Heojun's Outlook on Nature (허준(許浚)의 자연관(自然觀) - 『동의보감(東醫寶鑑)』을 중심으로 -)
- Park, Seong-Kue;Kim, Sue Joong;Kim, Nam Il
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- The Journal of Korean Medical History
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- v.18 no.2
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- pp.197-227
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- 2005
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Heojun was the top scientist on Medicine in the 16th and 17th centuries and wrote the Dongeubogam describing the top-level medical theory and technology. So far, his outlook on nature has been disregarded even though his medicine is still effective. Through this study, I would like to know if his outlook on nature as well as his medicine is still effective. The conclusions are as follows: 1. According to his output, the origin of the universe started from the spinning of One Gi(一氣) which is quite different from Hawking's theory. Hawking assumed that the origin of the universe started from the Big-bang and will end to the Big-crunch. However, the current report on the origin of a star is quite similar to Heojun's theory and we acknowledge that his view on the origin of the universe is still effective. 2. According to his output, the universe repeats expanding and contracting forever while Hawking assumed it will come to the end, the Big-crunch, based on the expanding universe theory. Some scientists assists that Hawking's assumption should have some contradictions. Now, we acknowledge that Heojun's universal cycling theory which corresponds with modern physical theories is still effective, which would lead to a new environmental movement. 3. His view on the structure of the universe is quite different from the output of the current science, which results from his thought that the nature should be reviewed from the point of human's view. His view on the structure will be able to be updated based on the output of the current science. 4. The universe analogy started from the East Asian area as well as the Greek and Roman area in the ancient. The idea has disappeared since the scientific revolution era in the West while the idea has been deepened and abundant in the East and has become one of the major philosophical bases. Heojun emphasized its importance from the beginning of his book. 5. The nation analogy has been popular all times and places. According to his output, governing a country is like controlling one's body. 6. According to Needham's output, the universe analogy and the nation analogy were based on the ancient developed alchemy. And Harper assumed that Taiosm was based on the macrobiotic hygiene which was developed by the ancient developed alchemists. We acknowledge that xian(仙) cult, macrobiotic hygiene, medicine, alchemy and the ancient philosophy started from our ancients. Heojun's output restored our ancient tradition by combining the macrobiotic hygiene and philosophy with medicine. 7. Roughly predicting yearly weather would be unacceptable by the current scientist but Heojun's yearly weather forecast is still used in the clinic and seems effective to prepare from any epidemic disease. 8. 'Day and Night' and Four seasons are the most important factors to the macrobiotic hygiene according to the Dongeubogam. The new environmental movements should be based on the most important factors, otherwise the human beings as well as the environment would fail to survive. 9. Wind, Coldness, Heat, Humidity, Dryness and Fire represents weather. The six weather factors represent one of six phases of a year which is decided by the areal factors. Heojun preferred the six factors generated in the body itself to them from the outside. He thought a human being was a universe and the six factors generated in the body responded to the factors of the outside. 10. According to his output, Heat and Humidity are the most important factors which make a human being ill. 11. Life span, disease, food, and dwelling are dependent upon the geographical feature, according to Heojun's output. In addition, one's appearance and his five viscera and the six entrails depend on the food as well as the geographical feature. 12. Heath is related with the environment and they effects upon each other. If one is weak, he will be deeply effected by the nature. On the other hand, if one is strong, he will effect on the nature. That's why people live together. 13. According to Heojun's work, the society is an important factor comprising the environment. During a peaceful era, the society becomes stable and human beings are stable as well while they will be on fire during a chaotic era. 14. Medicine deals with human beings who live in the nature, so any medical book cannot be excellent unless it has any description on the nature. Heojun's outlook on the nature turned out to be logical and suitable even from the point of the current view and it is still effective as if his clinical knowledge and technology are still effective. Something unsuitable may be substituted with the output of the current science.