Dear Tony

I read the following short extract in a book entitled 'When China Ruled the Seas - The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne (1405-1433)' By Louise Levathes (OUP), 1994, Pages 173-174 - which explains the difference in policy between two emperors with one applying expansion and sharing with no thought to the cost - with the other emperor closing China off from the outside world! In all of this, and following the settlement of the 36 Fujian families to 'Liuqiu' - the 'King' of 'Ryukyu' is mentioned:

'At first the changes were hardly perceptible. Emissaries continued their missions to China's shores. But in 1436, when Nanjing officials repeatedly appealed to the court for more craftsman, their request was summarily denied. Concerned about the burden on the people, Zhu Zhanji's successor halted construction in shipyards and urged frugal economic practices. In 1437, after paying tribute, the King of Ryukyu Island (south of Japan) asked the emperor for new court costumes, which had been given to his envoys since the beginning of the dynasty. The ones he had, he said, had "become old." And who knew when he would be able to return to China? The seas were now "dangerous and difficult." The emperor, however, declined to grant the King's request. The following year, the Siamese mission to the court was robbed of its cargo of pearls, gold, and jade by two dishonest officials in Guangdong. Through no fault of his own, the Siamese ambassador arrived in court without tribute. Such behaviour from local officials would have been impossible to imagine in the Yongle reign. That same year, the emperor sent a message to the King of Java saying that the "envoy" he had sent was wild and drunk and had caused the deaths of several people, including himself. "You should be more careful," the emperor commanded, "in choosing envoys in the future."'

I have copy-typed this for your records. Indeed, the author worked at the time for National Geographic (c. 1990) and had carried-out a great deal of her research in China - using Chinese language sources. (I believe the John Hopkins Center for Chinese and American Studies at Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, is very popular and respected amongst Chinese people). Interestingly, and rather disappointedly, this is the only 'Ryukyu' reference in her entire book! 

Thanks

​Adrian

Within the Chinese language encyclopaedias, the clothing worn by ‘Karate-Do’ practitioners is described as being the attire required when cultivating the ‘Dao’ (道) or ‘Way’. During the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom, there are no historical records which support the idea that the white ‘gi’ clothing was worn by Karate-Do practitioners, or any strata of Ryukyu society for other types of activity. Within photographs taken before the Pacific War (1941-1945), most martial artists practice karate with the upper body being bear.  ​

In the book entitled ‘Fist Law – Brief Introduction’ (拳法概说 - Quan Fa Gai Shou) published in 1929, Chōtoku Kiyan (喜屋武朝德) states that the reason for training with the upper-body uncovered is to toughen the skin and the general externality of the body. When the Japanese Crown Prince Hirohito visited Okinawa in 1921, however, a demonstration of martial arts was arranged for him in the main hall of Shuri Castle. This was overssen by Funakoshi Gichin (aka ‘Rong Yiren’ [容宜仁]) who insisted that all those participating should wear a white shirt whilst in the presence of royalty (out of respect)!  ​

The white ‘gi’ which is commonly worn today when practicing Karate-Do originates from the clothing worn in the Kodokan during 1922 by Funakoshi Gichin when demonstrating Karate-Do on the Japanese Mainland. He ordered special White cotton cloth from the ‘Kanda’ (神田) area (famous for its ancient Shinto Shrines) - and hand-sewed a Karate-Do ‘gi’ using the general design of the training outfit worn by practitioners of Judo!  ​

This is the earliest recorded Karate-Do uniform in the historical literature. During 1934, in the magazine entitled ‘Empty Hand Research and Study’ (空手研究 - Kong Shou Yan Jiu) an advertisement appeared offering a pre-made Karate-Do uniform for sale! These products started selling in the early Showa period. As Karate-Do and Judo are very different martial arts that place different stresses and strains upon the material – the two types of ‘gi’ used for these activities has generally diversified into very different directions.  ​

The Japanese Kanji ideogram ‘着’ (Gi) refers to ‘wearing clothes’ and the act of physically ‘touching’ and/or otherwise ‘making contact’ (both actions of which appear to reflect the art of Judo precisely). The equivalent Chinese ideogram (which I can read) is ‘著’ (zhuo2): ​

Top Particle = ‘艹’ (cao3) - literally refers ‘grass that is growing’ upward toward the daylight! ​

Middle Particle = ‘耂’ (lao3) - an old man with long white hair and beard - bent over with age and wisdom! ​

Bottom Particle = ‘白’ (bai2) - the colour ‘white’ or ‘brightness’ of the Moon! ​

As the Kanji of ‘着’ (Gi) and the Chinese ideogram ‘著’ (zhuo2) convey an identical meaning, we appear to have a type of grass that grows and is weaved into a white cloth. This white cloth is then ‘holy’ and ‘sacred’ as it encompasses an activity that cultivates the respect owed to an old man – and the acquisition of the wisdom the old man already (and quite naturally possesses)!  ​

NOTE: Our gongfu teacher – Master Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) - when I asked about the Karate-Do ‘gi’ - explained to me that the Karate-Do people are always training for death – death of the ego, death of their own body and the death of the opponent! He meant that the hard physical training always prepares the mind for non-attachment to the physical world (this achieves the death of attachment), whilst the Karate-Ka strives to face their own death (whether natural or unnatural) with equanimity. They train to purify their own minds and bodies so that they can produce the perfect punch or kick! Master Chan said the ‘gi’ is ‘white’ in colour because in Asia ‘White’ is the colour of ‘death’ and of ‘respect’. Indeed, when a Chinese person dies, those who follow the Confucian tradition of mourning and respect where a white, hooded outfit that is very similar in structure and design to the Karate-Do ‘gi’, or it can be (as designs differ). Furthermore, in China, I have seen senior Buddhist monks who wear black outer robes – often also wearing an inner white two-piece cotton suit very similar to a Karate-Do ‘gi’! I mention all this as I wonder if the people of Ryukyu followed the tradition of wearing white (Confucian) mourning clothes – which is a cultural habit thousands of years old in the Chinese-influenced parts of Asia! I was also once told that the Karate-Do ‘gi’ was once the normal dress for Tang Dynasty China – but apparently there is no evidence for its presence on Ryukyu prior to the 1920s! ​

Chinese Language Source: ​

Chinese Language Source: 
https://www.baike.com/wikiid/4490447760925757721?prd=attribute&view_id=mzu72g70xog00 
道服历史 
在琉球王国时代，史料中没有关于空手道道服的记载。在太平洋战争之前的相片中，习武者大多是赤裸上身练习空手道。 
在1929年发表的《拳法概说》中，喜屋武朝德提到赤裸上半身的目的是为了练习皮肤的强韧性。然而，在1921年日本裕仁皇太子访问冲绳之际，由容宜仁指挥的首里城正殿演武中，人们穿着白色上衣练习武术。 
今日的空手道道服是1922年船越义珍在讲道馆演武之际，从神田的生地问屋买入白木棉地，参照柔道道服的风格亲手缝制出来的。这是文献上记载最早的空手道道服。1934年在《空手研究》中刊登了空手道道服的广告，并于昭和初期开始贩卖。由于空手道与柔道的差异，人们对空手道道服逐渐改良，成为今天的样子。 
在今日的空手道道服中，传统派空手道的道服与全接触式空手道的道服有些许不同。 
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