고려시대의 유행병 대응과 그 성격

Abstract

In Goryeo, long fever(瘴疫) and warm fever(溫疫) were prevalent since the 11th century. In particular, warm fever(溫疫), which caused great damage, showed symptoms of heating up the whole body. When we examine the Goryeo government"s response, its institution handled insufficiently the epidemics, whereas people frequently relied on Buddihism, Taoism, and shamanism in order to cope with the epidemics. On the other hand, on a private level, there was a gap in responding to epidemics according to the social status. First of all, the ruling class responded medically to the outbreak of the epidemics. The ruling class, who had easy access to the Chinese medicine, had high confidence in the prescriptions of Chinese medicine for epidemics. However, the common people of Goryeo, who had difficulty in direct access to the Chinese medical knowledge, relied more on healing rituals such as Buddhism and Taoism. It was because the religious beliefs were more familiar and reliable than the Chinese medicine. The common people’s medical response to epidemics began in earnest only in the Joseon Dynasty. Therefore, response to epidemics depended on which medical systems the people of the Goryeo Dynasty chose. The treatment of epidemics depended on the familiarity and reliability of a cure method, and people"s responses differed to according to social status.