Yu Ui-Tae, he learned the art of medicine, concocting medicinal foods made from natural ingredients teeming in Sancheong, now home to a famous medicinal herb village.
Among the many goals of the gathering was to establish Korea as the nation of traditional and modern medicine and to lay the ground for the industry as a new engine for national growth. Lee Jae-geun, the governor of Sancheong-gu, relentlessly pursued the staging of the event, knowing it would bring his town into the global limelight. He even declared a resignation from his post if Korea fails to host the event.
The recent years saw Korea’s fervor to push for global recognition, especially in the medical tourism industry where both traditional and modern medicines are well integrated. Investing on promotions, professional advancement and cutting-edge technology, Korea has been continually attracting medical tourists, from 7, 901 in 2007 to 110,000 in 2011.
Korea is now a forerunner in robotics surgery – an operation performed by a robotic arm that rotates 360 degrees and enables surgeons to see 3D images at high magnification. The country also boasts of its Gamma Knife radiosurgery that provides better than conventional surgery for brain lesions.
A medical tourism booth
at the Incheon International Airport.
On the other hand, the practice of traditional medicine has expeditiously kept pace alongside modern medicine. It offers treatment packages such as acupuncture, moxibustion, hydro-electric therapy, and herb therapy. Heo Jun’s feat at documenting the ancient practices has largely contributed to the development of traditional healing and laid the foundation upon which it stands today. Truly, a country that values the wisdom of the past is able to define its future.
Now, the governor of Sancheong can proudly keep his post. For forty-five days that Sancheong hosted the international event, the limelight was on her and Korea leaps into the center stage of medical tourism industry that utterly blends both traditional and modern practices. One complements the other - like two reciprocal bodies of nature, as embodied by the principles of Yin and Yang.
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