고려시대의 의관(醫官)

Abstract

While many medical officers in the first half of Goryeo Age were from families of medical professionals and working classes, those in the second half thereof were from the families of civil officials, military officers, medical professionals and hometown-based officials. Moreover, in the second half of Goryeo Age, some people were first employed as civil officials but became medical officers later. While medical officer’s main task was to provide medical services, those in the second half of Goryeo Age were involved in politics in Goryeo Age, for example, being sent as envoys or lodging appeals to express their political views in addition to providing medical services. It seems that medical officers had few opportunities for promotion in both the first and the second half of Goryeo Age. It took approximately at least 10 years to become a high-ranking official after being appointed as a medical officer. However, some medical officers became a civil official in the second half, which is not common in the first half of Goryeo Age. Although they became a civil official, they were recognized as a medical officer. The highest-ranking official for the medical officers in the first half of Goryeo Age was Taeuigam (Jeong 4-poom). However, some medical officers in the second half of Goryeo Age were promoted to the premier position for civil officials, and appointed as meritorious officials. This is because they won king’s favor or performed meritorious deeds in national insurrections. As described above, while medical officers in the second half of Goryeo Age were treated better than those in the first half thereof in the society, medical officer’s children in the second half thereof passed the civil service examination to become civil officials. Some of them became high-ranking officials equal to the premier position and had great influence on the Goryeo society.