World Teoul Moon Healing Arts Association

Korean Herald article published 4-2-99.

Deadly hands? healing touch; Korean kung-fu master Yim Hon-Suk blends the yang of martial arts with the yin of alternative therapies

By Andrew Salmon Contributing writer

The martial arts: a series of predominantly Oriental disciplines which, when correctly taught and practiced, are said to lead their practitioners down the road to health, personal tranquility and spiritual well being.

But, realistically speaking, how often do martial artists truly achieve this enviable state? In reality, it is common to meet martial arts teachers who openly and vocally disrespect other systems and instructors, who build up organizations for reasons of profit rather than for spreading their arts, who falsify their training backgrounds, lineages and histories, and whose generally egotistical behavior leaves much to be desired.

Then there is the overly violent and bastardized versions of martial arts frequently featured in popular entertainment, and the involvement of martial artists in gangs; the Chinese triads use kung-fu gyms as recruiting grounds for members, and there is a close association between the yakuza and certain Japanese martial arts organizations (just as there has always been an unhealthy link between mobs in the West and professional boxing). How many senior instructors, having ascended close to the pinnacle of skill, continue to personally train, teach and experiment, in an effort to embody the principles of their arts?

Enter Songtan-based 47-year-old Master Yim Hon-Suk, one of Korea's leading instructors of the Chinese art of kung-fu. An ex-champion himself, and the trainer of the current world champion Pak Chan-dae, Yim is one of the few Korean instructors with a truly global organization. In his capacity as head instructor of the World Teoul Moon Kung-fu Association, he is frequently invited to give seminars abroad, particularly in Japan and the U.S.

In his 31 years of training and teaching, he has mastered various styles: Hung-Ga (Tiger-Crane Boxing, the system popularized by the near-legendary exponent Huang Fei Hong); Shaolin Chuan (the style of the famous Shaolin Temple); Tang Lang Chuan (Praying Mantis Boxing, a vicious system from Shandong, based on the movements of the insect); Pa Kua Chang (8 Triagrams palm, a complex art originating in the theory of the I-Ching) and Tai Chi Chuan (Supreme Ultimate Boxing, named after the Taoist theory of Yin and Yang ? the supreme ultimate in Taoist philosophy). When he goes through his paces there is little doubt of his expertise; while performing solo routines, he moves with fluid grace; when faced with an opponent, with a wicked quickness that belies his age. His skills are impressive; at a recent workshop at Seoul's Swiss Grand Hotel, he withstood the push of 6 large men while standing on one leg, then demonstrated a one inch strike which moved five men. But where does one go after gaining such a high level of skill, winning national and international titles, training others to do the same, and building up a worldwide organization?

Closely associated with the Chinese martial arts are a series of therapeutic exercises known as Chi-Gong (in Korean, Ki-Gong; loosely translated as energy, vital force or breath work) which combine specialized postures with deep breathing, concentration and meditation; it is these exercises that Yim is now concentrating upon to move his practices and instruction to the next level. A student of chi-gong for the last 20 years, Yim is currently researching, treating patients and teaching these practices.

There are actually various forms of chi-gong, both traditional and modern; some are associated with martial arts, some with religion, some with scholarly pursuits such as calligraphy; others are concerned solely with health promotion. Despite extensive research in China and the West, there is as yet no scientific rationale for the existence of chi. Some researchers believe chi-gong exercise oxygenates the blood; others claim chi is a form of electro-magnetic energy; traditionalists believe that it is a bio-energy or life force that flows through a series of invisible meridians in the body (as are used in acupuncture). What is clear is that chi-gong exercise has gone through a major renaissance in the Far East over recent years (in Korea for example, Dan Jun Hop classes have mushroomed dramatically nationwide in this decade), and has also caught on in the West, where it, and allied forms of alternative medicine such as acupuncture and acupressure are now being seriously examined by medical professionals and insurers as viable forms of preventative medicine and rehabilitative therapy. "Spiritual chi-gong can be dangerous," said Yim, adding, "I teach a system of martial chi-gong, which prepares the body for the traumas of intensive training, and health chi-gong, which can dramatically improve one's quality of life."

What are the benefits of these innocuous-looking exercises? "Chi-gong regulates blood pressure, pulse and metabolic rates, and lowers oxygen demand," said Yim. Testimonials from patients indicate that it relieves chronic back pain, hypertension, arthritis, diabetes and stress; in China, empirical data also demonstrates that specialized chi-gong has the potential to cure certain types of cancer. Although chi-gong's effects are not usually apparent immediately, Yim has been responsible for a number of dramatic cures; in a seminar in Hawaii last year, an elderly lady with serious arthritis in her knees was able to walk perfectly after only a few minutes of chi-gong. This year in Japan, Yim released some trapped nerves in the back of the sumo grand champion Akebono, a result U.S. physical therapists were unable to achieve. In addition to chi-gong, Yim is also experimenting with other forms of alternative health, such as chi-charged water and the use of pyramid and star shaped devices to channel energy and overcome the negative electrical frequencies which he believes emanate from electrical appliances.

For the curious, he offers this exercise; stand with feet shoulder width apart, legs straight, hands level with the navel and relax. Close the eyes, place the tongue in the roof of the mouth and breathe naturally and slowly, using the lower diaphragm. After 11 breaths, lower the hands slowly until they are hanging downward, then repeat as many times as is convenient. This simple exercise is the basis Yim's chi-gong system, and over a period will improve posture, increase sensitivity to one's internal body, and regulate internal functions. "There are no obvious shortcuts in chi-gong," said Yim.

"But nor are there any obvious limits to how far one can progress." Although his views and practices may appear unorthodox, there is little doubt that Yim is a man of rare talent, knowledge and enthusiasm, who is always willing to discuss (in fluent English) or demonstrate his theories, and who hopes to spread his practices in order to help deal with the heavy stress loads and unhealthy lifestyles which plague modern society. In sum, here is a martial artist who can heal and harm, a human embodiment of the harmonious juxtaposition of opposites which lies at the heart of Chinese medical and martial theory: Yin and Yang.

Master Yim can be contacted at 31-663-9967.