Japanese five element acupuncture

[Master Kim]

400 years ago, a Korean Ascetic Saahm (his pen name) invented formula how to utilize five element acupuncture points to treat.
In Korea, his acupuncture is called with many different names, Five element acupuncture, Saahm Acupuncture, Saam Acupuncture, Sarm Acupuncture and etc.
His two books were buried in a grave yard with him and his acupuncture was lost.

Master Rhee, JaeWon in Korea rediscovered those books and studied them and started to teach and treat people starting 1940s.
Master Rhee's thesis about Korean Saahm Five Element Acupuncture was announced on Japanese monthly magazine on Nov. 1, 1955.
One of Master Rhee's students, Master Kim, HyungGwan learned this acupuncture in 1962 and quantumleap-evolved it in 1972 and started to call Korean Orthodox Saahm Acupuncture (also known as KOSA).

As described in below website, there are many coincidences.
www.toyohari.org/index-1-6.html

Japanese Five Element Acupuncture has simply copycatted Korean Saahm Five Element Acupuncture.
In other words, there has never been Japanese Five Element Acupuncture.

[Peter Eckman]

Byoung, I think you are overstating the point by saying "there has never been Japanese Five Element acupuncture". The Meridian Therapy movement in Japan started in the 1930s, and was influenced by the Chinese classics Ling Shu, Su Wen and Nan Jing, in addition to the published material in Korean on Saam's methods. While some leaders of Meridian Therapy (especially Yanagiya Sorei, who was its founder, relied heavily on Saam, others used methods that were suggested in the Nan Jing (especially Honma Shohaku and Inoue Keiri). Many aspects of Meridian Therapy differ from KOSA , so while Japanese Five Element practice owes a big debt of gratitude to Saam's work, it is misleading to say that it has not made its own contributions. I'm sure you do not think the MT practitioners are doing KOSA!

[Master Kim]

I don't think they are doing exactly same as Korean Saahm Five Element Acupuncture has been.
However, below information (although it is in Korean) is clearly describing that Master Rhee believed Japanese Five Element Acupuncture originates from Koreans.
ochim.com/book.html
I will post the translation into English here later.

[Evan Mahoney]

Very interesting, I did not realize the Japanese use of the technique. The question is when did they first come to learn of Saam? Was it from or after the Imjin War, or was it later in the 20th century? Saam must have been living a short time before or after the Imjin War. Thanks for posting Byoung Soon Kim.

[charlie upton]

I was taught that the Japanese took Korean Buddhist monks as captives during their many wars with Korea over the last 500 years plus,
These monks then taught the Saam 5 Phase Acupuncture to the Japanese who over time adapted it to suit their needs.
This is no disrespect to the Japanese for they have always taken ideas from China & Korea then alter & refine it.
Their martial arts is a classic case of this.
Over time it evolves.
A bit like Worsley did with it in the 1960's onwards with his interpretation of 5 Element acupuncture that is found in the UK & USA.

[Master Kim]

Japan used to bring tribute to Korea.
In order to resolve Japanese problem, Japan invaded Korea in 1592 and damaged as followings till 1598.

• Killed 180,000 ~ 1,000,000 including civilians not to mention raping women
  
• Destroyed 66% of farms
• Stole and burned so many valuable buildings, arts, books and etc. as much as Japan could possibly damage Korea.
  
• Abducted tens of thousands of people, artists, skilled labors and etc. which made Japan better in culture

I will not describe other things Japan did purely inhumane greed bestiality (killing, stealing, raping, destroying and even trying to kill Korean language) to Korea any more here

because there have been too many cases. Nevertheless, Japan has never regretted what they've done.

이재원 선생의 사암음양오행침구요결이 만들어진 1958년의 1년 후인 1959 년에 발행된 사암 도인 침구요결 서문의 일부이다. (소화 30년은1955년.)

Following are quoted from the book, "The Key of Ascetic Saahm acupuncture and moxibustion" published in 1959 in Korea.

이재원 선생의 저술인 사암음양오행침구요결의 목차와 내용의 많은 부분이 그 다음 해에 나왔던 사암 도인 침구요결에서도 보이며, 사암 도인 침구요결의 서문 뒤에는 아래와 같이 이재원 선생을 존경받는 학자로 표현했습니다.

Lots of contents in Master Rhee's book, "The Key of Saahm Yin Yang Five Element acupuncture and moxibustion" (published in 1958) show in the book described above.

In the preface of the book, "The Key of Ascetic Saahm acupuncture and moxibustion", Master Rhee is described as an esteemed scholar as following.

사암결교징(舍岩訣校徵) (이재원씨(李在元氏) 소론의거(所論依據))

Ascetic Saahm Conclusive Study (Based on Master Rhee's article)

본서(本書)에 대한 참고 문헌으로는 아직 이렇다 할만한 발견은 없으나, 현재 부산에서 사학 연구에 몰두하고 있으며 오행보사법(五行補瀉法)을 전수하고 있는 사계(斯界)의 원로(元老) 이재원 선생(李在元 先生)의 논문(論文)이 일본(日本)에서 발행(發行)되는 의도(醫道)의 일본(日本) (피국(彼國) 소화(昭和) 30년 (서기 1955년) 11월 1일 발행 제14권 11호)잡지 제1면에 발표되었음을 읽은 일이 있을 뿐이다.

Although there have not been much discoveries about reference documents on this book,

it was found that Master Rhee's thesis was released at the first page of Japanese magazine (醫道, medical art) published on November 1st, 1955 (the 14th book, number 11).

Master Rhee is currently researching history and teaching Five Element Acupuncture.

그런데 이씨의 소론에 의하면,

However, according to Master Rhee's article,
지난 1947년에 92세로 사거(死去)한 팔목옹(八木翁)의 오행보사법(五行補瀉法)과 현재 실존 인물로 유곡(柳谷), 본간(本間) 두 사람이 서구 제국(西歐 諸國)에까지 적극 선전하고 있는 오행보사법(五行補瀉法)은 모두 오랜 옛날 천하에 유일무이(唯一無二)한 우리 사암결(舍岩訣)을 수입해다가 피국 고유 학설(彼國 固有 學說)인 양 가장한 것으로, 표절(剽竊)의 혐(嫌)이 불무(不無)하다 하였다.
이씨는 존경하는 학자이니 허언이 없을 것이다.

An acupuncturist (八木翁) who died in 1947 at the age of 92 years old and two acupuncturists (柳谷 and 本間) have been advertising and promoting Five Element Acupuncture to western countries (US and European countries), which originates in Korean Saahm Acupuncture many years ago, pretending it is Japanese invention.

Thus, they shall be ashamed of their copycats.

As Master Rhee is an esteemed scholar, the above shall be true.

However, Toyohari's website reads as below.

Toyohari is a refinement of a 4,500-year-old tradition of acupuncture derived from the Chinese classics. Its powerful effects and simple, gentle style were developed in Japan, where there is a 400 year old tradition of acupuncture practiced by blind practitioners.

What a coincidence of 400 years? How did blind practitioners come up with this acupuncture?

[charlie upton]

Fascinating
Thank you Byoung for sharing this & for the translation.
I am fascinated by history & especially the history of 5 Element acupuncture.

I am interested in learning more about the acupuncturists who promoted 5 Element acupuncture to western countries in the 1950's?
The style I trained in was based on Worsleys 5 Element acupuncture as he introduced it to the UK in the 1950's/60's but no mention of Korea only Japan & Taiwan (yet I have been told he started his studies in Korea).

To me the dates fit in very well with the conflict of the late 1590's.
It does make for a very interesting debate.
The classics say acupuncture came from the East (of China)
Japan got theirs from the West of Japan.
That just leaves Korea.

[Master Kim]

Well, Charlie, as I described in my book, TCM's history needs to be corrected as well.
Thank you for your being interested of this matter.

[charlie upton]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
I am very interested in learn much more about Korean Acupuncture & it's history.

[Master Kim]

You are most welcome, Charlie.
This is pretty much all about Korean Five Element Acupuncture though.
Even in Korea, there are a few popular people claiming they have rediscovered Ascetic Saahm's acupuncture but that is not true.
Also, they claim themselves that they are the experts but none of them clearly understands and some of them even doesn't know Ascetic Saahm's formula accurately.

"Bad money drives out good," they say.

[Master Kim]

The invention cannot be done by a group of people.
There can be only one man can invent a thing.
Blind practitioners CAN study as a group or team, but they CANNOT be the group invented Five Element Acupuncture.
If the story about blind practitioners is true, they must have told the truth, who was the person taught them.

[charlie upton]

It would be interesting to know if the blind practitioners in Japan were actually korean 5 Element practioners who were taken as captives then blinded to stop them leaving?
That would explain their unique skill set & how they learnt it?
Without sounding harsh the ancient Japanese were a very brutal people 400 years ago.
But I imagine these facts are lost in myth & history.

[Master Kim]

That's possible and very interesting thought.
Even nowadays, Japan is very strong to the weaker and very weak to the stronger and still trying to steal an island from Korea.

1923 Great Kantō earthquake - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kant%C5%8D_earthquake
Postquake violence
The Home Ministry declared martial law, and ordered all sectional police chiefs to make maintenance of order and security a top priority. A false rumor was spread that Koreans were taking advantage of the disaster, committing arson and robbery, and were in possession of bombs. Anti-Korean sentiment was heightened by fear of the Korean independence movement, partisans of which were responsible for assassinations of top Japanese officials and other activities. In the confusion after the quake, mass murder of Koreans by mobs occurred in urban Tokyo and Yokohama, fueled by rumors of rebellion and sabotage. The government reported 231 Koreans were killed by mobs in Tokyo and Yokohama in the first week of September. Independent reports said the number killed was far higher, ranging from 6,000 to 10,000. Some newspapers reported the rumors as fact, including the allegation that Koreans were poisoning wells. The numerous fires and cloudy well water, a little-known effect of a large quake, all seemed to confirm the rumors of the panic-stricken survivors who were living amidst the rubble. Vigilante groups set up roadblocks in cities, and tested residents with a shibboleth for supposedly Korean-accented Japanese: deporting, beating, or killing those who failed. Army and police personnel colluded in the vigilante killings in some areas. Of the 3,000 Koreans taken into custody at the Army Cavalry Regiment base in Narashino, Chiba Prefecture, 10% were killed at the base, or after being released into nearby villages. Moreover, anyone mistakenly identified as Korean, such as Chinese, Okinawans, and Japanese speakers of some regional dialects, suffered the same fate. About 700 Chinese, mostly from Wenzhou, were killed. A monument commemorating this was built in 1993 in Wenzhou.[20]
In response, the government called upon the Japanese Army and the police to protect Koreans; 23,715 Koreans were placed in protective custody across Japan, 12,000 in Tokyo alone. The chief of police of Tsurumi (or Kawasaki by some accounts) is reported to have publicly drunk the well water to disprove the rumor that Koreans had been poisoning wells. In some towns, even police stations into which Korean people had escaped were attacked by mobs, whereas in other neighbourhoods, residents took steps to protect them. The Army distributed flyers denying the rumor and warning civilians against attacking Koreans, but in many cases vigilante activity only ceased as a result of Army operations against it. In several documented cases, soldiers and policemen participated in the killings, and in other cases authorities handed groups of Koreans over to local vigilantes, who proceeded to kill them.

Amidst the mob violence against Koreans in the Kantō Region, regional police and the Imperial Army used the pretext of civil unrest to liquidate political dissidents. Socialists such as Hirasawa Keishichi, anarchists such as Sakae Osugi and Noe Ito, and the Chinese communal leader, Ou Kiten, were abducted and killed by local police and Imperial Army, who claimed the radicals intended to use the crisis as an opportunity to overthrow the Japanese government.

Director Chongkong Oh made two documentary films about the pogrom: Hidden Scars: The Massacre of Koreans from the Arakawa River Bank to Shitamachi in Tokyo (1983) and The Disposed-of Koreans: The Great Kanto Earthquake and Camp Narashino (1986). They largely consist of interviews with victims, witnesses and perpetrators.

The importance of obtaining and providing accurate information following natural disasters has been emphasized in Japan ever since. Earthquake preparation literature in modern Japan almost always directs citizens to carry a portable radio and use it to listen to reliable information, and not to be misled by rumors in the event of a large earthquake

TV news about Japanese's unbelievably calm reactions, responses and activities dealing with crisis of tsunami or earthquake makes me feared because I can see their brutalism.
I don't think they will change ever.
This picture will explain. I know not all Japanese are like this but...
You would understand why many Koreans don't like Japan but that cannot be their excuse they need to hate Koreans.

[charlie upton]

Old enemies & old hatreds.
Like England & France
Ancient feuds.
Shame it exists in today's civilized world when we can learn so much from each other.
But history is written by the victors & no conquerer admits to stealing other people's culture etc.
This is my view on the japanese blind acupuncturists.

[Master Kim]

That's right, Charlie.
Thank you.

[Master Kim]

Japan's attempt to dispute wartime history raises questions about academic freedom: U.S. scholar - english.yonhapnews.co.kr/interview/2015/02/06/39/0800000000AEN20150206000300315F.html

Japan's attempt to dispute the long-established historical fact about the country's sexual enslavement of Asian women during World War II raises "serious concerns" about academic freedom in the country, an American scholar said Thursday.....

[horangi]

Very interesting Master Kim. As I know from hystory study,Japanese had they own system which never used a five elements,but they adopted it from Chinese and Koreans.
By the way, to support this, look on Japanese martial arts, which never used five elements or yin yang theory. Only Korean Taekyon and Kwans, followed by Taekwondo later, use it in forms.
Also few Chinese Martial arts.
In Japanese Martial arts usage of energy is based on Ki or Chi flow in the body.The only art that use acupuncture points in high level ranks is jiujitsu. Its called Shingen and its art of killing.

[Master Kim]

I am kind of illiterate in martial arts.
However, I know what I can tell you is that Korea used to be kind of mother country of Japan.
Whatever Japanese ancient one was originated from Korea whether Japan stole it or learned it.