When I was
studying, during vocational school and later in a general hospital
where the son of SHIROTA BUNSHI (Shirota Fumihiko) had set up a
"Research Institute for Oriental Medicine", I read the
books of late Shirota Bunshi sensei. At that time MOST people in the
field knew him and his books, which most definitely had a major
influence on the development of postwar acupuncture in Japan. And
they are about the ONLY source of information pertaining to master
Bunshi's own master: SAWADA KEN sensei.
Even
after extensive search I did not find, however, any English (or other
languages, with the exception of a pirated Chinese book) translation.
I was once even asked by an American person running an acupuncture
clinic in the States visiting me in my clinic, to find some spare
time to translate Shirota sensei's book(s) into English, since he
really wanted to know, what the original text said and not only read
reports ABOUT those books.
Feeling
very honored by that suggestion, I proposed to start with "鍼灸真髄"
(Essentials of Acupuncture).
However
… I did ask the publisher of the Japanese version several times and
even proposed to translate the book and publish it for free as an
ebook, but was denied the right to do so because of "copyright
reasons". And that even though the wife of late Shirota Fumihiko
sensei asked his "deciples" (of which I seem to be a
member) to spread the knowledge of this outstanding master.
Since
said copyright will be in place for another 18 years, I do not think,
I will ever be able to translate that book in my remaining lifetime.
