Journal paper
| Issue No. | No. 62 |
|---|---|
| Title | Liaodong Society and the Popularity of Cheongsimwon during the Qing Dynasty |
| Author | Wu, Cheng-wei |
| Page | 49-96 |
| Abstract | This article explores why Cheongsimwon ( 清心丸 ), a medicinal product used in Chosŏn medicine, became such a hit in Liaodong society during the Qing dynasty. The highest grade of Cheongsimwon, which came in the form of a pill and was prepared by the Chosŏn government during the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, was extremely popular with the aristocracy and commoners alike. Chosŏn diplomatic envoys took it with them during their visits to Beijing, where it was well received by Qing officials and commoners. Using a social history perspective, this article investigates the significance of Cheongsimwon in Chosŏn society, the medical unit of the Chosŏn diplomatic envoys, and the demand in Liaodong society for Cheongsimwon during the Qing Dynasty. Based on Chosŏn accounts, this article reconstructs a part of the reality of Liaodong society in the Qing Dynasty, and tries to explain why there was such a need in Liaodong for Cheongsimwon during this time.
In the first part of the article, after pointing out that both commoners and officials of the Chosŏn Dynasty regarded Cheongsimwon as a medicine with excellent curative powers, I investigate the demand for the medicine among the different classes of society. I then describe the governmental departments responsible for the production of Cheongsimwon, as well as the materials that went into the making of a Cheongsimwon pill. The second section focuses on the medical resources of the Chosŏn diplomatic envoys, the role played by different levels of medical personnel on the missions, and the envoys’ purchases of Chinese herbal medicine (táng yào 唐藥). The third part is a diachronic reflection on the significance and value of Cheongsimwon to residents along the tributary route from the perspective of the local society in Liaodong. |
| Keyword | Cheongsimwon, China Mission Record, Sino-Chosŏn History, Liaodong society, Chinese herbal medicine |
| Attached File | File download |