The history of KOSA Acupuncture is thoroughly explained, including details on how Japanese Five Element Acupuncture is derived from and is essentially a copycat of KOSA.
The photo at the top was taken on August 26, 1962, during the 5th graduation ceremony.
Contents:
- Invention Of Saahm Acupuncture
- Grandmaster, Rhee, JaeWon
- Great Master Jo, GyoungHwa
- Great Master Kim, HyungGwan
- Master Kim, Darsn
- Master Kim, Byoungsoon
Invention Of Saahm Acupuncture
According to the legend, a Korean ascetic whose penname is SaAhm (사암, 舍岩, pronounces Sa of saccharine and Ahm of arm) invented. It is said that he was an ascetic of the Great Buhdist Monk, SaMyung (사명대사, 泗溟大師, 1544 – 1610, Buddist name – his birth name was 임(任) 응규(應奎)), and stayed in a cave for 13 years to invent his acupuncture including formulas of how to foster, subdue, quench, and heat organs.
For your information, the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was the former kingdom that preceded the modern-day Republic of Korea.
Since the formula developed by Saahm consists of four acupuncture points, it is sometimes referred to as “four-needle acupuncture.” However, this term can lead to a misunderstanding, suggesting that acupuncturists are restricted to using only four needles in treatment. In reality, the number of needles used in Saahm acupuncture can vary significantly, ranging from just one to as many as 24, depending on the patient’s needs.
In the past, Japan paid tribute to Korea, acknowledging its influence and cultural significance. However, in an attempt to address its internal issues, Japan launched an invasion of Korea in 1592, which continued until 1598, inflicting severe damage on the country.
The impact of this invasion included:
- The death of approximately 180,000 to 1,000,000 people, including civilians, with countless women subjected to assault.
- The destruction of 66% of Korea’s farms, devastated the agricultural foundation of the nation.
- The theft and burning of numerous valuable buildings, artworks, books, and cultural assets, with the aim of inflicting as much damage as possible on Korea’s cultural heritage.
- The abduction of tens of thousands of individuals, including artists, skilled workers, and craftsmen, ultimately contributed to Japan’s cultural development at Korea’s expense.
I will refrain from detailing the numerous atrocities committed by Japan against Korea, driven by greed and inhumane acts—such as killing, theft, assault, destruction, cultural suppression, and attempts to eradicate the Korean language—as there are far too many instances to recount. Despite these actions, Japan has yet to express genuine remorse for its past deeds toward Korea.
The true identity, birth, and death details of Ascetic Saahm remain unknown. To honor his legacy, his acupuncture practice is referred to as Saahm acupuncture.
He is credited with authoring the following two books:
- 사암오행침구총론(舍岩五行針灸總論, General Remarks of SaAhm Five Elements Acupuncture and Moxibustion) – the original text of SaAhm Acupuncture’s theory
- 사암음양오행침구요결(舍岩陰陽五行針灸要訣, The Secret of SaAhm Yin-Yang Five Elements Acupuncture and Moxibustion) – the treatment records of Ascetic SaAhm
It is believed that Saahm acupuncture was introduced to Japanese practitioners by Korean acupuncturists who were abducted during the Japanese invasion of Korea. Despite this historical context, there have been claims that five-element acupuncture originated in Japan, similar to how Japan has also asserted that curry was a Japanese invention. These assertions are not supported by historical evidence and do not accurately reflect the true origins of these practices.
Toyohari’s website reads as follows.
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 remarkable coincidence spanning 400 years! It raises an interesting question: how could blind practitioners have developed this specific form of acupuncture? The creation of such a method typically originates from an individual’s insight rather than the collective work of a group. I find it unlikely that there are any credible documents proving that blind acupuncturists invented the five-element acupuncture. If such claims exist, they may very well be inaccurate or misleading.
Grandmaster, Rhee, JaeWon
Grandmaster Rhee, JaeWon (?-1967), is pictured second from the right in the front row. On November 1, 1955, an article by Grandmaster Rhee about Saahm acupuncture was featured on the first page of the Japanese publication 醫道 (The Way of Medicine, Volume 14, Issue 11). In 1958, he went on to author two influential books on the subject (https://ochim-com.translate.goog/kosa/general/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp);
- 사암오행침구총론(舍岩五行針灸總論, General Remarks of SaAhm Five Elements Acupuncture and Moxibustion) – the original text of SaAhm Acupuncture’s theory
- 사암음양오행침구요결(舍岩陰陽五行針灸要訣, The Secret of SaAhm Yin-Yang Five Elements Acupuncture and Moxibustion) – the treatment records of Ascetic SaAhm
Grandmaster Rhee stated that the Japanese Five-Element Acupuncture is a derivative of Ascetic Saahm’s original acupuncture method.
The largest publishing company in Korea specializing in Korean and Oriental medicine illegally reproduced the book *舍岩陰陽五行針灸要訣* (The Secret of SaAhm Yin-Yang Five Elements Acupuncture and Moxibustion) under a fictitious author name, publishing it under the different title *사암도인침구요결* (The Ascetic SaAhm’s Secret of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) in 2001. Unfortunately, their version contained numerous typos and omissions. The owner of the publishing company later apologized to my father for this infringement after the crime was uncovered following Grandmaster Rhee’s passing. My brother was present during that meeting.
As a result, many people mistakenly believe the counterfeit version is the original due to its greater popularity compared to Grandmaster Rhee’s work. This situation highlights that popularity does not necessarily equate to correctness, accuracy, or truth. Many individuals attempting to learn SaAhm acupuncture from this book face challenges, as it is based on treatment records rather than comprehensive instructional materials. Consequently, their efforts may resemble studying for standardized tests rather than engaging with formal educational resources, leading to inevitable difficulties in their learning journey.
Grandmaster was so good at the pulse diagnosis that he asked patients not to tell him their conditions during their initial visits even during their continued visits. After his pulse diagnosis, he told patients what symptoms they would have and his diagnosis was correct most of the time. Of course, he had never failed to help his patients.
Grandmaster’s book is in the library of 東洋鍼灸専門学校(Toyoshinkyusenmon School, Google Maps at https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqsniMZ7qQC91BWQ7 and its website at https://www.toyoshinkyu.ac.jp/) in Tokyo, Japan. Dukyoung Kim (one of my brother, Darsn Kim’s students and he helps his patients in Japan with KOSA (Korean Orthox Saahm Acupuncture, hereinafter)) has been translating his book into Korean. The following links are his translations from Japanese into Korean in PDF. Of course, you can read it in English using Google Translate, although the translation is not as accurate as you hope.
- https://saahm.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/李在元陰陽五行治療法の研究195511月%E3%80%80kj%E3%80%800917.pdf
- https://saahm.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/李在元の舎岩陰陽五行鍼法医道の日本195512%E3%80%80한국어_일본어역.pdf
Great Master Jo, GyoungHwa
My mother, Jo GyungHwa (1931-2013), is pictured second from the left in the front row of the photo. She learned KOSA acupuncture before my father and was exceptionally skilled in treating her patients. Her reputation was so well-regarded that people would line up as far as 10 yards just to receive her care.
Great Master Kim, HyungGwan
My father, Kim HyungGwan (1920-2014), is pictured in the back row wearing a tie. Initially, he was envious of my mother, Jo GyungHwa (1931-2013), for her skill in KOSA acupuncture, which led him to study it alongside her. When they moved to Seoul in 1966 (when I was 10 years old), my mother stopped practicing KOSA, while my father continued to treat patients and went on to teach the technique to over 1,000 individuals, including acupuncturists, medical doctors, and people with no medical background.
Around the same time they relocated to Seoul, various individuals began to falsely claim that they had reinvented or rediscovered SaAhm acupuncture, leading to the spread of inaccurate teachings. In response to these misconceptions, my father sought to preserve the authenticity of the original SaAhm acupuncture. To distinguish his teachings from these imitations, he named his approach “Orthodox SaAhm Acupuncture.”
In 1990, he authored the book *사암오행침구총론 (正統 舍岩五行針灸總論, General Remarks of SaAhm Acupuncture and Moxibustion)* to further educate practitioners. His expertise in pulse diagnosis was on par with that of Grandmaster Rhee, and he even discovered a method to enhance KOSA acupuncture’s effectiveness beyond what Grandmaster Rhee had taught.
Since my father was unlicensed, many of his students—who later achieved fame and wealth—felt uncomfortable acknowledging him as their teacher. Some even falsely claimed to have invented a specific type of acupuncture themselves, despite using only a small portion of my father’s teachings.
For context, KyungHee University, the first acupuncture college in Korea, did not begin teaching SaAhm acupuncture until 1997. Prior to this, acupuncturists who lacked formal training in SaAhm acupuncture had to learn from practitioners in the field, regardless of whether these teachers were licensed or the quality of their instruction.
Master Kim, Darsn
My brother, Kim Darsn, currently teaches KOSA acupuncture in Seoul, Korea.
Master Kim, Byoungsoon
My father had always wanted me to become an acupuncturist and encouraged me to attend acupuncture college. In 1974, I applied to Kyunghee University to honor his wishes, as well as Korea University as a secondary option. To our surprise, Korea University offered me a full scholarship, which we couldn’t afford to turn down, so I ended up majoring in Electrical Engineering.
In 2003, my father began teaching me his acupuncture techniques, and by 2004, I started teaching KOSA acupuncture to acupuncturists, medical doctors, and individuals without any medical background across the country. Despite my limited experience with needles at the time, neither KOSA nor I have been surpassed in effectiveness.
In 2011, I authored the book The Silver Bullet, KOSA (Korean Orthodox Saahm Acupuncture) – NeedleLess Acupuncture. To learn more about the book, please visit The Silver Bullet, Authored by Master Kim | KOSA Acupuncture.
Our powerful testimonials, which you can explore at KOSA Acupuncture Testimonials, highlight the remarkable effectiveness of KOSA, with an almost 100% success rate. To read more about these amazing experiences, visit our testimonials page.
I have also uploaded a recording of my brother’s narration on the history of KOSA to YouTube. Although you can use the platform’s automatic translation feature to access various languages, please note that some translations may be slightly inaccurate.
