By Kim Tae-jong
A traditional Korean encyclopedia of medicine authored and compiled by a court doctor will be available in English for the first time, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday.
The translation of Donguibogam, listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, is to mark the 400th anniversary of the book’s release in 2013.
“The translation comes as part of efforts to promote the book worldwide as an important source of knowledge on treatment techniques and history of Oriental medicine in East Asia,” said Shin Gyu-bum, an official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Previously, only an introductory book was published in 2008.
The Oriental medicine department at Kyung Hee University, one of the most prestigious among Oriental medicine schools, has been preparing the current translation since 2009.
“The translation is almost done, and we will soon check the material a final time before publication,” said Shin.
Upon completion, the English version will be distributed to public organizations and research centers in 50 countries to help promote the importance of Korean traditional medicine practices, Shin said.
Written by court physician Heo Jun (1546-1615), “Donguibogam” is a set of 25 volumes on five categories dealing with various treatments for illnesses.
The compilation of the books during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) took 15 years. Heo introduced commonly found herbs and foods to cure diseases not only for the royal family but for ordinary people as well.
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