The wisdom of eating aralia elata, from ancient health to modern 'slow aging'

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Dureup has been called the 'King of Mountain Vegetables' since ancient times. In Dongui Bogam, it was referred to as Mokduchae (木頭菜), meaning a vegetable that grows from the head of a tree. The sprouts that form first in the highest place receive the energy of the sky first, and humans consume them to internally accept the changes of the seasons. The principle of awakening the body by receiving the rising energy, as described in Taoist health preservation, is contained here.

In health preservation, dureup possesses both a bitter and sweet ascending nature. The slightly bitter taste of dureup clears blocked energy and reduces heat, making the body feel lighter. A single point of bitterness can change the flow of the entire body.

Furthermore, dureup has the power to remove wind and dampness. Symptoms like stiff joints, heaviness in the body, and swelling are common in modern people. These are signals that the flow of qi and blood is not smooth. The saponin component in dureup helps blood circulation and reduces inflammation. This aligns with the concept of 'Hwalyeoljitong' (活血止痛), which means activating blood and relieving pain. Although its exterior is rough and thorny, its internal energy possesses a softness that resolves blockages.

◇ Nutritional Aspects of Dureup

In modern nutrition, dureup is also gaining attention as a 'slow aging' food. It is rich in various amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, and its saponin and flavonoid components have strong antioxidant effects. These help reduce cellular oxidative stress, boost immune function, and slow down the aging process. The concept of preserving vital energy and preventing disease, as described in health preservation, is being confirmed within modern science.

In the lives of the Korean people, dureup was a food source closely tied to survival. In times of food scarcity, people survived by gathering dureup from the mountains and fields. Dureup was a survival food that sustained life and, at the same time, a medicine that treated illnesses. This exemplifies the Eastern philosophy of 'Sikyak-dongwon' (식약동원), where food and medicine are not separated.

The way dureup is handled also embodies the principles of health preservation. Boiling it before consumption is to reduce its toxicity and astringency. Looking deeper, it is also a process of harmonizing the energy of nature to suit the human body. Boiling softens the harsh energy, and rinsing in cold water cools the heat to achieve balance. Furthermore, the tradition of eating it with fermented soy sauce aids the function of the soy sauce and facilitates digestion.

◇ Eating Dureup Through the Lens of Sun Tzu's Art of War

Spring is a strategy of life, not war. Nature, having endured the long winter, establishes a new order. Sun Tzu's 'Nine Terrains' chapter states that the method of fighting must differ according to the nine types of terrain. If one does not read the terrain, the army will collapse, and if one does not follow the flow, one will lose oneself. This principle extends directly to food. The efficacy, taste, and impact on the body vary depending on how dureup is handled.

Dureup is a young sprout that emerges from the tip of a tree. It is the first to embrace spring from the highest point. This resembles 'Sandi' (散地), or dispersed terrain, among the nine terrains. Sandi is land that has not yet coalesced. At this time, rather than exerting force, one must gather energy.

When we first encounter dureup, we do not eat it raw. We lightly boil it to remove toxins and regulate its energy. This is a strategy of not forcing things at the beginning, and the first step in health preservation.

Dureup seasoned after boiling corresponds to 'Gyeongji' (輕地), or light terrain. It is terrain that should be passed through lightly. Enhancing the flavor of dureup with simple seasonings is a method that does not add force unnecessarily. Lao Tzu said, 'Wu wei er wu bu wei' (無爲而無不爲), meaning to achieve everything by not doing. Dureup namul awakens the body's energy without burdening it.

Ganghoe, dipping boiled dureup in cho-gochujang, corresponds to 'Jaengji' (爭地), or contested terrain. The bitter taste of dureup and the strong flavor of cho-gochujang meet and balance each other. If one side is excessive, harmony is broken. This is like the Yin and Yang of the human body. Health preservation lies not in adding strength, but in achieving harmony by regulating each other.

Dureup튀김 (fried dureup) is 'Gyo-ji' (交地), or intersecting terrain. At points where paths intersect, quick judgment is needed. Frying, which involves cooking momentarily in hot oil, requires a balance of time and temperature. If cooked too long, the flavor disappears; if undercooked, toxicity remains. In life, opportunities come in an instant, and judgment must be swift.

Dureupjeon (dureup pancake) resembles 'Gu-ji' (衢地), or crossroads terrain. It is a place where various ingredients gather to form a center. Dureup, meat, and eggs combine to create a single flavor. It is a scene where different energies clash yet harmonize. The human body also maintains health when various organs and energies are in balance.

Dureup simmered in jjigae and guk (stew and soup) corresponds to 'Jungji' (重地), or heavy terrain. Deep terrain requires carefulness. The broth draws out all the energy of the ingredients and delivers it deep into the body. The saponin and nutritional components of dureup dissolve into the broth, warmly enveloping the five internal organs. It is a medicinal food that helps the body recover.

Dureup preserved as jangajji (pickled dureup) is the wisdom of utilizing 'Biji' (圮地), or crumbling terrain, and even 'Saji' (死地), or deadly terrain. The process of pickling in salt and soy sauce to preserve it for a long time deals with the boundary between decay and preservation. Sun Tzu said that only when entering deadly terrain does the power of desperation emerge. Dureup also endures time and transforms into a deeper flavor. It is a process of creating new value amidst crisis.

Dureup tteok (dureup rice cake) corresponds to the final terrain of the nine terrains, 'Saengji' (生地), or vital terrain. It is the place where, after going through all processes, one returns to life. Grains and dureup meet and are reborn as new food, completing the cycle. The energy of nature, passing through human hands, becomes food that sustains life again.

From a health preservation perspective, dureup aids the liver's energy, purifies the blood, and resolves blockages in the body's flow. Modern nutrition views it as rich in saponins, vitamins, and minerals, helping to boost immunity and recover from fatigue. What is important is not the ingredients, but the 'when' and the 'how.'

Depending on when and how it is eaten, it can either sustain the body or harm it. This aligns with Sun Tzu's principle, 'He who knows the terrain wins.'

Our ancestors climbed mountains and picked dureup. Despite being pricked by thorns, they brought the sprouts to their tables. It was a life of reading the flow of nature and adjusting the body to that flow. This is the 'Dao' (道) that Lao Tzu spoke of.

Dureup does not grow by force; it emerges on its own when the time is right. It is neither excessive nor insufficient. Sun Tzu's nine terrains speak of making choices appropriate to the situation, and Lao Tzu's Dao speaks of naturalness. Health preservation is the practice of these two principles through the body.

What is important is moderation. Dureup is a beneficial ingredient for the body, but excessive consumption can be harmful. Saponin components can be medicinal in moderation but can irritate the stomach if consumed in excess. The core of health preservation lies not in eating a lot, but in eating according to one's body. Finding balance between deficiency and excess is health and the essence of slow aging.

Today, amidst abundant food, we lose our health. Stimulating tastes and excessive nutrition disrupt the body's balance and accelerate aging. However, natural foods like dureup possess a deep power without being excessive. Its bitter taste awakens the body, and its fragrant energy clears the mind.

When we feel the energy of heaven and earth contained in a single piece of dureup, we finally understand the deep meaning of the act of eating. We also realize that slow aging is not about special secret methods, but about living in rhythm with nature's pace.

Choi Man-soon, Food Columnist

▲ Founder of Korean Medicinal Cuisine ▲ Director of the Korean Traditional Medicinal Cuisine Institute ▲ Studied under Professor Peng Ming-cheon, founder of Chinese Medicinal Cuisine, and served as president of the Korea-China-Japan Medicinal Cuisine Association.