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Tangaek — Decoctions · Grains

白油麻 Baegyuma (백유마)

Baegyuma is white sesame, the same seed found in every Korean kitchen and the same plant as black sesame, separated only by color. The text says oil pressed from raw seed went into preparations, while oil from roasted seed, called hyangyu, was for the table.

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 1

  1. 性大寒, 無毒. 滑腸胃, 通血脉, 行風氣, 潤肌膚. 《本草》

    Its nature is very cold and it is non-toxic. It makes the intestines and stomach slippery, opens the hyeolmaek (血脉, blood vessels), moves punggi (風氣, wind qi), and moistens the skin. 《Boncho (本草)》

    HomiclubBaegyuma is white sesame, the same seed used in kitchens. It is the same crop as black sesame, named apart only by the colour of the seed coat.

  2. 油麻有二種, 白者潤肺, 黑者潤腎. 《本草》

    Yuma is of two kinds: the white moistens the lung and the black moistens the sin (腎, kidney). 《Boncho (本草)》

  3. 白油麻, 與胡麻一等, 但以色言之. 今人止謂之脂麻, 生則寒, 炒則熱. 《本草》

    Baegyuma is one and the same as homa, distinguished only by colour. People now simply call it jima (脂麻); raw it is cold and parched it is hot. 《Boncho (本草)》

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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