Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A TASTE OF KOREAN MEDICINE
haniwon,
Seoul
While a solid standard of modern medical treatment is readily accessible almost any-
where in Korea, many locals prefer to fall back on much older techniques.
Hanyak
literally translates as “Korean medicine,” but it's perhaps more accurate to call it Asi-
an medicine since it's part of a far wider tradition shared by the Chinese and other
cultures in the region.
Hanyak
is a complex approach thousands of years in the making, but basically it
views the body as a combination of elements and forces (heat, cold, life force, and
spiritual energy) that cause illness when they are out of balance. Diagnoses are con-
ducted through general observation of the patient, without the aid of instruments or
lab tests.
A variety of methods are used to treat diseases and bring the patient's body back
to equilibrium, including herbal formulas (typically containing things like ginseng
and ginger, but sometimes more exotic ingredients like deer antler), massage, and
acupuncture. Endangered animal parts such as Asiatic black bear gallbladder still
