Remembering Kyan Sensei

 

 

Historie Du Karate - L’ecole shorin.ryu from my translation of Kenji Tokitsu's work.

All errors of translation are proudly my own fault.

 Unfortunately I translated this decades ago, no longer can find the original source, and admit the use of French for those living in France was very different from the French that was taught to me, which probably explains my translation problems.

 

Among Kyan’s teachings:

1 – It is appropriate to teach in the following order:

explain first what is karate, what is the attitude of training,

then learn the forms and the movement.

Then learn the way of striking with the fist and the elbow,

the way of kicking, the parries corresponding with the techniques of seizing and immobilization,

and finally the kata. 

It is well after one has well learned a kata that one should be initiated into combat.

 And Kyan was also prophetic

 2 – When one trained traditionally in combat, without any protection, this was not without accidents. It will be necessary to use from now on (in the future) certain protections, like those of kendo, and to wear rubber gloves. We will then be able to avoid accidents.

 However I would not expect that he would think it would be a Korean TKD instructor, jhoon Rhee, in Washington DC, who would make it happen.

 

 

4. One must keep the [one’s] posture while remaining motionless and to submerge the “ki” to the bottom of the stomach while taking care that it does not rise again. However, one must also avoid at any price from freezing [in place].

 

5. When one practices a kata, it is necessary to execute it with as much willpower and with the feelings of the moment where one would face with his enemy.

 

6. Speed is necessary in all the gestures and displacements [body shifts - movements].