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Tangaek — Decoctions · Fruits

榧子 Torreya Nut

Related Crop · Torreya Nut →

Bija is the seed of the Japanese torreya. It is the same bija as in the crop guide: the hull is stripped and the kernel eaten, and it went by okbi as well, or jeokgwa among local people. A Korean note in Donguibogam says the tree grows nowhere in the country but Jeju.

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 2

  1. 性平, 味甘, 無毒. 主五痔.

    Its nature is neutral, its taste sweet, and it is non-toxic. It governs the five piles.

  2. 去三蟲鬼疰, 消穀.

    It expels the samchung (三蟲, three worms) and gwiju (鬼疰, ghost infixation), and digests grain.

  3. 一名玉榧, 土人呼爲赤果. 去皮, 取中仁食之. 《日用》

    It is also called okbi (玉榧), and local people call it jeokgwa (赤果, red fruit). Peel off the shell, take the kernel inside, and eat it. 《Iryong (日用)》

  4. 患寸白蟲, 日食七枚, 七日, 其蟲皆化爲水. 《入門》

    For chonbaekchung (寸白蟲, tapeworm), eat seven nuts a day for seven days and the worms all turn to water. 《Immun (入門)》

  5. 榧, 文木也. 作板甚有文彩. 我國惟出濟州. 《俗方》

    The torreya is a figured wood. Sawn into boards it shows a very fine grain and color. In our country it comes only from Jeju. 《Sokbang (俗方)》

    HomiclubFine-grained and firm, torreya boards have long been the most prized material for go boards. The torreya grove at Gujwa-eup on Jeju is still protected as a natural monument.

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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