茄 가지 (가)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · 탕액편 권2

1. 性寒, 味甘, 無毒.

   성한, 미감, 무독.

   The eggplant is cold in nature, sweet in taste, and non-toxic. In traditional Korean medicine, a 'cold' nature means it works to cool down heat in the body.

2. 主寒熱, 五藏勞, 及傳尸勞氣.

   주한열, 오장로, 급전시로기.

   It mainly treats alternating chills and fever, exhaustion of the five viscera (deep fatigue of the internal organs), and 'transmissible consumptive disease' — a contagious wasting illness comparable to tuberculosis today.

3. 圃中人種而食者, 一名落蘇.

   포중인종이식자, 일명낙소.

   It is a crop people grow and eat in their gardens, also known by the name 'Nakso' (Luosu). Even in the Donguibogam era, the eggplant was an everyday garden vegetable before it was a medicine.

4. 不可多食, 動氣發痼疾.

   불가다식, 동기발고질.

   One should not eat it in excess, as it can stir up the body's qi (vital energy) and trigger flare-ups of chronic illness. Overeating cold-natured food was thought to upset the body's balance.

5. 茄類有紫茄ㆍ黃茄, 南北通有, 靑水茄ㆍ白茄, 北土多有.

   가류유자가ㆍ황가, 남북통유, 청수가ㆍ백가, 북토다유.

   Among eggplant varieties, the purple and yellow types grow in both the south and the north, while the green 'water eggplant' and white eggplant are common in northern regions. Even then, varieties were recorded and distinguished by color.

6. 入藥多用黃茄, 其餘惟作菜茹耳. 《本草》

   입약다용황가, 기여유작채여이. 본초.

   For medicinal use the yellow eggplant is preferred, while the other varieties serve only as table vegetables. Source: the Bencao (Materia Medica).

7. 新羅國出一種, 淡光微紫色, 蔕長味甘.

   신라국출일종, 담광미자색, 체장미감.

   A variety from the Silla kingdom (ancient Korea) has a soft sheen with a pale purple hue, a long stem-cap, and a sweet taste. It is a fascinating note showing that Korean eggplants were renowned enough to appear in Chinese medical texts.

8. 已遍中國, 惟此無益, 無所治. 《入門》

   이편중국, 유차무익, 무소치. 입문.

   This Silla variety had already spread throughout China, but it alone was said to offer no medicinal benefit and was not used for treatment. Source: the Yixue Rumen (Introduction to Medicine).

9. 根及枯莖葉

   근급고경엽

   This section covers the root and the dried stems and leaves of the eggplant. The Donguibogam records the medicinal properties of each plant part separately.

10. 主凍瘡, 煎湯浸洗. 《本草》

    주동창, 전탕침세. 본초.

    They are mainly used for frostbite sores: the affected area is soaked and washed in a decoction made by boiling them. Notably, this is an external wash rather than an internal remedy. Source: the Bencao (Materia Medica).