Tangaek — Decoctions · Herbs
實 Dokkomari Yeolmae (도꼬마리 열매)
The fruit of the cocklebur plant. These small oval burs are densely covered with hooked spines, which let them cling to clothing and animal fur and travel wherever their carrier goes — the plant's way of spreading its seeds.
For medicinal use, the original text instructs that the fruit be pounded to break off the spines and then lightly roasted before use — a standard processing step in traditional Korean herbal preparation, done to make the material safer and easier to work with. The text also records an alternative name for it: Doindu (道人頭), literally "Taoist's head," a nod to the bur's spiky, unkempt appearance.
This is the same fruit known today as chang-i-ja (蒼耳子), the name still used in traditional East Asian medicine.
Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 2
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性溫, 味苦甘, 無毒. 主肝家熱, 明目.
Its nature is warm, its taste bitter and sweet, and it is non-toxic. It chiefly addresses heat in the liver and brightens the eyes.
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入藥, 杵去刺, 略炒用. 一名道人頭. 《本草》
For medicinal use, pound it to remove the spines and roast it lightly. It is also called doindu (道人頭, adept's head). 《Boncho (本草)》
HomiclubThe instruction to pound off the spines reflects how stiff the hooked bristles are. Stripping them by bare hand scratches the skin, so the burs were pounded in a mortar instead.
Herbs — more entries
This is a cultural and historical record from a classical text, not a claim about any food’s effects. Nothing here is a health supplement or intended to prevent or treat disease. Consult a medical professional about health concerns. · Text: Korean Medicine Classics DB · Reading: Homiclub