Another look into the possibility of "Seisan-ness"

 

One does not truly know the past origins of what today we refer to as karate. Like an onion, layers are constantly being turned back as new source are revealed.

 

It might be fun to resort to logic to determine a logical answer, remembering that being logical does not mean it is true.

 

But let us have some fun and consider if kata Seisan came from a single source form. The search for "Seisan-ness”.

 

In the above video we have four different versions of kata Seisan. Of course from very different sources and different lineages. While often claimed very different origins, I still see a commonality between the different versions.

 

Of course the execution, timing, etc. are quite different. Each has movements not in the others. This also is not all of the Seisan options out there on Okinawa.

 

However I feel if you set those things aside searching for Seisan-ness a potential core kata exists, if only in my mind.

 

There are a set of 3 techniques going forward.

There is a turn to the rear.

There are a set of 3 techniques going forward in the reverse direction.

And there are a set of at least 3 techniques toward each side  (some are similar, some are different)

 

3 turn 3 3, interestingly if you count that up you come up with the number 13.
(Of course this is proof that I can't count for the rational person knows it totals 10. It was not the point however that this has something to do with 3 techniques, just a bit of irony that came to me. Of course depending what one count's as a technique it might come up to 13 anyway, or any other number one choses.)

 

It is possible that if you go back far enough there might have been a common core.

 

Perhaps this effort gives us more reason to think and train together, allowing up to gain more understanding of a form we have in common.