Let's Heal by Eating... Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk Hosts 'Sikchi Culture' Seminar

Jeminru and Iseokgan's Writings on Dietary Therapy

Learning Ancestors' Wisdom to Respond to the Resurgence of COVID-19

On the 9th, Yeongju City in Gyeongbuk held a seminar under the theme "Yeongju-style K-Food Nareusha 2021."

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Yeongju City, Gyeongbuk, held a seminar on the 9th under the theme ‘Yeongju Sikchi K-Food Nareusha 2021’.

The seminar, held at the annex seminar room of Sosu Museum and Heunggyeongru, was organized to examine the historical significance of Jeminru and to discuss the modern interpretation and development direction of Yeongju’s sikchi culture.

Sikchi (食治) refers to dietary therapy, meaning the treatment of diseases or body care using foods with various tastes and properties.

Since publishing the Jeminruji in 2018, the city has conducted various research projects such as the 2018 Yeongju Uiguk and Lee Seokgan Experience Room academic conference and the 2019 Seonbi Sikchi academic conference. It also operates the Sikchiwon at the Traditional Local Food Experience Center to promote sikchi food culture through local food experience education.

The ‘Lee Seokgan Experience Room’ is a book containing the basis of private sikchi, recorded by the Confucian doctor Lee Seokgan who was active at Jeminru, the first public medical institution established in Joseon.

The first part of the seminar, the Donguibogam Sikchi Prescription Commercialization Exhibition, was hosted by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine and included invited lectures chaired by Professor Kim Nam-il of Kyung Hee University, as well as special exhibition briefings.

The second part, the Jeminru Sikchi Culture Seminar, was hosted by Dongyang University and featured presentations such as ‘Yeongju Uiguk Jeminru and Confucian Doctor Lee Seokgan’ by Professor Kim Ho of Gyeongin National University of Education, ‘Industrialization Cases of Sikchi Culture and Character Education at the Dining Table’ by Professor Lee Jeonghwa of Dongyang University, and ‘Plans for Fostering Yeongju City’s Sikchi Industry’ by Professor Hong Yeonwoong of Dongyang University.

A discussion on the practice and revitalization of sikchi culture was also held, chaired by Professor Kang Gu-yul of Dongyang University, with participants including Professor Jeong Gwang-yeol of Daegu Haany University, Vice Director Kim Taehwan of Yeongju Cultural Center, Team Leader Geum Changheon of Yeongju City Culture and Arts Division, and Director Song Juntae of Sosu Museum.

The city plans to spread the fundamental principle of sikchi, ‘managing the body through eating,’ and to discover various contents based on sikchi, such as developing healthy foods using local agricultural products.

Mayor Jang Wookhyun said, “I hope that the historical value of Yeongju Uiguk centered on Jeminru and the books containing the wisdom of our ancestors will be reexamined and revived,” adding, “We hope to overcome the current situation of COVID-19 resurgence by learning from the wisdom of our ancestors.”