Korean Medicine - where have you been?

by Joh, Byung-jin (grade 2)

Complementary medicine never had such a field day. The Pax Complementa seems to have begun. They're holistic, they emphasize an unknown life force, and they also cater to the patient's body and mental state. All points not included in the Western Medicine package. And the western public is going wild. With all the new therapies and treatments on the medical market, it's hard enough just to keep track of the names of the important ones. But even so, two big names firmly hold the top: Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM). And Korean medicine is still at the bottom of the list. It isn't even in some of the bigger medical dictionaries. Though it has a history of many thousands of years, right now no one seems to know - and care - about it.

What makes this difference? Someone slightly interested in Korean medicine could give off the answer right away. The biggest problem is that there isn't much to distinguish Korean medicine from the reigning TCM. Korean medicine, in large part, actually has similarity to TCM. They share their basic theoretical ground. The many millenniums spent together has rendered the whole Northeast Asian medical culture alike. In effect, they share a lot of treatments in common, such as acupuncture and moxibustion. It would be strange if the observer noticed the difference between the two medicines at a glance.

And there are other reasons for the lack of demand for Korean Medicine. One is that it simply isn't advertised enough. Other medicines like TCM have established many educational institutions out of their homeland. But Korean Medicine has been tardy in doing just that, And now it's paying a price. Because of the aforesaid similarity to TCM, universities with such courses do not feel the need for courses based on Korean Medicine. Besides, the graduates of these universities have formed a little community of their own. So now they have a frail but growing chain of understanding between TCM, the provider, and recipients such as European nations and the U.S. This kind of reaction leads up to their policy makers. It's natural they approve only of TCM but not of Korean Medicine. The situation has gone on for quite a period of time, and now TCM has given the world an image of being the one and foremost medicine in Northeast Asia.

Another cause of this problem is that our efforts to show the benefits of Korean Medicine are not being accepted as proof. The experiments are not thought of as having been properly performed and recorded, and what's more, the thesis are not being made in internationally acceptable formats. Only a trifling number of experts on Korean Medicine have English skills that live up to their medical abilities. So, the numerous theories of Korean Medicine coming into existence are known only to groups of practitioners in Korea. And even with the language skills, the test results are not systematic enough to be considered scientific proof, solid ground on which claims can be made.

But seen from a closer point of view, there definitely are differences. Theories on the body branch out, and the application of the treatment vary consequently. Two main Korean theories are regarded as absolutely original and what's more, practical: the Sasang Constitutional theory and the Saam theory. The gist of the former is that all people have a main constitution, like in Dosha of Ayurvedic medicine. But Sasang Constitution has four constitutions, and is suited for use in the Oriental medical system. Different cures are applied for different constitutions. And the latter has to do mostly with the Meridians, a path through which Ki moves. It says that the Meridian differs from person to person, and it also varies within a person depending on the person's emotions. So, this theory is usually applied in the use of acupuncture and moxibustion. Other theories are mostly composed of acupuncture theories and are subsequently less important, but notable among them are the Taegeuk and Eight Constitution Theory. The Taegeuk theory is based on the same grounds as is Sasang Constitutional Theory, and the Eight Constitution Theory is noticeable for its uses in practice.

The argument that these examples are not enough to distinguish Korean Medicine from TCM is not going to be answered in this piece. Be that as it may, it is clear that the written paragraphs above is capable of being added to mankind's search for a complete cure.

It is evident that the material we hold should be released into the global community. For this purpose, education holds the key. Through education, advertisement and acceptance of ideas can be achieved at once. Putting the meaning into the language of the users through teaching implicates both the spreading and redefinition of ideas.

The road has already been paved. People are ready to accept our contribution to Aesculapius's temple. Our task is to put the contribution on the altar, that is to say, advertise it and put it in the global language, English. It would be up to the public to decide whether if it goes under the name of Korean Medicine or something else.