A Brief History of Karate
What we call karatedo (空手道), or simply karate, is of Okinawan origin. But like all martial arts, its roots run deep into the history of mankind. Karatedo originated from Ti (Te in Japanese), the indigenous martial art of Okinawa. Okinawa is one of many islands in the Ryukyu island chain, which at one point in history was the Ryukyu Kingdom, a center of trade and cultural exchange. Chinese settlers from Fujian, merchants from all over Asia, and other migrants to the island played significant roles in the development of Okinawa-te and Okinawan Karatedo.
According to legend, martial arts began at the Shaolin Temple in China. In reality, humans have practiced fighting arts as long as there have been humans. But because of folklore, fiction, and film, the Shaolin Temple has become symbolic as the birthplace of martial arts. Legends also claim that an Indian monk named Bodhidharma ( literally “teaching of enlightenment”) traveled to China and taught local Buddhist monks exercises called dao yin (导引) that later developed into Chinese boxing, or kung fu (功夫). But like many religious founders of legend, there is no concrete evidence of Bodhidharma’s existence or his connection to dao yin. In fact, dao yin was practiced in China centuries before Bodhidharma’s legendary pilgrimage. Regardless of their origin, dao yin and the arts that spang from it influenced numerous martial systems that spread across the country and beyond.
Trade between Okinawa and China began in 1372. Two decades later 36 Families of Min immigrated from Fujian, birthplace of White Crane Kung Fu and home of the Southern Shaolin Temple. These 36 Families introduced Chinese martial arts to the island, thus beginning the centuries-long evolution that would result in modern day karate. Imperial weapon prohibitions in the 15th and 17th centuries spurred the development of the empty-handed art which would eventually develop further into regional arts known as Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te, each with its own distinct characteristics. Notable karatedo masters like Choki Motobu and Kenwa Mabuni mastered more than one system of Okinawa-te before developing their own styles of karatedo.
One of the major contributors to the development of Okinawa-te was Sakugawa “Tode” Kanga. Sakugawa trained with the famous Chinese master Kūsankū and was the teacher of Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura, bodyguard for the Okinawan monarchy and great-grandfather of Hohan Soken. Matsumura traveled to China, studying at the Shaolin Temple and training White Crane Kung Fu in Fujian. He returned to Okinawa to teach a synthesis of Okinawa-te and Chinese martial arts that would be the foundation for Shorin-ryu (Shaolin style) Karatedo, though he likely called it “Chinese hand” (唐手) and not “empty hand” (空手) as it is called today.
Sokon Matsumura had many famous students, including Anko Itosu, whose student Chōshin Chibana coined the termed Shorin-ryu in 1933; and Gichin Funakoshi, who spread Karatedo to Japan in the 1920s and founded a style called Shotokan. Other notable students of Mastumura include Anko Asato, Choyu Motobu, Choki Motobu, Kentsu Yabu, Hanashiro Chomo, Chotoku Kyan, and Nabe Matsumura, Sokon’s own grandson and teacher of Hohan Soken. Eventually, “Chinese hand” was changed to “empty hand,” and the word do (道) was added to emphasize the way or path that a person embarks upon when he decides to practice karate.
After WWII, karatedo began to spread rapidly throughout the world. A student of Choki Motobu, buddhist missionary from China Tong Gee Hsing, was living in the British Solomon Islands. There he met Robert Trias and taught him the karatedo he had learned from Motobu in Okinawa. Trias later opened the first karate dojo in the US and developed a style of karatedo called Shuri-ryu. In 1969, Roy Suenaka was stationed in Okinawa where he met and trained with Matsumura Shorin-ryu Sensei Hohan Soken. In 1977, Sensei Suenaka started his own dojo in Charleston, South Carolina, where he taught Aikido and Shorin-ryu Karatedo until his death in 2020.
Hokkon-ho Karatejutsu
Hokkon-ho Karatejutsu is nearly identical to Matsumura Hakusturu Shorin-ryu Karatedo with changes made only to certain methods of training and pedagogy. We call this Karatejutsu instead of Karatedo because it is but one of three fighting arts that contribute to the Way of Hokkon-ho. Karatejutsu training focuses on:
- developing a rooted structure through Karatejutsu Kihon practice;
- testing this structure through partner drills, kumite, and other exercises.
All training in Hokkon-ho Karatejutsu is founded upon four basic principles.
Four Basic Principles of Hokkon-ho
The following are basic principles that apply to the practice of Karatejutsu Kihon, as well as the Aiki-taiso and Qigong exercises. At all times one should be mindful of these principles, even when not practicing Hokkon-ho Budo.
- Relax the mind and body.
- Sink the hips and tuck the tailbone.
- Begin all movement with the feet.
- Become one with your opponent.
Hokkon-ho Karate Kihon
Karate Kihon—like Aiki-Taiso and Taikyokuken Kiko—are the foundation for Hokkon-ho Karatejutsu training. Kihon Kata Dai is a set that should be performed regularly. The techniques are adapted from movements found in Okinawan Karatedo and Tai Chi Chuan. The order of the exercises is important, though the number of repetitions can be adapted to suit your training time—these exercises can be done in 30 minutes or practiced for several hours. The following video is intended to support students of Hokkon-ho Budo and is not intended to be the sole source of instruction for the Karate Kihon.