The Birth of Bosinsijok
Several days had passed since I began the Bosinsijok (Health Exercise) with King Munjong via Gatong. November 30, 2025. It was a Sunday. Sweeter than honey, a perfect holiday. But today, I grabbed my laptop early and staked out a spot at the café in front of my place.
The Annals of King Munjong is the only one among the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty with a missing volume. They say the cover from volume 11 got swapped onto volume 9 at the Jeonju Printing Office, so there's no 11, just two copies of 9? Basically, a printing mishap. Other editions were lost in the Imjin War, leaving only Jeonju's. So, Munjong Annals: two volume 9s, zero volume 11s. The problem? Volume 11 covers December 1451 and January 1452. Starting tomorrow, for two months, I won't be able to check Munjong's present through the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
The winter records from half a year before Munjong's death—I never knew them originally, and I still don't. "No matter what happens to Munjong, it won't prove me wrong. Lucky break.""No. Not being able to check is even scarier." If it's nothing, it's nothing, but thoughts kept clashing in my mind. Men freeze to death. Sipping an iced Americano at the end of November, that's what I thought.
"Just fixing the tuberculosis isn't enough."
No modern person knows what's in Munjong Annals volume 11. That's why scholars debate what killed him. The last mention of his illness is a boil. I started searching the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
Inner Physician Jeon Sun-ui emerged from the inner chambers and reported: "The pus from His Majesty's boil has drained, causing the paper needle to fall out on its own. It no longer hurts like the first prick today; it's back to normal."
The ministers who had inquired after His health rejoiced and withdrew.
There it was. Six days after Jeon Sun-ui announced improvement in the king's condition, Munjong died. I paused to think. Munjong's symptoms were definitely improving bit by bit. Ventilation, prescription changes, rest. We'd achieved that much. But long-term, it wasn't enough. Lung recovery needs respiratory muscle strengthening; immunity needs good circulation. And above all, Munjong's issues weren't just pulmonary. Boils. The things that had plagued him since his crown prince days. Actually, it was hereditary. King Taejong rushed to pass the throne because of boils. King Sejong, a meat lover, got boils plus diabetes. Three generations, same pattern.
Munjong had said he had no days off, so I sent a Gatong message confidently.
The expected reply. Munjong's first mention of boils in the records was 1449, when he was 21. Today, I found over ten records of his back boils in the Annals of King Sejong alone.
"As expected..." I gathered my thoughts. Boils are furunculosis—bacterial infections around hair follicles. Why Joseon kings were prone? Clear: excessive nutrition, lack of exercise, unhygienic habits. Taejong at least hunted; Sejong barely moved. If kings were like that, commoners were worse. Exercise improves circulation, which boosts skin immunity, preventing boils. Of course, I couldn't say "immunity" to Munjong. He'd see it as relieving the people's corvée labor.
After agonizing, I sent another Gatong.
Munjong, deep in worries, replied after a long pause.
I hesitated. Explaining national exercises via Gatong? The first is the Opening Chest Pose (Kaegungsik) (breathing exercise)... The final twelfth is the Calm Breath Pose (Jeonggiseok) (breath-regulating exercise).** I described all twelve Bosinsijok movements to Munjong in detail, even giving them hanja names.
He'd tried it right away? Memorized twelve moves from Gatong on the spot? Munjong really could have been Joseon's greatest king if he'd lived longer.
You can't spend a honey-sweet holiday Gatong-ing with Munjong. I called some med school buddies. Plans made. Today, we play. Forget hospital, forget Munjong chats!
-----
The next morning, Jeon Sun-ui finished pulse diagnosis in the bedchamber and was rising when Munjong said quietly, "Wait a moment." He stood slowly. Jeon Sun-ui was inwardly flustered. The king spread his arms sideways, breathing deeply. Paused, lowered them, exhaled slowly.
"This is the first move, Opening Chest Pose (Kaegungsik)."
Jeon Sun-ui blinked like a startled deer. But he focused, watching the king's movements. Palace ladies exchanged glances; some bit their lips to stifle laughs. Munjong's demo ended. Jeon Sun-ui was shocked—not by the moves, but their innate dignity from the king. Separately, as a physician, he faced a choice: ask what it was, or pretend ignorance? Decades of pulse-taking in lotus position wavered. He knew it was advice from someone. Why teach the king this? The chamber fell silent.
From then, on cough-free mornings, those odd moves joined Munjong's routine. Briefly. At first, ladies stood awkwardly by. Days later, two mimicked in the empty spot post-exercise. Next day, four. Half a month in, Jeon Sun-ui pulsed again. Pulse steadier than before. Old boil on reddened back noticeably subsided.
"Not wrong this time either."
At first, he couldn't fathom the intent. But tracing backward from results, it clicked. Arm raises open upper body qi; waist twists loosen mid-burner. Daily, qi flows evenly, unblocked. Boils form where evil qi stagnates in blocked areas. Opening blocks reduces it. Jeon Sun-ui penned the prescription, reducing glehnia, adding astragalus and atractylodes. With lungs improving, emphasize tonics for qi and spleen-stomach.
Suddenly, a thought halted. "Does that unseen physician know this principle?" Probably, but differently. Words via king differed from his terminology. But key: different paths, same destination for physicians.
Exiting, Jeon Sun-ui quietly asked an inner official, "Those morning moves of His Highness—do they have a name?" The official shook his head. Jeon Sun-ui pondered, then whispered, "Bosinsijok. Exercise to preserve the body."
The official nodded. Thus named.
---
I arrived early Monday despite hangover—rest matters. Pre-rounds, iced Americano in lounge. Rare leisurely Monday. Preparing rounds, corridor buzzed. Residents, interns, nurses, admins lined up at elevator hall.
"What's this..."
Music played. National exercise accompaniment. But not the one I knew. Garbled version. Core effects intact, but aesthetically off. Holding my iced Americano, I froze.
"This looks like the Bosinsijok I sent Munjong via Gatong..."
Vision flashed: Gyeongbokgung bedchamber, Munjong swinging arms in gonryongpo sleeves. Jeon Sun-ui expressionless. Ladies biting lips. Not vision—certainty, like I'd time-traveled to watch.
A first-year resident junior spotted me: "Sunbae, join us!"
Can't be the only holdout. Slipped in quietly. Asked junior, "Was this always a thing?"
"Sunbae, you kidding? It's our ethnic Bosinsijok, passed down from Joseon!"
I nearly fainted from vertigo.
"It's not just the annals that changed..."