Objectives: To define the difference in the identity of the authors of 『傷寒論』and 『黄帝內經』 by analyzing the etymology of 巫, 毉, 醫, and 工.
Methods: We analyzed the meaning of three Chinese characters based on oracle bones and bronze inscriptions, and considered examples of their utilization in two books.
Results:In『Gangpyeong-Shanghanlun』, 巫appears once, 醫appears 28 times, and 工appears once. In 『Huangdi Neijing 』, 巫appears twice, 醫appears 24 times, and 工appears 64 times.
Conclusions: The authors of 『傷寒論』recognized themselves as ‘醫’, and they were doctors who mainly treated prescriptions in the liquid form represented by 湯(tang). The authors of 『黃帝內經』recognized themselves as '工', and they were doctors who treated them with a tool represented by “acupuncture.”
Key words: Shanghanlun (傷寒論). HuangdiNeijing (黃帝內經), Mu (巫), Yi (醫), Gong (工)