Museum shares ancestors' insights into epidemics

A visitor takes a picture at the “Fighting Epidemics in Joseon Dynasty” exhibit at the National Museum of Korea, Monday. Yonhap

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The world is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is not the first time humanity has suffered from an infectious disease. The National Museum of Korea (NMK) seeks to find wisdom about the epidemic by looking back on infectious diseases that hit the nation in the past and exploring how our ancestors dealt with contagious diseases.

"As we go through these hard times, we decided to have a look back on how our ancestors dealt with plagues. We hope this exhibit would shed light on how to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and find hope from the past," said Bae Ki-dong, director general of NMK.

Titled "Fighting Epidemics in Joseon Dynasty," the special exhibit at the Joseon Gallery features a handful of artifacts related to epidemics during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom era.

Curator Yu Sae-rom said the most common infectious disease in Joseon was smallpox.

"There are many portraits from Joseon era with visible marks of smallpox. Dongjunsi Mugwa Dosangcheop is a collection of portraits of 18 successful candidates of the military service examination in 1774. Among them, at least three have visible pockmarks on their faces, which shows how widespread smallpox was in Joseon," Yu said. "Though not on display here, other portraits such as the portrait of Chae Je-gong (1720-99) also have smallpox marks, showing that the infectious disease was prevalent regardless of social status."

As smallpox took many lives, epitaphs and funeral orations mourning the victims of the disease show how the epidemic affected people's lives.

"During Joseon, the king held a ritual for the spirits spreading plague when an epidemic broke out, as the plague was believed to be caused by vindictive ghosts and the king's wrongdoings. So performing rites for the spirits was one of the first things to do," Yu explained.

Bae Ki-dong, director general of the National Museum of Korea, introduces “Fighting Epidemics in Joseon Dynasty” exhibition at the museum in central Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

However, from the perspective of medicine, Joseon doctors knew that a plague came from contamination and the government distributed guidebooks on epidemics.

"Sinchanbyeokonbang" was written by Heo Jun, the royal physician during the 16th century, on the order of Prince Gwanghae in 1613. Treasure No. 1,087, it compiled medical treatments of various infectious diseases, which extracted measures to fight "onyeok," or a typhus-like disease that broke out around the time.

"In this book, Heo instructs measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as ventilation before visiting a patient and washing clothes of the infected people," Yu said. "This was for those who have patients in their family or doctors who have to tend patients."

Under King Jeongjo's reign, a measles epidemic broke out. Politician and neo-Confucianist scholar Jeong Yak-yong, who lost his children to smallpox, researched the disease and distinguished it from smallpox, publishing "Magwahoetong," a comprehensive study of measles in 1798. Jeong also introduced inoculations to prevent smallpox in Joseon.

"Ordinary people relied on shamanism to fight epidemics. They prayed to Bhaisajyaguru, the medicine Buddha, or the god of smallpox to get better and observed taboos such as visiting funerals and banquets and avoiding disgusting odors to prevent the disease," Yu explained.

The state-run museum returned from months of hiatus due to the COVID-19 epidemic last Wednesday. Though the NMK reopened after the temporary closure, the museum is not fully functioning as usual. Those who want to visit the museum are required to make a reservation and follow safety measures such as wearing masks and checking body temperature upon entering.

The exhibit runs until June 21.