Traditional Stone Chamber Sauna Therapy of Kaesong area

Pyongyang, August 20 (KCNA) -- From olden times the Korean people have created excellent Koryo medical treatments and made active use of them for the promotion of health by relying on the rich resources of the country.

Among them is the traditional stone chamber sauna in Kaesong area.

The stone chamber sauna is done by burning rice chaff in a vaulted crucible of granite to provide a high temperature of 100-150 degrees Celsius, taking out ash from it and then sweating in it.

In the period of Koryo Dynasty, the therapy was derived from the folk legend that some potters of a pottery in Kaesong sweated in a hot crucible and jumped into a creek and cured all kinds of diseases.

The stone chamber sauna therapy is efficacious for excreting poisonous materials and treating and preventing various diseases including arthritis, obesity, skin disease, circulatory system disease and nervous system disease.

In particular, steam from ochre and granite used in the crucible and pine leaves on the floor contains minerals and anions, refreshes people's moods and produces a good effect on health.

The stone chamber sauna registered as a local intangible cultural heritage in 2016 is popular among the people in Kaesong area for its unique efficacy and widely used in promoting health. -0-