http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200411/kt2004111516333911700.
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By Kim Chang-young
Contributing Writer
Acupuncture is one mystery in the Oriental medicine still rarely
understood by laymen. Its far-reaching effects have not been fully
acknowledged by Western medical standards but have long been
appreciated by both Oriental medical practitioners and patients, who
have been cured through acupuncture itself.

Slim and short needles made of simple alloyed metal have remedied a
variety of symptoms and diseases over thousands of years in China,
Korea and Japan, in particular. Historical records show that
acupuncture had been applied since the Neolithic Age as small stone
sharply ground to be like needles have been found together with
ancient relics.

Acupuncture master Kim Kwang-ho, 45, director of Hohoho Ilchim
Oriental Medical Clinic, says acupuncture comes first, moxa cautery
comes second and medicine comes last as far as its effect for the
remedy of diseases is concerned.

His words are not his own theory, however. He adopted his assertion
from a renowned doctor of China's Ming Dynasty, quoted in "Tongui
Pogam," the treasury book of the Oriental medicine, written by
Choson medical guru Ho Jun and his 30-odd associates. The 25-volume
book was the precious outcome of their tremendous research and
compilation of 83 books of Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties and about 70
Korean books that required 15 years of work at the direction of King
Sonjo from 1596 to 1611.

Kim's mystique, based on the teachings of the book, enables him to
use just one or less than four needles to cure even Parkinson's
disease, which was described as "weak heart and tremor of the hand"
in Tongui Pogam. He sometimes complements acupuncture with
injections of distilled herbal medicine.

Kim, a graduate of prestigious Kyunghee University's Oriental
Medical College, is a loyal protege of Ho Jun. He has read through
the entire book over 10 times. It usually takes almost three years
for an ordinary Oriental medical student to read through the bulky
book, so there are few that have done so in recent years. Oriental
medical colleges teach no more than the general ideas or significant
parts of the book.

He is harshly critical of a modern fashion prevailing in many big
oriental medical clinics in which doctors examine patients by means
of "scientific devices" and apply traditional herbal practices. He
maintains that the time-honored way of oriental diagnosis is
sufficient to detect all modern illnesses, given its sincere
mastery.

Yet he is not opposed to cooperative treatment among oriental and
Western medical doctors. "Western skills are practically effective
for surgical operation, while the oriental technique is superior for
other treatments," he said.

In a special program commemorating the 40th anniversary of the
founding of MBC TV in August 2001, he surprised all the spectators
by helping a woman in her 50s, who could not move well because of
the trouble in the joint, walk on her feet by acupuncturing one
needle in the toe.

Similar situation was also aired by Taegu's TBC TV last summer which
recorded his activities for Japanese patients in Hiroshima, one of
the two cities where atomic bombs were dropped to end World War II
in August 1945. He treats Japanese war victims every summer.

Yet another mystery of his "Ilchim" method lies in the fact that
acupuncture is applied to the opposite side of the areas with pain.
A patient who feels pains on the left side is given acupuncture on
the right side where the doctor believes that the pain has
originated. Ilchim has a double meaning in that acupuncture comes
first and that one needle is ample for a complete remedy.

"Acupuncture applied directly on a painful part is something like
stopping up a hole with palms to prevent water from leaking, while
acupuncture on the opposite side is remedy for the cause of the
pain," he explained at his clinic in the bustling district of Socho-
dong, southern Seoul.

"To find the bull's eye like the best player of the World Archery
Championship is the secret of my Ilchim acupuncture." Kim is the
doctor of doctors who teach 150 member doctors every Saturday
through midnight.

Lessons and discussions continue till dawn if and when their issues
are tough and the atmosphere gets hot. The members come to the site
from across the country. The 15 key members of the institute, who
had practiced at their own clinics, have recently joined hands for
the operation of cosy general clinics in Socho-dong and Mok-dong,
both Seoul, and each one in Taegu and Pusan.

Kim hopes to establish a well-equipped college in the United States
to spread the superiority of oriental medicine to what he thinks
the "heart of Western medical science." He has held seminars on
oriental medical theories and practices and displayed his excellent
expertise to American doctors regularly. He has also frequently
visited Russia, Uzbekistan, China and Thailand as well as Japan to
treat foreign patients there.

Prof. Cho Byung-hee of Seoul National University's Graduate School
for Health, says it is a great development for an increasing number
of medical doctors has now been keenly interested in
acupuncture. "They had given a deliberate snub to oriental medicine
so far."