Treasure Box of Nafadi:The Essence of Sanchin (Part 2)

 
11-23-2001

 

Treasure Box of Nafadi:The Essence of Sanchin (Part 2)
By Hiragami Nobuyuki
Translation by Joe Swift

First Published in "Hiden" Magazine, March 2001 Edition,
pp. 110-114.



- The Truth About the Legend of the Treasure Casket




Let us now look at these in order.



- Sanchin Stance

 

The characteristics of Sanchin lie in the fact that it uses Sanchin stance as its foundation. This is a relatively rare posture in Japanese martial arts, but we can probably say that it can be found as the walking posture in old-style Sumo striking techniques. The sword arts usually use stances in which the feet are kept parallel, but Sanchin places emphasis on squeezing the thighs inward. There are few examples of similar stances in southern Chinese boxing, which often uses parallel stances or has the feet turned out.*



One repeats middle level blocks and middle level reverse punches from this Sanchin stance. The use of the twisting punch from the Sanchin stance is in and of itself rare. This author has not seen this same method used in Chinese boxing as of yet.



* (note) This stance is not found in northern Chinese boxing, and is indeed a southern stance. However, not everything in southern boxing is performed from this stance. Looking at the literature, it can be observed that this is indeed a rather rare stance and footwork pattern.

From this author's research, the stance of Flying Crane Boxing is the closest.



- Applications of Reverse Punch

 

The basic interpretation of the reverse punch in Sanchin is to deflect the opponent's punch and immediately strike into his body with the reverse punch. However, this is merely the most basic level. In actual confrontation, its use is developed in a fashion similar to the "shin-gyo-sho" progression of calligraphic handwriting (tr. note - printed to cursive to artistic strokes of the brush), and can be thought of containing the lesson of defense and offense in one motion. However, what must be kept in mind is that the method of defense and offense in one motion is not necessarily the secret teaching. That is because in the world of secrets, there is no "blocking," nor is there "offense" or "defense."



At any rate, when deflecting an enemy's attack, one can block it to either the inside or the outside, which naturally gives us two technique here. This is not limited only to Ryukyu Kenpo, but when interpreting any solo form, it is normal to break it down into inside and outside techniques with both the left and right sides.



After learning the left and right versions of the basic application of the solo kata, next comes the defenses against various kinds of attacks by the opponent, and finally the oral transmissions (kuden). This is the normal teaching curriculum for Ryukyu Kenpo, but unfortunately, there are almost no dojo that use this traditional teaching method. Even less are the dojo that teach the
oral transmissions of the true kata applications... Is this due to the laziness of the heads of the dojo? ...No, I don't think so. It is impossible to teach that which one has never learned. This does not mean that all the masters do not know these techniques, because anyone can learn them, but the method of practice is most important. Without this method, there is nothing to be done about such techniques going out of fashion.



- Ryukyuan Jujutsu Hidden inside the Kenpo

 

The second level of application of the reverse punch in Sanchin is defenses against single, double and crossed wrist grabs. This is the same as used in Jujutsu, so perhaps we can say that Ryukyu Kenpo is actually Ryukyu Jujutsu.



At any rate, progressing in one's studies to the techniques of escaping from lapel grabs, bear hugs from the rear, hand grabs from the rear and the like, as well as the oral transmissions pertaining to these, one will come to see the greatness of Sanchin, which was very simple and boring at the beginning of one's training. However, this is not the extent of Sanchin, and it is necessary to perceive the techniques in a three-dimensional light.



- Feeling the Depth of the Principles

 

In the practice of the martial arts, learning the meanings of the various mysterious movements in the traditional kata that one has studied, or coming to understand the true usage of the techniques based upon the scraps of oral transmission one has received, and experiencing the depth of these principles with one's own body, is always a moment of elation. Of course there are things that one can figure out on one's own through practice, even if not initiated into the oral teachings, but this is really the
long way around. Indeed, one may end up with off the wall
interpretations of the movements without the transmission of the oral teachings.



There is also the issue of not being able to compare what one has figured out on one's own with the oral transmissions, so it may be difficult to be confident with such techniques. However, we can also probably say that spoon feeding the students from beginning to end is probably not the best method, from the standpoint of the student's capacity building system. In the process of learning the martial arts, it is not necessarily good to go in a straight line towards the truth. Taking various side roads, and getting lost in the maze, and then using all of one's capabilities to break out of those mazes, is important. The same can perhaps be said about life itself.



- Kata Applications and Actual Confrontation

The applications or interpretations of the old kata are practiced to a certain extent in many dojo, and some general applications are also given in books. However, this does not seem to be a regular practice within the curriculum of most dojo, and the examples given in books are often very unnatural. This creates the belief that they cannot be used in an actual confrontation (this often means competitive matches, in their view), and this aspect is not practiced as an important training method. There is also the method of pre-arranged kumite, but again many of these techniques are rather removed from the applications of the traditional kata, creating another gap between (modern) practice methods and traditional kata. This is a problem that lies in the narrow gap between actual physical confrontation and competitive matches. The next installment shall take a look at the deep aspects of this issue.



(to be continued)


Unfortunately I do not have the next issue.