Ten Precepts (Tode Jukun) of Karate
In October
1908 Itosu wrote a letter, "Ten Precepts (Tode Jukun) of
Karate," to draw the attention of the Ministry of Education and the
Ministry of War in Japan. A translation of that letter reads:
Ten Precepts of
Karate
Ten Precepts of Karate
Karate did not develop from Buddhism or Confucianism. In the past the Shorin-ryu school
and the Shorei-ryu school were brought to Okinawa from China. Both of these
schools have strong points, which I will now mention before there are too many
changes:
- Karate is
not merely practiced for your own benefit; it can be used to protect one's
family or master. It is not intended to be used against a single assailant
but instead as a way of avoiding a fight should one be confronted by a
villain or ruffian.
- The
purpose of karate is to make the muscles and bones hard as rock and to use
the hands and legs as spears. If children were to begin training in Tang
Te[1] while in
elementary school, then they will be well suited for military service.
Remember the words attributed to the Duke
of Wellington after he defeated Napoleon: "The Battle of Waterloo
was won on the playing fields of Eton."
- Karate
cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels
a thousand miles. If one trains diligently every day, then in three or
four years one will come to understand karate. Those who train in this
fashion will discover karate.
- In karate,
training of the hands and feet are important, so one must be thoroughly trained
on the makiwara.[2] In order
to do this, drop your shoulders, open your lungs, take hold of your
strength, grip the floor with your feet, and sink your energy into your
lower abdomen. Practice using each arm one to two hundred times each day.
- When one
practices the stances of Tang Te, be sure to keep your back straight,
lower your shoulders, put strength in your legs, stand firmly, and drop
your energy into your lower abdomen.
- Practice
each of the techniques of karate repeatedly, the use of which is passed by
word of mouth. Learn the explanations well, and decide when and in what
manner to apply them when needed. Enter, counter, release is the rule of
releasing hand (torite).
- You must
decide if karate is for your health or to aid your duty.
- When you
train, do so as if on the battlefield. Your eyes should glare, shoulders
drop, and body harden. You should always train with intensity and spirit,
and in this way you will naturally be ready.
- One must
not overtrain; this will cause you to lose the energy in your lower
abdomen and will be harmful to your body. Your face and eyes will turn
red. Train wisely.
- In the
past, masters of karate have enjoyed long lives. Karate aids in developing
the bones and muscles. It helps the digestion as well as the circulation.
If karate should be introduced beginning in the elementary schools, then
we will produce many men each capable of defeating ten assailants. I
further believe this can be done by having all students at the Okinawa
Teachers' College practice karate. In this way, after graduation, they can
teach at the elementary schools at which they have been taught. I believe
this will be a great benefit to our nation and our military. It is my hope
you will seriously consider my suggestion.
Anko Itosu, October 1908
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