Category: 1923

Email: The Fruits of My Labour! (27.8.2022)

8/27/2022

Karate-Do Originated in China, was Transmitted to the Ryukyu Islands and Japan - and Underwent a Journey Which Has Seen Its 'Chinese' Character Transformed at Different Points and in Different Ways on That Journey!

Dear Tony (Sensei)

I hope that you and your family are well. What follows is the fruit of my most recent labours on this path of research!

Memories of My Esteemed Master - Mr Miyagi Chojun [1] By Master Nakaima Genkai (仲井真元楷) {1908-1984} [2]

I took my time over this and tried to extract as much meaning as possible. This is a Chinese translation (word for word) of the original Japanese language text. The Chinese author - Mr Wang Biandou - is a Karate practitioner in China. Now, he got this article from a 1978 Japanese language magazine that once featured Okinawan Karate-Do Masters (I believe Mr Wang possesses a copy of this magazine). I know that in 2008 a Japanese person made a 'word for word' English translation - but Mr Wang's Chinese version has 14 footnotes that he added that contain very interesting extra historical data about training with Miyagi Chojun! A colleague in China found a photograph of Okinawan people practicing martial arts in the open dated to the late 1800s! A Japanese friend of mine provided the impressive photograph of Master Nakaima Genkai!

With Respect

Adrian

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Memories of My Esteemed Master - Mr Miyagi Chojun [1] By Master Nakaima Genkai (仲井真元楷) {1908-1984} [2]

8/27/2022

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An 'Open Air' and 'Open Area' Okinawa (Ryukyu) Martial Arts Training Session Typical of the Late 19th Century!

Translator’s Note: I discovered this Chinese language version of this article entitled 'Miyagi Chojun: Infinite Grace – Expressing the ‘Way’ of the Warrior!' - translated by Wang Biandou [王扁豆] - and uploaded on 8.6.2020 to the Chinese ‘Karate Academy’ Website - realised it had originally been written in the Japanese language and then felt compelled to translate its vitally important content into the English language! Therefore, I thank Mr Wang Biandou (王扁豆) for creating a Chinese language version I can read – and I thank the original author – Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do Master - Nakaima Genkai (仲井真元楷) {1908-1984} for taking the time to gather this intriguing and compelling historical information together! I do not practice Karate-Do – but I am familiar with its basic physical structure and its broad history. My interest arises from my Chinese martial arts background and how the martial arts of China have spread (and are still spreading) across the world and through other cultures! Sometimes, it is the recording of what might seem like the purely ‘mundane’ in the present time – that might well cause a landslide of incredible interest in the future! I believe Mr Wang Biandou (王扁豆) has added ‘14’ explanatory footnotes to this text that are full of very interesting historical data relevant to the subject! I retain the Chinese language text so that my friends in China (and throughout the world) and enjoy the historical lesson contained within! ACW 27.8.2022)

Master Nakaima Genkai at 65 years of Age - Demonstrating Sanchin Kata in 1973!

In the Spring when I was just entering the second year of middle school, my classmate Bunshun Tamagusuku asked, "Why don't we go to Great Master Miyagi to learn ‘Chinese Hand’ (唐手 Tang Shou) - (pronounced ‘Kara-Te’)?" Apparently, his uncle - Shinzato Jinan (who already trained) - had previously enquired as to whether he was interested in training.

Through this association with Shinzato Jinan (and an offer of training in the martial arts), three other interested individuals came to me and expressed their hope to gain access to the Great Master! Therefore, our group of four potential Goju Ryu students consisted of:

1) Nakaima Genkai (Myself)
2) Bunshun Tamagusuku
3) Tatsutoku Sakiyama (aka ‘Tatsutoku Senaha’)
4) Kiju Nanjo (aka ‘Kiju Azama’)

Shinzato Jinan was my neighbour. He had already graduated from Naha Commercial High School at the time, so he was also my senior. He lived in a rental house owned by Mr Yukii Kuniyoshi. One evening, three of us met with Shinzato Jinan outside the wooden gate of Mr Yukii Kuniyoshi’s house. Shinzato Jinan had a white cloth tied around his neck. The wooden gate was very large and possessed a strong iron railing running across its top! From this - Shinzato Jinan was performing ‘pull-ups’ using both hands – continuously lifting his chin above and below the iron bar! He taught us this double-handed exercise – and then taught us how to perform this exercise with only a single hand holding the rail!

Later, we often met in the evening on the playground of Naha Jinjo Koto Shogakko (an elementary school). We did squats (for the legs), crunches (for the torso) and various other strengthening exercises using the metal climbing bars! Lifting and holding our bodies at different angles was often required! Thanks to the continuous training enforced by Shinzato Jinan – we could do somersaults and all kinds of rolls across an unpadded floor! Our minds and bodies were so strong that hitting into objects and one another caused very little, if any damage! We could drop suddenly to the floor and jump back-up – nothing hindered us!

Not long after this, Shinzato Jinan entered the Police Academy and the four of us (listed above) decided to approach the Great Master Miyagi Chojun directly and enquire as to whether he would take us as ‘Kara-Te’ students! There was a problem, however, as due to the Confucian culture prevalent throughout Ryukyu I had to first ask my father’s permission before I entered the training system of another family’s martial arts tradition.

When Shuri Castle was occupied by the Japanese Army, my father was only 10 years old – this was when the Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and became a Prefecture of Japan - during 1879 (Meiji 12). The Japanese government in 1872 (Meiji five years), however, had established the Ryukyu clan system as the first step in their plan to abolish the (Chinese) Ryukyu Kingdom and create the (Japanese) Okinawa Prefecture when he was only 3 years old.

Since my father was born during such a transitional period, and given that our ancestors were from China, our family did not allow him to receive a Japanese-style education called ‘Yamato-learning’, so he did not go to school. But because of hard work, he had a strong body and flexible physique, and I have heard that he was a very good wrestler. He was very happy when I won a prize at the school sports meeting!

In the spring of 1923, when I was 15 years old, I told my father that I wanted to learn ‘Kara-Te’ (Chinese Hand) from Great Master Miyagi Chojun. He gave me permission and said to me, ‘It would be great for you to learn ‘Tang Shou’ (唐手) with Master Miyagi!’. By that time Mr. Miyagi was already famous for ‘kara-Te’ - (which the Japanese had renamed ‘Karate-do’ [空手道 - Kong Shou Dao] but which we ignored at that time), so my father thought he was ideal to be my teacher.

We, the people of Kume Village, Okinawa, are proud of our Chinese heritage. We believe that our ancestors came to Okinawa from China, so we respect not only Chinese literature and art, but also Chinese martial arts!

In terms of culture and arts, we established a school called ‘Meirindo’, which functioned like a university educating young people. As for martial arts like kara-Te and other Fist Arts, etc., I think we practice individually, according to our own physical strengths and other conditions. This is a very ‘Chinese’ attitude very different to the Japanese culture.

At that time, the "Meirindo" school held an annual cultural festival where there were performances involving great martial skills including the ‘Stick’ (棒 - Bang) (or ‘Bo’), the ‘Sai’ (鉄尺 - Zhi Chi, [Tesshaku/Tiechi], Thirteen / Sesan gongfu sets and ‘士壮镇’ (Shi Zhuang Zhen) [Chishokin] or ‘Scholar Strengthens the Town’ gongfu. There was also performances involving the use of the rattan shield/Tohai (籐牌 - Teng Pai) and ‘One Hundred and Eight/Suparinpei’ Naha Te. [3]. Most of these Chinese martial arts demonstrations included exactly the same content as Miyagi-sensei taught to us. [4]

That is how Miyagi-sensei taught us. We had classes three times a week held at Miyagi-sensei's home (there was no purpose-built Dojo in those days) [5] – with these classes always beginning after regular school had finished for the day:

1) Monday - (3pm-8pm)
2) Wednesday - (3pm-8pm)
3) Friday - (3pm-8pm)

This situation was very different to how Goju Ryu later developed and became famous – with proper Dojo being built in many places. After a while, my classmate Bunshun Tamagusuku (the nephew of Shinzato Jinan) dropped out, leaving only three practitioners from our original group.

Goju Ryu training evolved around the practice of ‘Sanchin’ Kata or ‘Three Battles’ (三戦 - San Zhan) as it is known in the Chinese language. [6] This is why our training consisted of intense preparatory, supplementary and foot coordination exercises all designed to build the required physical and mental strength needed to correctly practice the ‘Sanchin’ Kata! Miyagi-sensei's explanation of these supplementary exercises is that they are designed to assist the learning of basic Kara-Te skills, as they assist the practitioner to understand the inner logic that is inherent within ‘Kara-Te’, whilst at the same time, our ‘Kara-Te’ skills should continue to be enhanced as our athletic ability and physical strength increase! Furthermore, the purpose of intense strengthening and toughening exercises is that a practitioner must not only warm-up the mind and body at the beginning of each training session, but through regular training must also prepare and build the mind and body so that it can perform the fundamental ‘Kara-Te' training skills correctly whilst using the techniques inherent in the ‘Sanchin’ (and other) Kata! Goju Ryu conditioning strengthens all the muscles of the body so that the body can be held ‘still’ like a mountain or ‘moved’ around like flowing water! If the muscles are trained regularly and properly, the body can move easily in any direction, or suddenly change direct as required! Miyagi-sensei said that by training in this manner we build a ‘Kara-Te’ physique. This is how we lay the foundation for effective ‘kara-Te’ by carrying-out preparatory and complementary exercises!

After each training session, Miyagi-sensei would tell us various stories for two or three hours [7]. The themes of his stories included not only the history, purpose and development of the techniques of Kara-Te, but also discuss the world situation, the current state of the ‘Kara-Te’ world, the origins of ‘kara-Te’, his thoughts on ‘kara-Te’ and Buddhism, research on ‘Kara-Te’ and traditional Okinawan performing arts, and any subject or information he thought was relevant to support our learning process. We were only junior high school students at that time, but Miyagi-sensei taught us the truth about ‘kara-Te’, what kind of spirit a ‘kara-Te’ master should have, and the way of life that ‘kara-Te’ brings, that is, the Way (Dao) of True people or the Way (Dao) of virtue and morality. I still remember his bright face and sharp eyes in which I found the love and kindness of a true and great ‘kara-Te’ master!

Now I will relay some of Miyagi-sensei's words to you. ‘If you only practice Sanchin Kata (三戦 - San Zhan) all your life, you don't have to practice any other Kata. Sanchin is the essence!’ [8]

One day, I asked him, "How many times during your practice did you feel like you were doing well?" He replied, ‘I think I've only done well 1 time out of 30 of all my practice sessions.’ He was very young at the time, only 34 or 35 years old. I am still impressed by his words.

‘The position and placement of the hands at the end of the Sanchin Kata are the same as those found on Buddha statues.’ Miyagi-sensei often tells us this story. I think the gesture at the end of Sanchin Kata is the most beautiful prayer gesture. In fact, I see the same hand pose of Buddha statues in many temples.

Miyagi-sensei said, ‘Rigidity is like a willow tree blown by a strong wind.’ Strong winds blow through the willow tree, and yet the willow tree never resists the wind, it remains impassive, but it is never broken or damaged. In ‘Kara-Te’, we must use the strength of our opponent. This is a skill that we must master through correct practice. [9]

I think it was in 1926 when the National Budo Tournament was held in the outer garden of the Meiji Temple in Tokyo*. Shinzato Jinan, a disciple of Mr Miyagi, attended the meeting and performed ‘kara-Te’, which is an Okinawan martial art. At that time, an official suddenly asked him: ‘What's the name of your martial arts?’ Then he replied ‘Hard-Soft (interactional) style’. He later explained the matter to Miyagi-sensei, who approved this title. Since then, we have called ourselves the Goju Ryu. [10]

Once I asked Mr Miyagi: ‘Teacher, do you have eyes in the back of your head? Someone said that even if we secretly follow you, you would immediately sense someone following you and quickly turn around to look for us.’

Miyagi-sensei replied, ‘No one has eyes in the back of their heads. But when I go down this road, in some cases, I feel a little weird. I think it's called the sixth sense. We should always be vigilant when walking around corners, walking on rainy streets, climbing up and down ladders, if you can practice hard and be habitually cautious, it will help in self-defence. After long-term ‘kara-te’ training, we can get what's called a sixth sense and notice if someone is following.’

‘Learning karate now is like walking in the dark without lights. We have to grope and move forward in the dark.’ Miyagi-sensei also told me, ‘There are too many unreasonable things in ‘kara-Te’, and there are many things that I can't understand. So, when our ‘Chinese Hand’ masters were alive, we had to visit them and ask them a lot of questions. I think even when we did, it would be really hard to find out.’ I used to go to the home of Mr Chomo Hanashiro and Ankō Itosu, and listen to the stories their ‘kara-Te’ teachers told them. [11]

In 1926 (the last year of the Taisho era), ‘Kara-Te’ masters from the ‘Minamiasahigaoka’ (南旭ケ丘) and ‘Wakasamachi-teki’ (若狭町的) areas Okinawa gathered and formed a club to study ‘Kara-Te’. The masters who participated in the club were:

1) Miyagi Chojun,
2) Kyoda Jūhatsu,
3) Motobu Chōki,
4) Motobu Choyu,
5) Mabuni Kenwa,
6) Taizo,
7) Shiroma Shinpan [12]

On the first and fifteenth day of every month – the members gathered to worship the ‘Spirit’ (神 - Shen) of martial arts. I joined this club together with the following Kara-Te practitioners:

1) Maeyama Tatsunori
2) Kiju Nanjo
3) Kogyu Tazaki
4) Yagi Kamadashi

At that time, Teacher Miyagi agreed to change the name of ‘Chinese Hand’ (唐手 - Tang Shou) to ‘Empty Hand’ (空手 - Kong Shou), and later ‘Chinese Hand’ was indeed gradually changed to ‘Empty Hand’[13]. Just as jiu-jitsu turned into judo, he was committed to developing the pure fighting skill of ‘Chinese Hand’ into ‘Empty Hand’.

In 1925 (Taisho Year 14), when Kodokan judo master Jigoro Kano came to Okinawa, and we demonstrated Goju Ryu ‘kara-Te’ for him in a public hall in Naha City - Mr Miyagi explained it himself. The friendly meeting between the two founders of martial arts will light up the development of ‘kara-Te’ and bring good luck to the development of Judo!

Japan created the "Foundation Gymnastics/Kenkoku Taiso" during World War II. In fact, this practice consisted mostly of ‘kara-Te’ kata, so it may be considered a variant of ‘kara-Te’. [14]

As far as I know, Miyagi-sensei never tried to show off his ‘kara-Te’. Therefore, we also never talked about ‘kara-Te’ in school or outside of school. We kept in mind that we should not show ‘kara-Te’ to other people in public.

When the judo teachers at Kodokan were on their way to Taiwan via Okinawa, they wanted us to show them ‘kara-Te’. We gave a demonstration at the training hall of No. 2 Middle School. After the Judo teacher left the school, Miyagi-sensei visited the No. 2 Middle School teacher Sochoku Nakachi and asked him, ‘How are my students doing?’

When Prince Takamatsu Miyazaki visited Okinawa, Miyagi-sensei appointed me as a representative of Goru Ryu to demonstrate Sanchin. At that time, I only wore a pair of shorts as I was practicing every day, and Miyagi-sensei did not demonstrate the Kata himself.

The rhythm of ‘kara-Te’ is like wisdom blessed by the divine sky! It has the same rhythm as traditional Okinawan or Ryukyu dance. Let's continue to walk and grope in the dark to inherit the great rigidity and softness that Miyagi-sensei left behind!

References:

[1]^This text is a translation into the Chinese language from the original Japanese language article entitled ‘Kara-Te Master Miyagi Chojun’. Originally published in Aoi Umi Monthly, Issue 70, February 1978 (pp. 99-100), published by Aoi Umi Shuppansha. This special issue focused on Okinawan karate masters. "Aoi Umi Monthly" magazine has long since ceased publication.
[2]^Nakaima Genkai had a high social status among the disciples of Miyagi Chojun. After the war, he devoted himself to the research and writing about Okinawan culture. It is said that around 1955, he was invited to attend a meeting of all the disciples of the Goju Ryu. At this meeting, Miyazato Eiichi was recognized by the majority and officially became the heir of Miyagi Chojun.
[3]^Thirteen, Scholar Strong Town and 108 are the earliest known Naha ‘Te’ techniques, of which the name of Scholar Strong Town first appeared in the martial arts literature in the 186os. As now, these types have subtle differences according to different inheritances. Kyoda Jūhatsu once studied different sets of Thirteen techniques with Higaonna Kanryo and Higaonna Kanjun – but it was Kanryo’s Thirteen that was finally transmitted through the Higaonna lineage!
[4]^According to the recollections of Yagi Meitoku, Miyagi Chojun only taught Sanchin, Thirteen, Seiyunchin and Suparinpei during the Taisho period - he only began to teach other Katas during the Showa period (after 1926).
[5]^Probably the famous ‘Hanazono Dojo’ (花园道场) - ‘Flower Garden Way Place’
[6]^The training here is the most basic introductory training. It can be seen that it evolves around strength, endurance and flexibility, etc. This is also the tradition of Naha ‘Te’ and Goju Ryu. First, strengthen the physique and then exercise to develop the skills. There are differences in the teaching of Goju Ryu classes that focus only on developing specific skills. In addition, about the training system of Goju Ryu, you can check ‘Miyagi Chojuns Talks About Hard and Soft kara-Te’ in the historical archives for details.
[7]^Combining the above, the actual ‘kara-Te’ training at that time was only about 2-3 hours, and the remaining 2-3 hours were taked with discussion time.
[8]^What is expressed here, is that the Sanchin Kata is the firm foundation - which also has practical significance. Because from a technical point of view, Sanchin already contains the most basic maintenance framework, thrust skills, receiving skills and movement.
[9]^According to the memory of Miyagi Chojun’s nephew - Higa Yunao - Miyagi Chojun was very good at moving, so this may not only refer to the basic movement – but include the highest form of ‘flowing’ (like water) from one place to another without losing power, posture or momentum, etc.
[10]^Because of his age, Nakaima Genkai misremembered the time. This event should have happened around 1930. In addition, according to Kyoda Jūhatsu recollection, the name of Goju Ryu was thought up by Miyagi Chojun himself.
[11]^According to the aforementioned self-report, he could not have had the opportunity to follow Miyagi Chojun to visit Itosu Ankō, because Itosu Ankō had passed away in 1915. Itosu Ankō was one of the most important masters in the history of ‘China Hand’ (唐手 - Tang Shou) - ‘Empty Hand’ (空手 - Kong Shou). His teachers were Nagahama Chikudun of Naha Te and Sokon Matsumura of Shuri Te. One of his disciples was Chōmo Hanashiro - who was said to have instructed Miyagi Chojun. This is a significant as Itosu Ankō is believed to have been the firt person to use the word ‘empty hand’ (in 1901).
The ‘China Hand’ Research Club developed into the ‘Empty Hand’ Research Club! This was one of the most important associations in history, with the club mainly led by Motobu Chōyū - although master's from Naha, Shuri, Tori, Kume and other places exchanged their skills and teaching experience with each other. This promoted the standardization and modernization of ‘China Hand’ - ‘Empty Hand’!
[12]^During the ‘China Hand’ Research Club gatherings, the participating masters would give guidance individually to whoever asked or approached them (rather than in groups), so that participating students at that time could learn the techniques of other styles and lineages – and not be limited to just their own style!
[13]^Miyagi Chojun was one of the supporters of officially changing the name of ‘China Hand’ to ‘Empty Hand’, and it is his senior brother Kyoda Jūhatsu who clearly opposed it.
[14]^This actually refers to a ‘Military Body Fist’ (军体拳 - Jun Ti Quan) style promoted by the IJA32 Army/Okinawa Défense Army in Okinawa during the Asia-Pacific War (1941-1945).

Chinese Language Article:

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/119288128
宫城长顺：恩泽无量，讲述人间之道的武人
王扁豆
入院观察，积极治疗
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关于我的恩师宫城长顺先生的回忆[1]
作者：仲井間元楷[2]
在我刚升入中学二年级的那个春天，我的同学玉城本顺/Bunshun Tamagusuku 对我说：“为什么我们不去找宫城大师学空手道（唐手）呢？” 玉城的叔叔新里仁安曾问过他是否想学习唐手。
当时希望通过新里仁安跟随宫城长顺大师学习的人，还有前山達徳/Tatsutoku Sakiyama（当时叫瀬名波達徳/Tatsutoku Senaha ）、南條喜寿/Kiju Nanjo（当时叫間喜寿/Kiju Azama）和我三个人。
新里仁安是我的邻居，当时他已经从那霸商业高中毕业，所以他也算是我的学长。他住在國吉有纪/Yukii Kuniyoshi 先生的一所出租屋中。
有一天晚上，我们三个人在国吉先生房子的木门前遇到了新里仁安，他脖子上缠着白布。当时新里正在木质大门的栏杆上做引体向上，他向我们展示了他能把下巴抬到杠铃上方多高。此外他还教了我们如何用一只手臂做引体向上。
后来，我们经常晚上在Naha Jinjo Koto Shogakko（一所小学）的操场上聚会。我们喜欢做各种仰卧起坐或单杠练习。幸亏有了新里仁安，我们现在可以做正向大回转、反向大回转、空翻等高难度动作了。
不久之后，新里仁安进入了警察学校。我们四个人（玉城本顺、前山達徳、南條喜寿和我）决定向宫城大师学习空手道（唐手）。
但在这之前，我必须先征得父亲的允许。
当首里城被日军占领时，我的父亲只有10岁，琉球王国被废除，并在1879年（明治12年）成为日本的一个县。日本政府在1872年（明治五年）建立了琉球宗族，作为废除琉球王国和建立冲绳县计划的第一步，当时他才3岁。
由于父亲是在这样的过渡时期出生的，而且我们的祖先来自中国，我们的家族不允许他接受所谓“大和学问”的日式教育，所以他没有上过学。但因为努力工作，他拥有了强大而灵活的体格，我曾听说他是一位很厉害的摔跤手。当我在学校运动会上获奖时，他感到非常高兴。
1923年春天，当时我15岁，我告诉父亲我想向宫城大师学习空手道（唐手）。他给了我许可，并对我说：“你能跟随宫城长顺大师学习空手道（唐手），那真是太好了！”。那时宫城先生已经以空手道（唐手）出名了，所以父亲认为他是我理想的老师。
我们，冲绳久米村人，为自己的中国血统感到骄傲。我们相信我们的祖先是从中国来到冲绳，所以我们不仅非常尊重中国的文艺，而且也非常尊重武艺。
在文化艺术方面，我们建立了一所学校，叫做“Meirindo”，它就像今天的一所大学，在那里教育年轻人。至于空手道、搏击等武艺，我认为我们是根据各自的体力和其他条件单独练习的。
当时“ Meirindo”学校文化节的节目里，有棒术/Bo，鉄尺/Tesshaku/Tiechi，十三/ Sesan，士壮镇/Chishokin，籐牌/Tohai和“一百零八/Suparinpei”的表演[3]。空手道的大多数表演与宫城老师教给我们的一样。[4]
宫城老师的课程就这样开始了。我们一周上三次课（周一、周三和周五，放学后从下午3点到晚上8点），当时的训练是在宫城老师的家里[5]，而不是像现在这样在专门的道场（训练馆）。过了一段时间，我的同学玉城（新里仁安的侄子）退学了，只留下了三个练习者：前山達徳、南條喜寿和我。
我们当时的训练包括了准备运动，补充运动和足部动作，一般都是围绕三戦进行的。[6]
根据宫城老师对准备运动的解释，通过这些锻炼，我们可以为像三戦等Kata之类的空手道训练做准备，准备运动具有热身的功能。
准备运动的另一含义是通过锻炼所有必要的肌肉来增强我们的体力，以便我们可以在任何情况下正确使用肌肉。简而言之，我们通过准备运动来建立“空手道体格”。
补充运动是一种学习空手道基本技术的训练，它有助于我们理解空手道的内在逻辑，同时，我们的空手道技术也将随着我们运动能力和体力的发展而不断优化。
我们就这样通过做准备运动和补充运动为空手道打下基础的。
宫城老师在训练结束后，会给我们讲两三个小时的各种故事[7]。他的故事主题不仅有空手道的技术，还包括了世界局势、空手道界的现状、空手道的起源、他对空手道与佛教的思考、对空手道与冲绳传统表演艺术的研究等等。
那时候我们还只是初中生，但宫城老师却向我们宣扬空手道的真理，空手道大师应该有着怎样的灵魂，空手道所带来的生活方式，即人的方式或道德的方式。我仍然记得他那明亮的脸和敏锐的眼睛，在其中我找到了一位空手道大师的爱和善良。
现在我将转述宫城老师的一些话给你听。
“如果你一生只练习三戦，就不必练习其他Kata。三戦非常的重要。” [8]
有一天，我问他：“您在练习三戦过程中，有几次感觉您自己的表现不错？” 他回答说：“我认为我在30次三戦练习中，只有1次表现出色。” 当时他还很年轻，只有34或35岁。他的话，我仍然印象深刻。
“三戦结束时手的位置和姿态与佛像相同。” 宫城老师经常告诉我们这个故事。我认为三戦结束时的手势是最美的祈祷姿态。实际上，我在一些寺庙中看到佛像的相同手部姿势。
宫城老师说：“刚柔就像是被强风吹过的柳树”。强风吹过柳树，而柳树从不抗拒风，它虽然保持被动，但永不会被折断或破坏。在空手道中，我们可以利用对手的力量。这是我们必须通过实践来掌握的技艺。[9]
我想是在1926年东京明治神宫外花园举行全国武道大会的时候*。宫城老师的弟子新里仁安参加了这次会议，并表演了作为冲绳武术的空手道。当时，一位官员突然问他：“你武术叫什么名字？” 然后他回答“ 刚柔（半硬软）风格”。后来他向宫城老师解释了此事，宫城老师批准了他的称呼。从那时起，我们就称自己为刚柔流。[10]
有一次我问宫城老师：“老师，你的后脑勺有眼睛吗？有人说，即使我们偷偷跟着你，你也会立刻发现有人跟踪，并迅速转过身来寻找我们。”
宫城老师回答说，“没有人的后脑勺有眼睛。但当我沿着这条路走的时候，在某些情况下，我会感到有些奇怪。我认为这就是所谓的第六感。我们在街角拐弯处、在雨中的街道上行走，在梯子上爬上爬下的时候，都要时刻保持警惕，如果你能努力练习，并且习惯性谨慎，会对自卫会有帮助。经过长期的空手道训练，我们可以获得所谓的第六感，并能注意到是否有人在跟踪。”
“现在学空手道就像在没有灯光的黑暗中行走。我们必须在黑暗中摸索前进。”宫城老师还告诉我，“空手道里有太多不合理的东西，还有很多我无法理解的东西。因此，当我们的（唐手）大师们还活着的时候，我们必须去拜访他们，请教他们许多问题。我想即使我们这样做了，其实也很难找到答案。”我曾经和他一起去过花城長茂/Chomo Hanashiro 先生和糸洲安恒/Ankō Itosu 的家，听过他们的空手道故事。[11]
1926年（大正时代的最后一年），来自那霸、南旭ケ丘和若狭町的空手道大师们聚在一起，成立了一个俱乐部研究空手道。参加俱乐部的大师有：宫城长顺、许田重发、本部朝基、本部朝勇,、摩文仁賢和, 田原Taizo、城間真繁。[12]
每个月的初一和十五，他们会祭拜武术之神。前山達徳、南條喜寿、田崎耕牛/Kogyu Tazaki,、八木釜出/Yagi,、喜纳正興/Seiko Kina和我也参加了俱乐部，并在那里接受训练。[13]
那时，宫城老师就赞成将“唐手”改为“空手”，后来“唐手”的确逐渐被改为了“空手”[14]。就像柔术变成了柔道一样，他致力于将纯粹的格斗技艺“唐手”发展成“空手道”。
1925年（大正14年），讲道馆柔道大师嘉纳治五郎/Kigoro Kano来到冲绳时，我们在那霸市的一个公共礼堂为他演示了刚柔流空手道，宫城老师亲自进行了讲解。两大武道奠基人的友好会面，将为空手道事业的发展点亮光明，同时为柔道事业的发展带来好运。
日本在第二次世界大战期间创建了“建国体操运动/Kenkoku Taiso”。事实上，这种练习主要由空手道的Kata组成，所以可能算是空手道的一种变体。[15]
据我所知，宫城老师从未试图炫耀过自己的空手道。因此，我们也从来没有在学校和校外谈论过空手道。我们牢牢记住，我们不应该在公共场合向其他人展示空手道。
当讲道馆的柔道师范在途径冲绳前往台湾时，他们希望我们向他们展示空手道。前山達徳、南條喜寿和我在第二中学的柔道训练馆进行了展示。柔道师范离开学校后，宫城老师拜访第二中学的老师Sochoku Nakachi，并询问他：“我的学生们表现得如何？”
当高松宮宣仁親王访问冲绳时，宫城老师任命我作为刚柔流的代表展示了三戦，当时我就像每天练习一样只穿着一条短裤，而宫城老师并未进行展示。
空手道的节奏如同是上天祝福的智慧。它和传统的冲绳舞或琉球舞蹈的韵律相同。
让我们继续在黑暗中行走和摸索，以继承宫城老师所留下的伟大的刚柔流吧。
参考
^本文是原著《空手道大师宫城长顺》的翻译。最早刊登在由Aoi Umi Shuppansha出版的《Aoi Umi月刊》1978年2月第70期（第99-100页）。本期特刊主要介绍了冲绳空手道大师。《Aoi Umi月刊》杂志早已停刊。
^仲井間元楷在宫城长顺弟子中社会地位较高，，战后专注进行冲绳文化的研究和著作工作。据传1955年左右，他曾受邀列席了全体刚柔流弟子出席的会议，在这次会议上宫里栄一获得多数人的认可，正式成为宫城长顺的继承人。
^十三、士壮镇和一百零八是已知最早的那霸手型，其中士壮镇的名字最早出现在186X年的演武文献中。和现在一样，这些型根据不同的传承有着细微的差异，许田重发曾和东恩纳宽量和东恩纳宽裕学习过不同的十三，宽裕の十三最终只得以东恩流中继承。
^据八木明德回忆，宫城长顺在大正时期只教授三戦、十三、制引战和一百零八，昭和年代（1926年后）才开始教授其他型。
^可能就是著名的“花园道场”
^这里的训练是最为基本的入门训练，可以看到是围绕着力量、耐力、柔韧等内容进行的，这也是那霸手和刚柔流的传统，先强化体格再锻炼技巧，和现在普遍练技为主的刚柔流兴趣班教学有所区别。此外，关于刚柔流的训练体系，可以在历史消息中查看《宫城长顺谈刚柔流空手道》具体了解。
^结合上文，当时的空手道训练实际只有2-3小时左右，剩下的2-3小时是聊天时间。
^这里可能表达的是，三戦作为基本型，同样具有实战意义。因为从技术角度讲，三戦已包含了最为基本的维持构架、突技、受技和移动等内容。
^据宫城长顺外甥比嘉佑直的回忆，宫城长顺非常擅长移动，因此这里指的可能不光是原地的引受、流受，还包括了通过移动施展的技术。
^因为年代久远，仲井間记错了时间，这个事件应该发生在1930年左右，此外根据许田重发的回忆，刚柔流的名字是由宫城长顺自己想出来的。
^根据前文自述，他应该没有机会跟随宫城长顺拜访过糸洲安恒，因为糸洲安恒在1915年就已经去世了。糸洲安恒是唐手/空手道历史上最重要的大师之一，他是首里手松村宗棍和那霸手长滨的弟子。花城長茂是糸洲安恒的弟子，据称曾指导过宫城长顺，也是可追溯的最早使用“空手”一词的人。
^唐手研究俱乐部是唐手/空手历史上最为重要的一次结社，俱乐部主要由本部朝勇领导，来自那霸、首里、泊、久米等地方的大师们相互交流技艺和教学经验，促进了唐手/空手的标准化和现代化。
^唐手研究俱乐部时期，参加的唐手大师会分别进行指导，所以有当时的学生不仅会学习单一流派的技术和型，还会学习其他流派的内容。
^宫城长顺是将“唐手”正式改名为“空手”的支持者之一，明确反对的是他的师兄许田重发。
^这其实指的是IJA32军/冲绳守备军在冲绳本地推广的一种“军体拳”。

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Memories of My Esteemed Master - Mr Miyagi Chojun [1] By Master Nakaima Genkai (仲井真元楷) {1908-1984} [2]

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