Home > Korean Oriental Medicine > Donguibogam   Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) is an encyclopedia type all around medical book which reorganized contents of Orient medicine. This book is consisted of total of 25 volumes, 2 for table of contents, 4 on internal medicine, 4 on external medicine, 11 on other various diseases, 4 on prescriptions of medicinal decoction, 1 on acupuncture and moxibustion. The name of domestic medicinal plants(Hyangyak 鄕藥) were written in Korean alphabet, not in Chinese characters. This raised the practical use of domestic medicinal plants. And the well organized table of contents helped doctors make the best of the book in practical use. Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) emphasized that the main point of medicine is moral cultivation and proper diet and life style, and that administration of medicine and treatment is secondary comparedt to this, 350 years ago. This is now a pioneering theory in modern western medicine. The value of Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) is highly estimated even nowadays and shows the excellence of Korean medicine and the people of Korea. It has been translated and published in many countries. Pen name is Guam. He is a medical scholar from the mid Chosun dynasty who was a private doctor for the royal household. Performed meritorious deeds in treating the royal family. During the period of King Gwangheegoon, he completed the 25 volumes of Donguibogam after 14 years of research which has become a criterion in the history of Korean medicine. He also wrote many books about contagious diseases to contribute in conquering diseases.