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Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Category: History (page 15)

What is the Donguibogam and what is in it?

posted updated 9 May 2020 by Jin-woong Lim 3 minute read

Koreans usually have two choices when they have to visit a clinic: one is a medical clinic, employing western medicine for treatment; and the other is a traditional clinic, employing traditional medicine. There are many obvious differences between the two types, mainly concerning methods of diagnosis and treatment. Most importantly, the traditional medical clinic has … [Read More]

Buddha’s Voice – The Bell of King Seongdeok

posted updated 16 May 2020 by Matthew Jackson 3 minute read

People sometimes take a jaundiced view of Korea’s estimation of the importance of its cultural heritage. In the case of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, however, it was foreigner, Dr. Otto Kummel, a director at the National Museum of Germany, who suggested that the museum’s description of the bell as ‘the best in Korea’, … [Read More]

Book review: Land of Scholars (Kang Jae-eun)

posted updated 5 Apr 2021 by Philip Gowman 8 minute read

The Land of Scholars: Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism by Kang Jae-eun (translated from Japanese to Korean by Ha Woo-bong, then from Korean into English by Suzanne Lee) Homa & Sekey Books 2006; original Japanese version published in 2003. 515 pp Students of Korean history, and particularly of the Joseon dynasty, will inevitably at … [Read More]

Donguibogam: Prevention before Treatment

posted updated 9 May 2020 by Sena Lee 3 minute read

The Donguibogam is a medical encyclopedia written by Heo Jun (1539-1615), a royal physician and renowned doctor, in the 16th to 17th century. People often say there has been no traditional Korean medicine (TKM) doctor greater than him since. The encyclopedia was registered at UNESCO as part of the ‘Memory of the World’ register in … [Read More]

When “going to the valleys” is not a good idea

posted updated 16 Dec 2017 by Philip Gowman 2 minute read

Many languages have all sorts of euphemisms for death. “He’s gone to meet his maker”, “He’s pushing up the daisies” are a couple of the expressions in English. In Korean, there’s the picturesque phrase “He’s gone to the valleys.” The valleys in question are in the Jirisan region of South Gyeongsang province. Jirisan has always … [Read More]

Creating Impressions of Colonial Korea: The Role Played by the Japan Society and its Membership, 1910-1939

event date Mon 17 Oct 2011 posted

The Japan Society is holding a talk on 17 October which may be of interest to Koreanists: Creating Impressions of Colonial Korea: The Role Played by the Japan Society and its Membership, 1910-1939 Susan House Wade, Independent Author and Lecturer Monday, 17th October 2011 6.45 pm The Oriental Club Stratford House 11 Stratford Place London … [Read More]

Donguibogam to feature at the Thames Festival

posted updated 20 Feb 2026 by Sena Lee 2 minute read

2013 will see the 400th anniversary of the first publication of the Donguibogam, the most precious book in traditional Korean medicine (TKM). There will be a commemorative World Traditional Medicine EXPO (known as Donguibogam EXPO) in Sancheong in 2013 (6 September — 20 October, 45 days) to celebrate this anniversary. Sancheong County, at the foot … [Read More]