230 ^- FujlkzVwA 



this time on, the medical science of Korea gained greater and gi'eater 

 poi)nhii-ity. At about the same period, Buddhism first came to Japan, 

 and Buddhist monks versed in njedical science came from Korea to 

 give njedical iustruction to Japanese students. 



Up to this period, the imi:)ortation into Japan of Chinese and 

 Indian art and culture was carried on through the medium of the 

 Koreans. A departure was made in A D. 608 (the 16th year of Emperor 

 Suiko), when students were sent to China to learn the art cf medicine 

 directly from Chinese scholars. The direct importation of Chinese 

 medicine dates from this period. 



The famous code of laws known as Taiho-ri/d compiled in A.D. 

 701 (the first year of Emperor Mommu) contains regulat ons about 

 medical and educational matters. In it, medical students are required 

 to study the subjects of internal medicine ("The curing of the body"), 

 surgery {" Sores and wounds "), pediatrics, diseases of the ear, eye, 

 mouth and teeth, and the art of puncture. The required number of 

 years for these subjects was seven for internal medicine, five each for 

 surge]-y and pediatrics, and four years for diseases of the ear, eye, mouth 

 and teeth. There was also a system of examinations by which those 

 candidates for the profession who were prepared by private study were 

 examined for public license. 



These regulations concerning the medical profession and educa- 

 tional matters were modelled on the Chinese system of those days 

 and the text books on medical subjects were those published in the 

 Sui (589—618 A.D.) and Tang (618—907 A.D.) dynasties in China. 



During the 8th century, Buddhism was held in great respect by 

 the Jax)anese Imperial court and the medical profession was largely 

 swayed by Buddhist influence, so much so that many medical practi- 

 tioners were at the same time Buddhist monks, just as Avas the case 

 with Christian monks in the European Middle Ages. Most of the 

 noted medical doctors of those days were either Koreans or Chinese 

 who had coiue over to practice in Japan or Japanese dt^ctors who had 

 learned the art in Korea or China. The influence of Buddhist teaching 

 upon medical science was so great that in A.D. 730, the 2nd year of 

 Tempyo, a Buddhist charity hospital was instituted at the Imperial 

 order. 



Towards tlie end of tlie 8th centmy, in A.D. 784, Emperor 

 KwiimuiU removed the cajiital from Nara to Kyoto and during his 

 reign intercourse between Japan and Cliiua continued t** prosper and 



