IsshinRyu History

     Man to man combat through ages of mankind
The origins of Karate if we think about what meant since ever "man to man empty hand combat" root somewhere in the darkness of the ancient history of Egypt. There we can see images and artifacts showing scenes of what seems to be the first striking techniques involving punches and kicks. The first pretty accurate descriptions of man-to-man combat as both Martial Art and Martial Sport come from ancient Greece. Greek Pankration was a very advanced form of Martial Art, with the whole arsenal of punches, kicks, throws, groundfight, and last but not least some very unorthodox procedures like twisting fingers, biting etc. At the Olympic games of the time, where such fights seem to have been utmostly popular, rules, if any, were very permissive, the defeated fighter ending not infrequently crippled or even dead.Pankration was also used to prepare fighters for warfare, not only as a fighting sport. An incident is quoted by the chronographers of the time in the army of Alexander the Great, related to a harsh rivalry between two generals, a Greek and a Macedonian. To end the feud, Alexander ordered the rivals to have a "monomachy", that is - a duel. When the time to fight came, the Macedonian presented himself with the regular attire of an infantry soldier of the time - armour, shield, helmet, spear and sword. To the surprise of all, the Greek came naked and oiled, and armed with a mere staff. It was the way of Olympic athletes to enter in a fight. At the signal to proceed, the Macedonian threw his spear, easily dodged by the Greek, then attempted to assault by pulling out his sword. But before this could happen, the Greek blocked his arm with the staff and did a jointlock, breaking his limb. This episode, which made quite some noise among the warriors of the age to survive in a chronicle, allows us to have an image of a very evolved and sophisticated technique in Martial Arts of the ancient Greeks.
     The next stage in the development of what was the Martial Arts of antiquity, before "Martial Arts" arriving to mean pretty much of an Orient-related idea, was ancient Rome. The fights of the gladiators reached a very sophisticated arsenal of weaponry, but empty hand combat was also regular. The hands of the fighters were wrapped in leather stripes with lead or brass plates attached, a thing scarcely to be called "empty hand" known as caestus. Another type of fight involved a metal spur attached to the fist - the myrmex, the effects of the strikes are to be imagined. Gladiators and pugilists were prepared in special schools by "doctors" and teachers, often themselves ex-gladiators who survived to be set free for their fortitude.
In those days it seems that the Orient was in possession of very evolved systems of weapon combat, but much less empty hand. The single testimonies from China witness some contests among fighters wearing some sort of horns and trying to win against eachother by bullying themselves ! Instead, the art of the sword reached a climax of refinement and profficiency.
We can assume that some Greek and Roman techniques of fighting were spread into Orient either by itinerant merchants, or perhaps during the campaigns of Alexander the Great himself, as they reached the border of India. Combined with what could be the native people's systems of fighting, this resulted in the Indian schools of Kalaripayit, Varma Kalai etc., the lineage of which survives till nowadays.
China
    Around 6-th century A.C. the Buddhist monk Boddhidharma arrives in China to preach the Dhyana Buddhism - a current inside Buddhist religion based on meditation, later known as Chan in China and Zen in Japan. It is said that, before dedicating himself to the monastic ideal, Boddhidharma was a prince of high lineage and was trained in Kalaripayit. He reached the Shaolin Temple, which was established only since some decades at that time. The monks, athough buddhists themselves, but belonging to another school, first mocked him. Then Boddhidharma isolated himself for 9 years in a cave to meditate whilst facing the rock wall all the time. This almost super-human effort impressed the previously reluctant monks, and they all were converted to the Dhyana school.
     Since then Shaolin monastery became the center from which spread the new current. Boddhidharma (Da Mo in Chinese) teached the monks, apart meditation techniques, some sets of fighting routines and two energetic exercises to have their body wellbeing maintained across the harsh meditation sessions.Da Mo's fighting exercises were further developed and improved by the monks, with the aim of self-defense, and of safeguard of the monastery against the attacks of the gangs of robbers. The originry forms rooted a very complex system of Martial Arts, with dozens of schools, some very different in respect to eachother, and with endless number of routines for both empty hand and weapons. During history, Shaolin Temple represented often a support for those persecuted by the Imperial govern, or a stronghold of the resistance against abuses on its own account, for more than 1400 years. . It was burned to ashes several times, but each time the monks came back when peace was restored and built back their sanctuary. Some of these fugitive monks spread and established other Shaolin-derived temples, such as Emei Shaolin, but also Martial Arts styles issued by those who chose to return to civil life or by their disciples. The other root of the Chinese Martial Arts goes to mountain Wutang, center of the Taoist religion, with even an older history. During the ancient days, these stylists were known as extraordinary sword masters. Through their practice, some reached the conclusion that immitating some animals by posture or by way of moving can have a strong influence upon the fighting abilities, physical and psychic.
    This was the ground to grow upon for the "Daoin" type of exercises. These, and the "animal styles" issued later the "Internal styles" such as Xing Yi, Tai Chi, and, at the end of XVIII-th and beggining of XIX-th century - the Bagua. Animal styles such as Tiger, Snake, Praying Mantis, Crane etc. were reputed by their dreadful efficiency. Chinese styles at the beggining of XX-th century were counted to as many as 400. China was the pivotal place for spreading of Martial Arts in the whole Far-East.
Coreea
     During the 5-th century A.C. the territory of Korea of nowadays was split into three kingdoms - Silla, Koguryo and Baek-Je. These were continuously feuding, and Silla, being also the smallest as area was often conquered and ravaged. A group of patriots among the young nobles established then an alliance, a fighter brotherhood called Hwarang Do (the path of valiant men). The aim was to build an army able to face the continuous threat. This brotherhood cherished five basic principles : to be loyal to the King, to respect one's parents, to be honest with one's friends, not to backoff ever in a fight and to kill only for just reasons.
The Hwarang-Do members were experts in various Martial Arts, such as Tang Soo (a variation of the Northern Chinese Kung Fu), sword and other hand weapons, bow, horse riding, and the "black art" Sulsa, a sort of Korean Ninjutsu. At a certain point they became so fiersome that they did not only protect the Sulsa kingdom against all enemies, but managed to unite all the Korean kingdoms into one and install the peace among the whole nation.
During the later time, Hwarang Do lost many of its innitial strenght due to the longstanding peace which made fighters lack the very innitial motivation. Thus, there were other forms of combat emerging, less directly related with the warfare, such as Soo Bhak Gee and Tae Kyon. Tae Kyon became actually a national fighting sport. It contains spectacular kicks, jumps and also throws, locks and strangles, the fighters were allowed to strike fullcontact but no punching to the head was permitted. In the past there were contests among villages at feast and bets were set on the fighters.When Japan conquered Korea again at the beggining of the 20-th century, all the Korean Martial Arts were prohibited and the Japanese allowed only Judo and Kendo. The Korean martial arts became symbols of the resistance against the invaders and were practiced in secrecy.
As Japanese domination ended, the Korean Martial Arts had a revival. The Tae Kyon and Komdo (Korean fencing) contests were held again. The Korean masters who studied Japanese Karate styles issued a new national sport - the Tae Kwon Do, combining elements of Karate with techniques deriving from the local Martial Arts. There are other styles having evolved to be known today as Korean but having emerged actually from Japanese arts - the Tang Soo Do, having had Shotokan background, Tae Kwon Do ITF (created by General Choy Hong Hi by combining elements of Shotokan and Kyokushinkai with techniques from traditional Korean Martial arts), Tae Kwon Do WTF (a combination of Karate and Tae Kyon which became an Olympic sport), Hapkido (a combination of Aikido and traditional Korean elements).
Hwarang Do, instead, never ceased to exist. A very complex martial art, it was transmitted among generations having inherited and enriched a considerable technical arsenal. Starting with 14-th century, Hwarang Do lost the innitial meaning of pure warfare discipline and became a school of Martial Arts.
     In 1940, the Lee brothers (Joo Bang and Joo Sang) become the disciples of a Buddhist monk who was the 57-th Grandmaster of the Hwarang lineage and in 1969 Joo Bang became the 58-th Grandmaster, starting to overtly teach and spread the style to the public. Hwarang Do is now regarded as part of the cultural Korean heritage and the Govern of South Korea supports its expansion officially.
Okinawa
     Forme de Arte Martiale inspecial cu bastonul se intilnesc aici din zorii istoriei. Clasa luptatorilor okinawieni “bushi” practicind un complex de Arte Martiale cu arme (baston lung, sabie, halebarda, sai) si fara arme cu multe influente chinezesti.
     In jurul anului 1400 regele Sho Hanshi interzice portul armelor de catre populatie de frica rascoalelor. Se amorseaza practice, o adevarata frenezie a antrenemetelor ilegale fara arme sau in minuirea unor arme neconventionale cum ar fi uneletele agricole. Daca ne gindim ca insulele Ryu Kyu (arhipelagul Okinawa) a fost dintotdeauna in calea schimbului de marfuri intre Coreea, Japonia, China, Taiwan si Filipine ne putem imagina ca erau si un paradis al pirateriei. Acelasi rege, aduce in scopul dezvoltarii economice si culturale a regatului 36 de familii chinezesti de mestesugari pe care ii aseaza in oraselul Kumemura in apropierea capitalei istorice a Okinawei, Shuri. Printre acestia se gaseau practicanti si chiar maestri de Arte Martiale.
     Victoria clanului Tokugawa in razboaiele civile de sucesiune la tronul shogunal in 1600 asupra clanului Satsuma a dus la exilarea celor din urma pe insula Okinawa. Locuitorii Okinawei s-au aparat cu indirjire, dar razboinicii japonezi mai bine echipati si antrenati cuceresc pina la urma Okinawa impunind un regim extrem de dur. Interesant este ca au aplicat aceeasi forma de organizare ca in Japonia: regele (vasal curtii imperiale a Chinei) domnea in continuare si avea unele puteri, inclusive curte regala, proprietati si guvern dar conducerea efectiva (gen shogunala) era a clanului Satsuma. Japonezii au inasprit interdictia impusa de Sho Hanshi ajungindu-se sa fie interzise toate obiectele de fier taietoare. Nu exista decit un singur cutit in sat legat cu un lant in piata publica si pazit de un soldat japonez.
     Teroare impusa okinawienilor (din care o sa dau numai un exemplu: la inceput femeile okinawiene gravide in ultimele luni erau obligate sa sara peste o crevasa lata de 3 m intre care era o prapastie, care reusea sa sara bine, care nu…) a dus la o intensificare a luptei de rezistenta si implicit a antrenementelor de Arte Martiale. In acea perioada practicantii de To De (asa cum se numea acest proto Karate) nu-si permiteau nici o gresala, fiind ca atunci cind te luptai cu un samurai miza era: ori i-l omori ori te omoara el pe tine! Aceste chestii ii face pe luptatorii de Karate sa fie mai apropiati, spiritual vorbind de ninja decit de samurai.
     Schimburile intense de informatii cu China a dus la rafinarea Artelor Martiale okinawiene. Multi dintre luptatorii okinawieni devin maestri in Artele Martiale chinezesti, inspecial in stiluri provenind din sudul Chinei. In sec. XVIII apar figuri celebre a luptei antijaponeze si in acelasi timp experti in Arte Martiale, inspecial chinezesti, cum ar fi Yara din Chatan si Sakugawa. Yara era un luptator pentru libertate care a stat multi ani in China iar in Okinawa a fost si elevul atasatului militarchinez Kwang Shan Ku care a predat o forma devenita celebra in Karate-ul zilelor noastre: Kushanku sau Kankudai. Forma “Kushanku” a fost din start predata in doua modalitati: lui Sakugawa care era expert in trinta okinawiana (Te) un Kushanku mai brut cu mai multe lovituri fara prea multe subtilitati si lui Yara care era expert in Kung Fu, un Kushanku cu multe “chinezarii”, tehnici subtile de atac a punctelor vitale si chei.
     Kushanku va sta la baza sistemelor de Karate din timpurile noastre. Un alt Kata atestat in aceasta perioada si transmis in Okinawa tot de un atasat military chinez este Wanshu. O scoala de familie care a rezistat din acele timpuri pina in zilele noastre este Kojo Ryu. Celebra in secolele XVIII-XIX pentru luptatorii formidabili scosi de aceasta scoala. Kojo Ryu de fapt este o scoala chineza venita in Okinawa odata cu cele “36 de familii” si care s-a dezvoltata apoi aici. In sec. XIX ajunsesera sa aiba un Dojo in Fukien, in China iar scoala era atit de celebra incit se spunea: “cind vorbesti de Kojo, vorbesti de Karate”.
     In secolul XIX incepe sa se defineasca trei curente in Karate-ul Okinawian: Shuri Te cu miscari energice in general liniare de provenienta Shaolin de Nord, Nanha Te cu multe miscari strinse, circulare influentat mai mult de stilurile din sudul Chinei si Tomari te cu miscari echilibrate rezultat ca o sinteza a primelor doua si numite asa dupa localitatile de provenienta.Shuri Te este curentul din acre s-au dezvoltat Shorin Ryu-ul cu subscolile lui: Kobayashi, Matsubayashi, Matsumura Seito, Shobayashi, Chubu Shorin Ryu, Shorinji Ryu. Primul care a definit Shorin Ryu ca si scoala a fost Matsumura Sokon.Figura marcanta a scenei politice a Okinawei secolului XIX, Sokon Matsumura a studiat atit Arte Martiale Chinezesti (in China) cit si sabie japoneza (Jigen Ryu Kenjutsu).El defineste pentru prima data conceptual de Shorin Ryu si transmite urmatoarele Kata: Kushanku, Wanshu, Naihanchi (forma originara de 108 forme), Chanan, Chinto, Seisan.
     Despre istoria veche a Nanha Te-ului nu se cunosc prea multe, doar ca aceasta linie puternic influentata de Kung Fu-ul chinezesc a fost transmisa de maestri precum: Ason, Nakaima Norisato, Seisho Arakaki. Nanha te este mai cunoscut ca scoala dupa ce, guvernul imperia adus la putere de restauratia Meiji include Okinawa in Imperiul Japonez si o transforma in prefectura in 1879, abolind toate legile clanului Satsuma inclusiv interdictia de a practica Artele Martiale.
     In 1898 Shobukai-ul Okinawian (consiliu a marilor maestri conducatori de scoli) hotaraste denumirea de “Karate” scris ca si “mina chinezeasca” pentru toate formele de To De. Tot in acea peroada maestrul Anko Itosu introduce exercitii de Shorin Ryu in scolile okinawiene pe post de educatie fizica. In scopul acesta creeaza forme noi de kata “periate” de tehnicile periculoase. In anii 20 ai secolului XX, citva maestri okinawieni pleaca in Japonia, datorita faptului ca in Japonia se cistiga traiul mult mai usor, fiind o tara industrializata spre deosebire de saracia din Okinawa. La inceput deschid mici Dojo-uri in care erau primiti numai okinawieni, in scopul de a mai rotunji veniturile subtiri de muncitor sau meserias dar la presiunile autoritatilor japoneze foarte nationaliste pe vremea aceea sint nevoiti s aprimeasca si elevi japonezi. Astfel incepe raspindirea Karate-ului in insulele Japoniei.
     Maestri Funakoshi si Mabuni, intuind avantajele politico-financiare ce ar decurge dintr-o relatie buna cu autoritatile japoneze fac o demonstratie in fata printului Hiro Hito (viitorul imparat) ce a produs o impresie buna. Astfel cei doi sint ajutati sa-si deschida Dojo-uri si sa raspindeasca Karate-ul. Funakoshi, pentru a nu rani orgoliu national japonez schimba ideogramele cuvintului Karate din “mina chinezeasca” in “mina goala”, grafie adoptata din 1936 si pe teritoriul Okinawei. Forma de Karate predata de cei doi si apoi si de Chojun Miyagi sau alti maestri okinawieni pe teritoriul Japoniei difera esential de forma originala.Chiar Funakoshi spune intr-un text ca el nu preda decit kihon (tehnica de baza), fata (doar forma fara aplicatii) pentru ca japonezii vor toata ziua sa se bata si nu vor pricepe niciodata adevaratul spirit al karate-ului.
     Putinii japonezi care ajung totusi sa invete cite ceva din partea mai profunda a Karate-ului cum ar fi H. Othsuka ajung sa fondeze propriile sisteme foarte diferite de sportul karate ce era predat masiv in universitatile japoneze.Aceasta atitudine ce este trecuta sub tacere de multe “istorii” scrise in tara noastra dar pomenita des de catre marii istorici occidentali ai Karate-ului este justificata de exploatarea crunta la care au fost supusi okinawienii timp de aproape 300 de ani. Nu inveti cotropitorul care a violat-o si a omorit-o pe bunica ta, secretele unui lucru atit de puternic ca Artele Martiale. Este logic!
     Dupa cel de-al doilea razboi mondial singura Arta Martiala lasata de catre autoritatile de ocupatie americane sa fie predata in continuare a fost Karate. Fiind ca se considera ca nu este arta japoneza si nu contribuie la exacerbarea spirituli nationalist. Retragerea fortei de ocupatie si reconstructia Japoniei a insemnat un nou moment de avint al Karate-ului japonez, inspecial al celui sportiv fiind ca intre timp asta devenise mortala arta a okinawienilor: un simplu sport de lupta. Maestri ca Nishiyama, Nakayama, Egami si altii fondeaza Shotokan pe bazele Shorin Ryu-ului lui Funakoshi (care pina a murit a practicat doar arta transmisa de Itosu si Azato, de altfel stau marturie si fotografiile in care se vede clar pozitiile inalte ale lui).
     Shotokanul a luat sistemul de lovituri si parari si Kata din Shorin, a lungit pozitiile, a eliminat tehnicile periculoase si a introdus competitia de lupta (care la inceput se facea full contact dar in anii 60 s-a transformat in non contact pe baza de puncte) si de forme (in care este punctata impresia artistica). Modelul acesta a fost adoptat si de catre alte scoli cum ar fi Goju-ryu japonez (GojuKai) si Shito ryu japonez.
      Revenind la Okinawa, anii 30’ au insemnat un moment de intensa dezvoltare pentru Karate-ul Okinawian , se fondeaza majoritatea scolilor actuale cum ar fi: Goju Ryu, scolile de Shorin derivate din sistemul lui Matsumura Sokon, Tozan Ryu, Uechi Ryu si altele, se infiinteaza institute de cercetare. Trebuie sa precizam de la bun inceput ca in Okinawa maestri scolilor diferite se intilneau si se antrenau impreuna facind schimb de tehnici (lucru valabil si astazi, de fapt sistemele viabile de Arte Martiale sint eclectice). Multi maestri trec oceanul si se stabilesc in Hawai sau SUA deschizind Dojo-uri acolo.
Ocupatia americana de dupa cel de-al doilea razboi mondial a reprezentat pentru Artele Martiale Okinawiene un nou moment de avint, maestri okinawieni gasind in soldatii americani niste elevi asa cum sii doreau. In anii 50 soldatii intorsi acasa dupa satisfacerea stagiului militar incep sa-si dechida propriile Dojo si astfel Karate-ul okinawian se raspindeste pe continentul American.
Isshinryu Karate
    The school of Isshin is part of the larger family of Tomari Te, being a combination of the most effective techniques of Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu, with influences of the aggressive Chinese style Xing Yi. Isshinryu was established by the Okinawan master Shinkichi "tatsuo" Shimabuku. Shimabuku was born Sept. 19-th 1906 in the Okinawan village Chun. He started to study Martial Arts at age of 8 with his uncle Urshu Matsumura, who taught Shorin Ryu, at 23 years old becoming his assistant. After an old Okinawan custom which is still practiced now, his uncle sent him to improve his knowledge with another master, by studying Shorin Ryu with the legendary Kyian Chotoku. With Kyan, he studied the Seisan, Naihanchi, Wanshu, Kushanku, Chinto and Tokumine-no-kun kata's (last one - a form for long staff fighting).
     There is an interesting story about how Kyan managed to learn the Tokumine kata from its creator Tokumine Peichin. This was a very rough character, a drunkard and a trouble-maker and was exiled by the outraged authorities on a small island. Kyan went for a first time to visit him and offered to pay for the study, but Tokumine threw him out in contempt. But Kyan was perseverent, and knowing
the man's main weakness, came back a second time with a boat loaded with barrels of sake. Tokumine was then pleased to teach him... until the sake finished !
After teaching Shimabuku, Kyan recommended him to study with another not less famous master, Choki Motobu, who shared the same fame of brawler and troublemaker as Tokumine. Motobu had his personal interpreting of Naifanchi kata resulted from a synthesis with his own family techniques. He came from a royal lineage of the Okinawa rulers and the royal family had a particular system of fighting symmilar to Aiki Jutsu, which Motobu was mastering. From Motobu, apart Naifanchi, Shmabuku learned a very aggressive style of fighting. Finally, Motobu recommended him further to a christian priest of Chinese origin, T'ong Gee Hsian, from whom he learned elements of the Xing Yi style. In Isshinryu these elements are found in the way to apply fist strikes and in the usage, more than
other systems of Karate, of the "added step" ("yori ashi") kind of footwork.
After the death of Kyan, Shimabuku studied Goju Ryu with Chojun Myagi. From Myagi he learned the Seienshin and Sanchin kata's. About Sanshin he will later say "there is no Karate without Sanshin".
Based on his personal studies an