한약업사의 약업 일상을 통해 본 전통의료의 민속지적 이해

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate folk cultures of traditional medicine through everyday lives of Korean herbal pharmacists. In order to achieve the purpose, I applied anthropological methods of field work; collecting oral life histories through in-depth interviews, and collecting documents (official and private) and other things from the everyday lives of practitioners. Korean herbal pharmacists, called Hanyakupsa, are specialists of Korean medicinal herbs (Hanyak: 韓藥) used in Korean traditional medicine. They have handed down from generation to generation various Hanbang practices (韓方文化) comprising not only skills and knowledge of Hanyak, but also material evidence of its effectiveness and its customs and basic principles. Hanyakupsa have contributed their share to national medical welfare by managing dispensaries of Korean traditional medicine (Hanyakbang: 韓藥房) in rural areas with no medical facilities. However, the role and status of Hanyakupsa have been merely as complements to the established national medical welfare. Therefore, their legal and social status has weakened gradually, and now their existence is being seriously threatened. It is necessary to take special steps towards insuring the continued use of Hanyak so that we may be healthy. It is also important that Korean traditional medicine develops harmoniously with pharmacies. We all must agree to unite for discussion about the special qualities, benefits and the continued use of Hanyak.