Bodongbiyo quoted in Euibangryuchui and Pediatrics in the Early Chosun Dynasty

『의방류취(醫方類聚)』에 인용된 『보동비요(保童秘要)』와 조선전기(朝鮮前期) 소아의학(小兒醫學)

Bodongbiyo is an old medical book, which can be traced by its texts quoted in the pediatric part of Euibangryuchui. A notable fact is that its record does not remain in China, and relevant records are found only in Korea. The book is believed to have been widely used until the early Chosun Dynasty. The present study purposed to examine how records on Bodongbiyo have been handed down until today and to answer questions on the author of the book through investigating the quoted texts. In addition, we tried to get a glimpse of early pediatrics remaining in the book. From this study were drawn conclusions as follows. A. The oldest record about Bodongbiyo is found in the history of King Taejong in Joseonwangjosilrok, and its contents remain in the form of quotations in Hyangyakjipseongbang and Euibangryuchui. The fact that there are several records on Bodongbiyo, which cannot be traced in Chinese literature, means that the categories of medicine were so extensive in those days. Moreover, this proves the existence of pediatrics as a special medical area in the early Chosun Dynasty. B. Bodongbiyo is known to have been written by Yoo Wan-so, but there are some questions and, in fact, its contents including the theory of fever are contradictory to Yoo Wan-so's medical theory. A number of books that have been published recently in China under the title Bodongbiyo contain the original commentaries of Euibangryuchui and the contents of Yoo Wan-so's other books. They are likely to throw confusion into future researches. C. Bodongbiyo is believed to have been read widely in the Koryo Dynasty and the early Chosun Dynasty. Through examining its texts, we found that the book takes a different course from Soayakjeungjikgyeol. This provides a lead to the understanding of pediatrics in the early Chosun as well as to further research on pediatrics in the mid Chosun Dynasty represented by Dongeuibogam.