1930’s Isshinryu Parallels (from the 1990s)

 

 

 

Last year I found a new translation of Funakoshi Ginchin's "Karate Jutsu" by Kodansha Press, translated by John Teramoto.

 

One of the things that strikes me about Isshinryu is in several senses much of its basic technique structure was published in Japan by the mid 1930's: 

 

1. Funakoshi's (kata Sehshan<seisan>, nihanchi sho-dan, wansu, chinto, koshokun<kusanku>),

2. Mabuni (kata Sanchin and Seiunchin) and

3. Motobu's (kata Nihanchi) works.

 

Maybe not exactly the same lineage as Shimabuku Sensei's instructors, but still were published in Japan. (in addition to a number of other very good books at the same time too). I've never heard whether those texts were ever available on Okinawa,

 

But as Funakoshi's (and then Mabuni's) works included passages and sections from the Bubishi, its certainly not impossible that those were sources that influenced others on Okinawa (besides Itosu's and Miyagi's copies).

 

The most recent translation of Funakoshi's work includes the Eight Phrases of Karate. See if you don't find them interesting.

 

1. The mind of Man is the same as Heaven and Earth.

2. The circulatory system resembles the sun and the moon.

3. The Law includes hardness and softness, ingesting and expressing.

4. The body adapts to changes in time and situation.

5. Techniques ocur whtn a void is encountered.

6. 'Ma' involves advancing and retreating, meeting and departing.

7. The eyes miss nothing.

8. The ears listen well in all directions.