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HISTORY OF KARATE Karate translated means "empty hand". It is a term describing the Oriental art of weaponless self-defense. Karate was founded on the principle of a mind-and-body unity. A Karate program includes precise, sustained mental and physical conditioning to develop keen reflexes, excellent coordination and simultaneous command of the mind and body. Karate is more than physical training. Its main objective is the perfection of oneself. The art of Karate combines strength, grace and beauty to give students self-confidence and to develop their integrity and serenity. Literally, Karate-Do, or Karate as it was taught in the ancient Orient, means "a way of life". Practicing Karate-Do, the student will study, train and discipline himself to find life's "true" meaning. The training and discipline are difficult, yet rewarding. Karate's origin has been obscured by myths and legends. However, near the time Karate was developing, it is known that many scoundrels would rob and kill travelers, not caring if the travelers were beggars or monks. Monks were not considered clergymen, nor were they allowed to carry weapons. In the monasteries, the monks were taught various forms of self-defense along with their Buddhist religion.
Legend tells
of a shipwrecked Chinese sailor named Chinto who hid in an Okinawan cave
and stole his food at night. The villagers complained, and Matsumura,
the best Samurai, For approximately 400 years, Japan controlled the island of Okinawa with an iron fist. They confiscated everything that even resembled a weapon and blacksmiths were forbidden to manufacture any edged weapons. Karate, however, was taught in secret for hundreds of years, hidden and underground. Through the centuries, Japanese invaders were discovered dead. Rumors spread about the way they died, but nothing was documented. Few facts were known about Karate in the outside world, except for the number of Japanese invaders who fell victim to its practitioners. Karate remained underground on Okinawa until 1901 when a Master named Itosu opened the first Karate school on the island. Gichin Funakoshi was trained at this school and in 1916 took Karate to Japan in a series of demonstrations. These demonstrations were so successful that Funakoshi remained in Japan and established a style known as Shotokan. The Japanese systematized and established sport Karate (Karate-Sho) which has spread rapidly throughout the western world since the end of World War II.
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One
legend has it that a monk named Bodhidharma (Daruma Taishi, to the Japanese
- 500 A.D.) studied Buddhism in India before emigrating to China.
He taught the Chinese people Buddhism at the temple of Shorin-Ji.
Bodhidharma found it very difficult to teach the Indian form of Buddhism
to the Chinese, so he taught Zen Buddhism which he thought was easier
to understand. Still finding difficulties in getting his students
to comprehend, Bodhidharma added physical training to his teachings
to keep his student's minds from wandering. This included many self-defense
techniques which later became the basis for a style of Karate known as
Chinese Kempo, or Shorin-Ji Kempo.
The
defensive art taught at the temple of Shorin-Ji was the finest in China
for many years. There are many stories of the Karate-ka that were
produced there. Shorin-Ji Kempo eventually found its way to Okinawa
and became an important factor in the development of Okinawan Karate.
was
sent to capture the sailor. When confronted, Chinto successfully
blocked or eluded each of Matsumura's offensive techniques and then he
ran away. Matsumura eventually found him hiding in a cemetery and
befriended him. Chinto taught Matsumura his "form".
This form was thought to be from Shorin-Ji Kempo and many feel that this
is how Shorin-Ji Kempo was brought to Okinawa.