Hirakami Nobuyuki Sofue Toshihisa
(Shiraishi-ha Shitoryu 7-dan)
HIRAKAMI
(H)
Thank
you very much for showing me some rather rare old-style Ryukyu kata and their corresponding
Hen-di (old-style kumite). I was deeply impressed by the unique features of
this ancient martial art. I would like to ask you many questions today about
atemi in the old Ryukyu Karate traditions.
First
of all, how are the atemi techniques different between modern Japanese karate
and old style Ryukyu Karate?
SOFUE
(S)
Hrmmm...
Well, even in the so-called traditional karate styles, they have been changed
in the direction of physical education, or competetive sports, so I think that
it is true that the techniques also differ a bit from the old-style Ryukyu
Karate. The image of modern sports karate is that the competetitors jump in at
each other with punches and kicks from a long range. The techniques of Ryukyu Karate, however, are centered on attack
and defensefrom a close range.
(H)
In
other words, close-in fighting means not to merely kick and punch at each other
from afar, but it also includes grabbing, joint locks and the like from more of
a grappling range?
...
Of course the kata appications you showed me today were not unlike Japanese
jujutsu, wrapping up theopponent's arms or legs, grabbing, trapping the hand in
the armpit, etc, before moving the center of gravity in to
strike.
Also, the defenses were not against merely punching and kicking, but also
contained escapes from various grabs, as well as throws and joint locks...
(S)
The
kata applications of Ryukyu Karate contain many jujutsu-like techniques. One
thing that surprised me was the fact that many techniques indetical to the
Aiki-jujutsu arts are hidden in the kata. Techniques such
as
Ippon-dori, Nikajo (Nikyo), Kote-gaeshi, Shiho-nage, etc. Although they don't
often end with the opponent actually flying through the air, techniques such as
Kaiten-nage and Irimi-nage are also present.
(H)
These
jujutsu-like techniques seem to be especially prevalent in thr Nafadi
traditions. The tora-guchi so prevalant in the kata can be applied as the
Juji-garami from Daitoryu. The appliactions for Kururunfa that you showed me
also include escapes from rear grabs, as well as throws. I also noticed many
escapes and traps into strikes in the crane kata Nipaipo. In the Sui-di kata,
there are also many Jujutsu-like striking techniques as well. I also saw many
of the principles of old-style atemi-jutsu as well, such as subtle weight
shifts to add power to the strikes, or opening the body to increase power, or
subtle torque to add power, as well.
(S)
There
are also many techniques that make use of the Aiki as well. Especially in the
crane kata, the hand escapes are akin to the so-called "aiki-age."
(H)
I
think that if we go in search of martial effectiveness, we all probably end up
at the same kinds of techniques in the end. However, I believe that the Ryukyu
Karate tradition also transmits several unique aspects of atemi that are not
seen in Jujutsu.
(S)
Yes,
the twisting punch is probably not found that often in Jujutsu, is it. This is
a high-level technique that allows one to re-direct the opponent's attack while
countering simultaneously. The Ryukyu karate tradition has developed this
unique fist form that is not found in Jujutsu.
(H)
There
are similar fist forms in Jujutsu, but the area with which you make impact is
different. In karate, the impact is made mainly with the big knuckles of the
index and middle fingers. On top of that, the fist is twisted upon
impact,
sending a unique kind of shock wave through the target. The makiwara-tsuki is
the unique method of conditioning the fist to be able to withstand making such
blows. This kind of conditioning is not commonly found in Jujutsu, and can be
called a kind of unique "atemi culture." However, this
seiken-centered atemi method seems a bit stiff when compared to Jujutsu's
methods... Actually, the spiraling motion is a very skillful method
of
striking, but it seems very linear on the surface. But the fact that many try
and violently portray karate's "ikken-hissatsu" in their kata
performance, they end up looking stiff. However, the kata that you performed
for me
today
were not only hard and linear, but also expressed the pliable aspects of the
art as well. I was a bit surprised, actually... They were a perfect combination
of GO and JU. This is something that seems to be missing from modern karate.
-
"Secret" Kata of Ryukyu Karate
(S)
I
performed some pretty rare White Crane kata along with old style ('Nkashi-di)
Ryukyu kata. There are actually many different kinds of kata in Ryukyu karate.
Compared with Chinese traditions such as Taijiquan they may seem a bit hard and
linear, but I believe this is because the mainland Japanese styles have been
greatly modified into a kind of physical education. Most of the old-style
Shuri-ti kata are performed from natural stances, and can be easily
performed
even when one gets older. This can be seen in the kata performance of not only the elders in Okinawa,
but also those elder practitioners in mainland Japan who have studied deeply.
For example, Inoue Kazutoshi of Tani-ha Shitoryu, Tomoyose Ryuichiro of
Kenyuryu, Zaha Ninkichi of Shindoryu, Shiraishi Kokei of Shitoryu Kenkyukai,
Yamaguchi Goshi of Gojuryu, etc., all have beautifully pliable kata
performances. The sharp, snappy movements of the young kata atheletes are also
wonderful, but when the elders perform the same kata the quality is so much
different. They can take a "stiff linear" kata and express it in a
soft and pliable way.
(H)
Hrmmm...
So there are different ways to perform the same kata, GO and JU. There is even
a level in Gojuryu that stresses the JU aspect, something that seems to have
been lost in the transmission to mainland Japan. There are said
to
be three levels of performance in kata such as Suparinpei and Tensho. In other
words, if one delves deep enough into Gojuryu, which is said to be the epitome
of GO, then one will find the secrets of JU. The White Crane
kata
you performed also were very beautiful and flowing, the JU within the GO, no,
make that the GO within the JU...
(S)
The
various White Crane kata I performed are said to have been introduced into
Okinawa by Go Kenki, a Crane boxing master who immigrated to Ryukyu before
WWII, and are very rare. Crane kata such as Nipaipo and Yantsu are found
throughout mainland Japanese styles as well, but there are about three others
that are not very well known, and can be considered "secret" kata of
sorts. These express the advanced levels of the martial arts through the
movements of the crane.
-
Ryukyu Martial Arts and Chinese Martial Arts
(H)
The
Nipaipo you showed me was not the commonly known version, but the rare
old-style version of Nipaipo <*>.Nipaipo is said to be from the Chinese
white crane tradition, but what I saw today looked a lot like Ryukyu
karate.
The other crane kata you performed for me today also contain characteristics of
Ryukyu karate. I felt as if they were not actually the same as the Fujian White
Crane boxing systems as practiced in China.
(S)
Ummmmmm,
this is a very difficult issue indeed. The southern Chinese systems have
changed greatly over the generations, and even in the Northern systems such as
Taijiquan, the original versions are not very clear, so
comparative
analysis with the old style Ryukyu Karate kata is difficult. So, even though
these kata are said to be from the Chinese White Crane systems, they were
probably modified to fit the Ryukyuan way of doing things.
(H)
Even
the Nafadi kata are said to be direct imports from China, but it is not as if the exact same
kata can be found in China today. They are more in line with the
characteristics of Ryukyu Kenpo. While each individual movement has its own
"kime," the minute movements and breathing patterns combine to make
strong, heavy kata.
Isn't it true that kata as heavy in feeling as these are
very rarely seen in China these days...? And the biggest difference is that in
the Southern Chinese boxing systems, each movement has a specific name, whereas
in Ryukyu
Kenpo,
the only real names are for the entire kata themselves. I believe that this is
the biggest inconsistency in the commonly accepted idea that Karate, especially
Nafadi, was created by those who learned directly in China.
(S)
It
is rahter mysterious, isn't it. Many of the Nafadi kata existed in Okinawa
before the mid-Meiji era whenHigashionna Kanryo traveled to Fuzhou, and
historical documents show that they were actually publically
demonstrated
at the end of the Edo era at the Uchaya-Udun (Ochaya-Goten) in Shuri's
Sakiyama. I believe this to been excellent cultural heritage developed over a
long period of time by the boxers of Ryukyu,
(H)
Besides
karate, there are also rare weapons traditions such as the Sai, Tonfa,
Suruchin, Nunchaku, Rochin, etc., that have been passed down from days gone by,
and their use is classical, as illustrated in the "Kiko Shinsho,"
enough
to make my think that ancient Chinese martial arts may actually be alive and
well in Ryukyu in their original form. I believe that the martial arts of
Ryukyu are very old and retain their classical form...
Thank
you for your time, excellent discussions on the Atemi of Ryukyu Kenpo, and your
demonstrations of the rare kata and advanced principles.
--------------------------
*
Mr. Sofue learned this version from P. McCarthy – JS
No comments:
Post a Comment