At a time when unfamiliar Western medical knowledge was first taking root in Korea, a textbook that explained the human body not through difficult Chinese characters or foreign terminology, but through the ordinary language of everyday people, is now set to receive official cultural protection.
"Anatomy." Photo by Korea Heritage Service.
According to the Korea Heritage Service on May 14, "Anatomy (Jejungwon Korean Medical Textbook)," the first Korean-language anatomy textbook published by Jejungwon, Korea’s first Western-style medical institution, has been announced for designation as Registered Cultural Heritage.
Jejungwon was established in 1885 under the order of King Gojong as the first Western-style national hospital of Joseon. It initially opened under the name “Gwanghyewon.” The hospital’s founding was closely tied to the 1884 Gapsin Coup, when American medical missionary Horace N. Allen successfully treated the severely wounded Min Yeong-ik using Western medicine.
The anatomy textbook later served as teaching material at Severance Hospital Medical School and other missionary medical education institutions that carried on the legacy of Jejungwon, helping lay the foundations of modern medical education in Korea.
Volume 1 of "Anatomy," covering the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae. Photo by Korea Heritage Service.
The textbook consists of three volumes that systematically explain the structure and functions of the human body. The first volume examines bones, muscles, and the mechanics of bodily movement. The second focuses on the physiological functions of internal organs, including the lungs, heart, and digestive system. The third volume comprehensively describes sensory organs and the nervous system.
This structured composition allowed students to learn advanced Western anatomical knowledge through a logical and scientific framework, contributing to the formation of Korea’s modern medical education system.
Particular attention has been given to the textbook’s use of native Korean expressions in place of unfamiliar foreign loanwords or difficult Sino-Korean medical terminology. The stomach was described as “baptong,” meaning “rice container,” while the heart was rendered as “yeomtong.” These intuitive translations helped make advanced medical knowledge accessible beyond elite intellectual circles.
Posterior tibial artery illustration from Volume 3 of "Anatomy." Photo by Korea Heritage Service.
The work also preserves early 20th-century Korean spelling conventions and phonological features in printed form, giving it historical value not only in medical history but also in the field of Korean linguistics.
The Korea Heritage Service stated that the designation process will proceed following a 30-day public notice period. The agency also announced plans to establish a preservation cooperation system with local authorities and current custodians of the materials, while expanding their use in academic research, exhibitions, and educational programs for the public.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
* This article was manually prepared as a translated piece and later proofread and reviewed with the assistance of AI.
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