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WHAT IS KARATE?
by Master Gichin Funakoshi.
From Karate-do Kyohan.
Kodansha International
In Okinawa, a miraculous and mysterious martial art has come down to us
from the past. It is said that one who masters its techniques can defend himself
readily without resort to weapons and can perform remarkable feats: the breaking
of several thick boards with his fist or ceiling panels of a room with a kick.
With his shuto ("sword hand") he can kill a bull with a single stroke; he can
pierce the flank of a horse with his open hand; he can cross a room grasping the
beams of the ceiling with his fingers, crush a green bamboo stalk with his bare
hand, shear a hemp rope with a twist, or gouge soft rock with his hands.
Some consider these aspects of this miraculous and mysterious martial art to
be the essence of Karate-do. But such feats are a small part of karate, playing
a role analogous to the straw-cutting test of Kendo (Japanese fencing), and it
is erroneous to think that there is no more to Karate-do than this. In fact,
true Karate-do places weight upon spiritual rather than physical matters, as we
shall discuss. True Karate-do is this: that in daily life, one's mind and body
be trained and developed in a spirit of humility; and that in critical times,
one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice.
KARAKarate-do is a martial art peculiar to Okinawa in its
origins. Although it has in the past tended to be confused with Chinese boxing
because of the use of the Chinese "Kara" character in its earlier name, in fact
for the past thousand years, the study and practice of masters and experts,
through which it was nurtured and perfected and formed into the unified martial
art that it is today, took place in Okinawa. It is, therefore, not a distortion
to represent it as an Okinawan martial art.
One may ask why the Chinese "Kara" character has been retained for so long.
As I discuss in the section "The Development of Karate-do," I believe that at
the time the influence of Chinese culture was at its peak in Japan, many experts
in the martial arts travelled to China to practice Chinese boxing. With their
new knowledge, they altered the existing martial art, called Okinawa-te,
weeding out its bad points and adding good points to it, thus working it into an
elegant art. It may be speculated that they considered "Kara" (with the Chinese
character) an appropriate new name. Since, even in contemporary Japan, there are
many people who are impressed by anything that is foreign, it is not difficult
to imagine the high regard for anything Chinese that prevailed during that
period in Okinawa. Even at the time of the present writer's youth, lack of a
full set of Chinese furniture and furnishings in one's home was a serious
impediment to the social influence of any leading family.
With this background, the reason for the choice of the Chinese "Kara"
character, meaning "Chinese," as a simple case of exoticism is apparent.
Following tradition, the writer has in the past continued to use the Chinese
character. However, because of the frequent confusion with Chinese boxing, and
the fact that the Okinawan martial art may now be considered a Japanese martial
art, it is inappropriate, and in a sense degrading, to continue use of the old
"Kara" in the name. For this reason, in spite of many protests, we have
abandoned the use of it to replace it with the new character KARA.
THE MEANING OF KARA
The first connotation of kara indicates that karate is a technique
that permits one to defend himself with his bare hands and fists without
weapons.
Second, just as it is the clear mirror that reflects without distortion, or
the quiet valley that echoes a sound, so must one who would study Karate-do
purge himself of selfish and evil thoughts, for only with a clear mind and
conscience can he understand that which he receives. This is another meaning of
the element kara in Karate-do.
Next, he who would study Karate-do must always strive to be inwardly humble
and outwardly gentle. However, once he has decided to stand up for the cause of
justice, then he must have the courage expressed in the saying, "Even if it must
be ten million foes, I go!" Thus, he is like the green bamboo stalk: hollow
(kara) inside, straight, and with knots, that is, unselfish, gentle, and
moderate. This meaning is also contained in the element kara of
Karate-do.
Finally, in a fundamental way, the form of the universe is emptiness
(kara), and, thus, emptiness is form itself. There are many kinds of
martial arts, judo, Kendo, sojitsu ("spear techniques"), bojitsu ("stick
techniques"), and others, but at a fundamental level all these arts rest on the
same basis as Karate-do. It is no exaggeration to say that the original sense of
Karate-do is at one with the basis of all martial arts. Form is emptiness,
emptiness is form itself. The kara of Karate-do has this meaning.
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