동의보감 Dongeybogam

『동의보감』의 편찬사업은 1596년 왕명으로 시작되어 14년 후인 1610년에 완수되었다. 처음에는 허준을 비롯한 5인이 공동으로 편찬 작업에 참여했으나, 사업 초반 사정이 생겨 허준이 단독으로 집필하여 책을 완성했다.

1592년 임진왜란이 발발하여 의주로 피난 갔던 선조는 이듬해인 1593년 서울에 돌아와 전쟁 피해의 회복에 힘을 썼다. 조선은 전쟁의 참화로 피폐해졌으며, 민간에서 이용되던 대다수의 의학 서적들도 없어지게 되어 책을 구하기 힘든 형편에 놓였다. 1596년(선조 29) 선조는 자신이 가장 신임하는 수의(首醫) 허준에게 이런 상황을 일신(日新)할 새 의학서적의 편찬을 지시했다.

허준은 왕명을 받아 당시의 뛰어난 의원을 망라해 의서(醫書) 편찬 작업을 시작했다. 어의인 양예수(楊禮壽) · 이명원(李命源) · 김응탁(金應鐸) · 정예남(鄭禮男) 등 4인과 민간에서 명성을 떨치고 있는 유의(儒醫) 정작(鄭碏)이 그들이다. 양예수는 허준보다 선배 세대의 어의로 신의(神醫)로 평가받은 인물이고, 정작은 어의는 아니지만 민간에서 형 정렴(鄭磏)과 함께 도교적 양생술의 대가로서 의학에 밝다는 평판을 받고 있었다. 이명원은 침술에 밝았으며, 김응탁·정예남은 신예 어의였다.

이렇게 많은 의관(醫官)와 의원(醫員)들이 모여서 의서 편찬에 투입된 사례는 세종 때 10인이 참여한 『의방유취(醫方類聚)』 편찬밖에 없었다. 이처럼 『동의보감』의 편찬사업은 처음부터 국가의 지대한 관심에 따라 대규모로 기획되었다. 초창기에 이 책은 세 가지 원칙을 세웠다.

첫째, “ 병을 고치기에 앞서 수명을 늘리고 병이 안 걸리도록 하는 방법을 중요하게 여긴다.” 왜냐하면 당연히 몸을 잘 지키고 병을 예방하는 것이 병 걸린 후 치료하는 것보다 더 낫다고 보았기 때문이다.

둘째, “무수히 많은 처방들의 요점만을 간추린다.” 중국에서 수입된 의학책이 매우 많았는데, 이 책은 이렇게 말하고 저 책은 저렇게 말하는 등 앞뒤가 서로 맞지 않는 경우가 많았기 때문이다.

셋째, “국산 약을 널리, 쉽게 쓸 수 있도록 약초 이름에 조선 사람이 부르는 이름을 한글로 쓴다.” 시골에는 약이 부족하기 때문에 주변에서 나는 약을 써야 하는데, 그게 어떤 약인지 잘 모르기 때문에 시골 사람이 부르는 약초 이름을 쓴 것이다.

이런 원칙에 따라 차례가 겨우 정해졌을 때, 1597년(정유년) 1월 일본군이 다시 쳐들어오는 정유재란이 일어났고, 이로 인해서 참여한 인물들이 뿔뿔이 흩어져버려 『동의보감』을 편찬하는 일이 중단되었다. 전쟁이 완전히 끝난 후 1601년 봄 선조는 허준을 불러 왕실에서 소장하고 있던 고금의 의서 500여 권을 내주면서 의학 책의 편찬을 맡겼다. 이 때 허준에게 『동의보감』을 단독으로 편찬할 것과 함께 더욱 시급한 의학 책인 『언해태산집요(諺解胎産集要)』 · 『언해구급방(諺解救急方)』 · 『언해두창집요(諺解痘瘡集要)』 등 3종을 우선 지어내라고 명령을 내렸다.

이 세 책은 그 해에 지어서 바쳐졌으나, 『동의보감』 편찬에는 허준이 공무(公務)로 틈을 내지 못하여 1608년이 되도록 절반도 끝내지 못했다. 이해 선조가 승하하자 그 책임을 물어 허준은 의주로 유배되었다. 그곳에서 허준은 의서 편찬에 전념했다. 1609년 말 허준은 귀양에서 풀려나 서울로 돌아와 이듬해인 1610년 8월 완성된 『동의보감』을 광해군에 바쳤다. 광해군은 허준이 선왕의 유업을 완수했다고 하여 그에게 좋은 말 1필을 상으로 내렸다. 전란 직후라 출판할 사정이 좋지 않아 인출본은 3년이 지난 후인 1613년에 내의원의 개주갑인자(改鑄甲寅字) 목활자를 사용하여 출판되었다.

 Source Yahoo 한국학 중앙 연구원 에서 퍼온글

Copyright drleepediatrics.com 3/9/2026

Dongeybogam

*Dongeybogam* is a medical treatise authored in 1610 by Heo Jun, a royal physician of the Joseon Dynasty, who compiled and synthesized medical texts from both China and Joseon.
It consists of a total of 25 volumes bound into 25 books.
The compilation process began in 1596 under the command of King Seonjo, with Heo Jun and four others working jointly; however, the project was interrupted by war. Heo Jun subsequently took charge of the initiative single-handedly and brought it to completion in 1610.
Emphasizing disease prevention over treatment, the book systematically organizes the core principles of both Chinese and Joseon medicine. Its exceptional editorial quality—comparable to that of an encyclopedia—establishes it as the quintessential medical text of the Joseon Dynasty.
It achieved international renown, being published over 30 times in China and twice in Japan. It is currently inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

A medical treatise authored in 1610 by Heo Jun, a royal physician of the Joseon Dynasty, who compiled and synthesized medical texts from both China and Joseon.

Comprising 25 volumes bound into 25 books, this work was completed in 1610 (the second year of King Gwanghaegun’s reign) and was first published in 1613 by the Royal Medical Office (*Naeuiwon*) using woodblock prints based on the *Gabinja* (recast *Gabin* type) movable metal type. It stands as the preeminent medical text of the Joseon Dynasty. This book was originally compiled in 1596 (the 29th year of King Seonjo’s reign) by the Royal Physician Heo Jun, acting under royal command, in collaboration with the scholar-physician Jeong Jak and fellow royal physicians Yi Myeong-won, Yang Ye-su, Kim Eung-tak, and Jeong Ye-nam. Although the project was temporarily suspended due to the Second Japanese Invasion of Korea (Jeongyu-jaeran), King Seonjo subsequently ordered Heo Jun to resume and continue the compilation; furthermore, the King granted him access to 500 volumes of medical texts from the royal archives to use for verification and research. Upon Heo Jun’s completion of the work in 1610—the result of his wholehearted dedication—the King immediately ordered the Royal Medical Office to print and widely distribute the book.

The term *Dongui* (東醫) in the book’s title refers to the medical tradition of the East—specifically, the medical tradition of Joseon—positioned as a counterpart to the medical traditions of southern and northern China. The term *Bogam* (寶鑑) signifies a “precious mirror,” carrying the connotation of an exemplary model or standard. Heo Jun titled the work *Dongui Bogam* to convey that, by inheriting the medical traditions of Joseon, he had established a definitive standard for medical practice that encompassed both Chinese and Joseon traditions.

The compilation of the *Dongui Bogam* commenced in 1596 under royal decree and was brought to completion 14 years later, in 1610. Initially, five individuals—including Heo Jun—participated jointly in the compilation process; however, due to unforeseen circumstances that arose early in the project, Heo Jun ultimately undertook the writing single-handedly to bring the book to its completion.
Following the outbreak of the Imjin War (the First Japanese Invasion) in 1592—during which he had been forced to take refuge in Uiju—King Seonjo returned to the capital, Seoul, the following year (1593) and devoted his efforts to the recovery and restoration of the nation in the aftermath of the war. Joseon had been left devastated by the ravages of war; moreover, the majority of medical texts previously used by the general public had been lost, creating a dire situation where such books were nearly impossible to obtain. In 1596 (the 29th year of King Seonjo’s reign), King Seonjo instructed his most trusted Chief Royal Physician, Heo Jun, to compile a new medical treatise that would revitalize the field in light of these circumstances.
Upon receiving the royal command, Heo Jun assembled a team comprising the most distinguished physicians of the era and commenced the compilation of the medical text. This group included four Royal Physicians—Yang Yesu, Yi Myeong-won, Kim Eung-tak, and Jeong Ye-nam—as well as Jeong Jak, a “Confucian physician” who had garnered great renown among the public. Yang Yesu was a senior-generation Royal Physician who was revered as a “divine physician,” while Jeong Jak—though not a Royal Physician himself—enjoyed a reputation among the public, alongside his elder brother Jeong Ryeom, as a master of Taoist longevity practices and a scholar deeply versed in medical science. Yi Myeong-won was an expert in acupuncture, while Kim Eung-tak and Jeong Ye-nam were up-and-coming Royal Physicians.
The only precedent for such a large number of medical officials and physicians gathering to dedicate themselves to the compilation of a medical text was the creation of the *Uibang Yuchwi* (Classified Collection of Medical Prescriptions) during the reign of King Sejong, in which ten individuals had participated. Thus, the compilation project for the *Dongui Bogam* was, from its very inception, conceived as a large-scale undertaking backed by the profound interest and support of the state. During its initial stages, the project established three fundamental principles.
First: “Priority is placed on methods for extending longevity and preventing illness, rather than merely on curing diseases once they have occurred.” This principle was adopted based on the self-evident belief that maintaining one’s physical well-being and preventing disease is inherently superior to attempting to treat an ailment after one has already fallen ill. Second, the aim was to “summarize only the essentials of countless medical prescriptions.” This was necessary because, given the vast number of medical texts imported from China, there were frequent inconsistencies—with one book stating one thing and another stating something entirely different.
Third, to ensure that “domestically produced medicines could be utilized widely and easily,” the names of medicinal herbs were recorded in Hangul, using the vernacular terms by which they were known to the Korean people. Since medicines were scarce in rural areas, people had to rely on herbs growing in their immediate surroundings; thus, the decision was made to use the common names used by country folk, as they often lacked the specialized knowledge to identify the herbs by their formal botanical names.
Just as the organizational framework for the project was finally established in accordance with these principles, the Second Japanese Invasion (the *Jeongyu Jaeran*) erupted in January 1597. Consequently, the scholars involved in the project were scattered, and the compilation of the *Dongui Bogam* came to a halt. After the war had finally ended, in the spring of 1601, King Seonjo summoned Heo Jun. Handing over approximately 500 volumes of medical texts—spanning both ancient and contemporary eras—that were held in the royal archives, the King entrusted him with the task of compiling a comprehensive medical treatise. At that time, Heo Jun was ordered not only to undertake the compilation of the *Dongui Bogam* single-handedly but also—as a matter of greater urgency—to prioritize the creation of three specific medical manuals: *Eonhae Taesan Jipyo* (Vernacular Guide to Obstetrics), *Eonhae Gugupbang* (Vernacular Guide to Emergency Care), and *Eonhae Duchang Jipyo* (Vernacular Guide to Smallpox).
Although these three manuals were completed and presented to the King within that very year, Heo Jun was unable to devote sufficient time to the compilation of the *Dongui Bogam* due to his heavy official duties; consequently, by 1608, he had not yet completed even half of the work. That same year, upon the passing of King Seonjo, Heo Jun was held accountable for the King’s death and was subsequently sent into exile in Uiju. It was there, in exile, that Heo Jun dedicated himself entirely to the compilation of the medical treatise. In late 1609, Heo Jun was released from exile and returned to Seoul; the following year, in August 1610, he presented the completed *Dongui Bogam* to King Gwanghae. Recognizing that Heo Jun had successfully fulfilled the legacy of the late king, King Gwanghae bestowed upon him a fine horse as a reward. As circumstances were unfavorable for printing immediately following the war, the printed edition was not published until three years later—in 1613—using the *Gaeju Gabinja* (Recast Gabin-type) movable wooden type held by the Royal Medical Office.
Source: Text excerpted from Yahoo / The Academy of Korean Studies
Copyright: drleepediatrics.com, March 9, 2026