Our Hakka gongfu training requires the carrying of heavyweights upon our backs. This represents the hilly terrain the Hakka people lived within throughout the New Territories, Hong Kong. Hakka Clan villages, especially by the 20th century, were often re-constructed upon the top of various hills situated in prominent good (feng shui) positions. The bones must be kept strong for building good health and ensuring longevity. Strong bones allow the bodyweight to drop down through the centre of the bone-marrow into the floor (creating a strong 'root') - and facilitates the rebounding force which is distributed (throughout the skeletal-system) to the striking part of the anatomy - be it a hand, foot, elbow, knee, fore-head or torso, etc. The Hakka people moved into the Guangdong area (that became the 'New Territories' under the British in the 1890s) in the mid-1600s - following the Manchurian invasion of China (which established the foreign 'Qing Dynasty' during 1644 CE). Our 'Chan' (陳) Clan (pronounced 'Chin' in the Hakka language and 'Chan' in the Cantonese language) originally settled at the base of a hill near the coast in the Sai Kung area. I think we probably originated somewhere in Henan province (like many other Hakka Clans that I have investigated). Younger people often carried older relatives on their backs (as part of the required filial piety) up and down the hills - to and from various areas. Chinese families reflect the government and vice versa. One reflects the other whilst the notion of Confucian 'respect' permeates the entire structure. This is true regardless of political system, era, religion or cultural orientation. Many Daoists and Buddhists are Vegetarian - because they respect animals and the environment. When working as farmers - Hakka people carried tools, goods and the products of harvests on their backs between long hours working in the rice fields with the Water Buffalos. The continuous repetition of hand and foot movements - and the standing postures for long hours in the wind and rain - condition the mind and body for genuine Hakka gongfu training. Although there is an 'Iron Ox' gongfu Style (different to our own) - the spirit of the Ox pervades all aspects of the Hakka gongfu styles! Even so, our Hakka Style embodies the spirit of the Bear! We can fighting crouching low - or stand high giving the impression that we are bigger than we actually are! Our developed musculature is like the Ox and the Bear in that it is large, rounded and tough! We can take a beating and still manifest our gongfu Style with ease! We do not go quietly into that dark night! The above video shows Hakka people de-husking rise - with the standing person practicing 'Free Stance, rootedness and knee-striking, etc, and the crouching person showing a low Horse Stance and position for 'Squat-Kicking', etc, whilst demonstrating dextrous hand movements often found in gongfu Forms. Of course, not all Hakka Styles are the same and there is much diversity throughout the Name Clans. Our Chan gongfu is Military-related and can be traced to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE). I think there used to be a State Gongfu Manual (since lost) issued by the Qin Dynasty as part of the process of turning every village, town and city into a 'Barracks'. Guiding the ploughs through the water and mud at the back of the Water Buffalos reflected the leg, arm and torso positions found within the Hakka gongfu. How the Hakka farmers stood still, stepped forward and back - side to side, tensed and relaxed their muscles, used their eyes and ears, and produced power and learned to give-way - all manifested in the various Hakka gongfu Styles. On Occasion, the Ox is given the day-off and the local people take to 'pulling the plough'! Our Hakka Gongfu is 'Longfist' based. Whereas many Hakka Clans - following our defeat at the end of the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars (1854-1867 CE) - Hakka people were ethnically cleansed into small areas of Guangdong province. Around 20 million people had died in this terrible war (which included the separate but related Taiping Rebellion - a Hakka-led war - fought for different reasons). The original 'Northern' Hakka Styles were persecuted and viewed as the vehicle through which the Hakka people had made war in the South of China (the area they had migrated into). The Hakka are patriotic Han Chinese migrants who fled the foreign invasion of Northern China - but who were not wanted or welcome within Southern China. Since the 1949 Revolution - things are very different today in China - as Hakka and non-Hakka now live side by side in harmony. When the various Hakka Clans 'shortened' the arm and leg movements of their gongfu Styles - to make these arts seem 'Cantonese' in origin - our Hakka Clan lived in a relatively remote area of South East Guangdong province and refused to do this. We practiced our 'Northern' Longfist martial arts in isolation and hid our gongfu in Temples grounds, behind walls and by practicing at night. Master Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) fought and killed Imperial Japanese soldiers in the New Territories between 1941-1945 using our Hakka gongfu. Around 10,000 Hakka men, women and children were killed in this war fighting the modern Japanese soldiers using bare-hands and feet - and traditional weaponry. Many of our relatives were killed during this time. Master Chan Tin Sang came to the UK in 1956 - as a British Subject - to work for a better life, not because China is a bad place (it is not), but because life in the New Territories under British rule was continuously impoverished. Master Chan Tin Sang worked hard for 10-years before he earned enough money to bring his wife and two daughters to the UK (in 1966) - also as British Subjects. My Chinese relatives were NOT economic migrants, Asylum Seekers, or Refugees. My Chinese relatives do not follow Cults and are free-thinking individuals who are proud to be 'British' whilst supporting Mainland China's right to self-determinate - just like any Western country.
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At the end of the day, in a threatening position, an individual purporting to practice a traditional (Chinese) martial arts - must be able not to win trophies or gain coloured belts or sashes - but rather REMOVE the systemic threat existing in the immediate environment through the use of a 'decisive' act of disciplined violence. Unlike the modified martial arts used within modern sports, an 'effective' technique being deployed in a 'live' situation does NOT need to look good or conform to an unreasonable 'aesthetic'. The person being threatened, at the moment the decisive action is being deployed, is entirely on their own for the duration of the conflict. Whatever happens next becomes a matter entirely of their own affair - as other people (logically) tend to 'distance' themselves from the conflict as a matter of life-preservation and self-defence by association. Of course, the action might go wrong and the chosen technique fail to work. Above, a conflict begins between two young men (speaking Putonghua) arguing over who has the right to 'sell' in a certain area - with an Old Man attempting to de-escalate the situation. The young man launches a 'punching' attack which works precisely as intended. The armed young man is knocked down and is unconscious for a short time. He is kept in place by a foot on the chest - as NO further action is used against him once the knife is taken away from him. As you can see - violence is a horrible answer to any question - and a well disciplined and peaceful society is preferred over that of a violent situation. In this circumstance, the young man with the knife may well be suffering from mental health issues that now need to be treated. Although violence is NOT the answer - even though it may be required at certain times - when violence is needed it must be decisive enough to END the over-all level of existential violence and prevent any further damage to society and the people living in it!
Dear Tony I am slowly reading my way through the Chinese language encyclopaedias regarding Karate-Do! There are many histories of (and for) Karate-Do - and I was taken by surprise! One entry states that Higaonna Kanryo is the true father of modern Karate-Do! This is because the Fujian White Crane Fist he learned from Master Ryu Ryu Ko (Xie Chongxiang) in China during the 1870s was brought back to Okinawa and mixed with 'te' - before eventually diversifying into all the different Karate-Do styles we know today! I like the symmetry of this idea. These Okinawan Karate-Do styles then travelled to Japan and were physically altered to reflect the Japanese sword-fighting traditions! All this seems to be one complete history! I think there are three Karate-Do lineages in Ryukyu: 1) Tang Dynasty = Chinese 'Treasure Fleet' transmission and 15 Japanese Missions to China (7th-10th Century CE) 2) Ming Dynasty = The 36 Fujian families resettled on Ryukyu - 1392 CE 3) Qing Dynasty = Higaonna Kanryo trained in Fuzhou 1867-1881 CE Despite these three clear lineages, the Chinese language encyclopaedias all state that Karate-Do originated during the 15th century CE. This is because of the reign of Ryukyu King Sho Shin (476-1526 CE) who confiscated the weapons from all over the Kingdom and locked them in Shuri Castle! Therefore, Ryukyu became a country with almost no military equipment amongst the ordinary people! This act negated the 'armed' component contained in the first two martial arts transmissions between China and Ryukyu - but led to the 'unarmed' components being emphasised to a greater degree! Historically speaking, this episode marks the beginning of the 'Spirit' of Karate-Do! The idea that one punch must equal one kill - so that the opponent is swiftly dealt with! This means that Karate-Do has various lineages of transmission - but only ONE historical event that forced the Ryukyu people to specialise in unarmed combat to a very high degree of effectiveness and proficiency! What I was investigating is why Karate-Do is (or was) referred to as 'Tang Shou' (唐手)! Although I showed you the Karate-Do movement in Fuzhou that refers to 'Karate-Do' as '唐手道' or 'Tang Shou Dao' (Tang Hand Way) - what I did not mention is although founded in 2016, during 2018 the organisation was placed on a list for 'abnormal organisations'. I know this because these notices are public in China and uploaded onto the internet. In this instance, the issue was over some deficient paper-work which was eventually rectified. The local government then took the Tang Shou Dao organisation off of the 'abnormal organisation' list and posted a public message to this effect! It was a year or so after this, that this group held its first successful Seminar in Fuzhou. I am not convinced by the argument this group puts forward, and I suspect the use of the imperial title of 'Tang' is not going down too well! What this group has done is returned the name of Karate-Do to its pre-1901 Okinawan designation. My research today, however, suggests that 'Tang Shou' is a misnomer, but I was surprised to find that Chinese martial arts were being enthusiastically transmitted to Japan and Ryukyu during the time of the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries CE)! This fact offers yet another 'history' or 'lineage' for the transmission of Chinese martial arts to Ryukyu! This would be a different and earlier transmission than that secured by Higaonna Kanryo - so where did it all go? Another lineage is the 1392 CE relocation of the 36 Fujian families on Ryukyu - with many bringing their family martial arts with them! The Chinese sources state that all these lineages of 'different' Tang Shou were operating on Ryukyu when Higaonna Kanryo was alive - but a number of Okinawan Masters were not happy with their structure and were inspired to travel to China to find contemporary gongfu Masters and learn afresh! Thanks
Adrian Mr Mekaru Kenichi (铭苅拳一) (b. 1947) Mainland China's First 'Official' Karate-Do Teacher! (15.1.2012)8/23/2022 Translator's Note: Master Mekaru Kenichi was born in '旧大里' (Jiu Da Li) Village in Okinawa during 1947 (that is the 'Old Big and Wide' Village) - as the island was still recovering from the cataclysmic (1945) Battle of Okinawa! His surname '铭苅' (Mekaru) appears to be a District of Northeast Naha City (perhaps named after a tortoiseshell) - whilst his first names of '拳一' (Kenichi) possess a definite martial connotation meaning a 'Single Fist' or a 'Fist that Unifies', etc! Times were hard when he was young and life was difficult - but Mekaru Kenichi and his clan were held together by their Karate-Do mind and body discipline - knowing full well that its inner structure was historically from China! During the early days of his life, his biography relates how even as a young child he was holding the 'Horse Stance' and participating in general 'Tang Hand' training with no particular 'name' or 'style' association (a typical situation amongst many traditionally minded Okinawans at the time)! In 1958, when he was 11 years old, his family emigrated to the Sao Paulo area of Brazil to join the already substantial Japanese and Okinawan population already living their and doing well with lots of open space to build and plenty of work opportunities! During 1977, when Mekaru Kenichi was 30 years old, he met Mr. Kakazu Yoshimasa - who had come to Brazil to participate in an 'Open' fighting competition! Upon his return to Okinawa - Mekaru Kenichi followed him and became his martial arts disciple! When returning to Mr. Kakazu Yoshimasa's Dojo in Naha City, he was tasked with mastering the 'Kobayashi Ryu' (小林流) - style of Okinawan Karate-Do - a branch of the 'Shorin Ryu' (少林流) fighting style - which uses the Chinese ideograms that read 'Shaolin Lineage'. - as there is a belief that this style of Okinawan Karate-Do was originally linked directly to the Shaolin Temple tradition of China. Kobayashi Ryu was founded by Chibana Chōshin (知花朝信) [1885-1969]. His family practiced the 'Chinese Hand (唐手 - Tang Shou) - and refused the Japanese order to change the name to 'Empty Hand' (空手 - Kong Shou) for decades! Master Mekaru Kenichi became a very great Master of the Kobayashi Ryu style and was renowned for travelling the world and relentlessly teaching anyone who wanted to learned genuine, Chinese-based Okinawan Karate-Do! This led to him eventually entering China and working very hard to introduce the modern Chinese people to a martial art that belonged to them - but which had been transmitted to another culture hundreds of years ago! Master Mekura Kenichi dedicated 25 years of life to China before retiring and leaving a place in 2013 (aged 66) he had called 'home' for quarter of a century! The record books now show that Mekura Kenichi was the first person to introduce an Okinawan Karate-Do style (Kobayashi Ryu) into an independent and thriving Mainland China during 1988! ACW (23.8.2022) Master Mekura Kenichi Demonstrates 'Basic Kata Number One'! Mr Mekaru Kenichi first visited China in 1988 – where he is well-known for performing what would become known as his inaugural Karate-Do cultural exchange performance at the Shanghai Wushu Academy! The reaction from the thousands in attendance at the time was very appreciative and supportive! Since then, people from all walks of life in Shanghai became very interested in learning the martial art of Karate-Do, and this positive reaction gave him the idea of developing the teaching of Karate-Do in Shanghai! In 1990, Mr Mekaru Kenichi was introduced by the Brazilian President in a letter and recommended by the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai. With the help of Mr. Zhu Rongji (朱镕基) the Mayor of Shanghai at that time - he was contacted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Commission for Sports - and entirely at his own expense, established China's first officially recognised Karate-Do training class held at the Shanghai Physical Education Training Hall. At that time, a large number of willing practitioners flocked in an endless stream to the classes, and the registration was extraordinarily high! To help with the training process, the Japanese government provided 300 Karate-Do training suits (termed ‘gi’) for free - for the newcomers to use! In Japan, karate is taught as part of the School Physical Education Curriculum! Therefore, Mr Mekaru Kenichi wanted to establish Karate-Do as a sport in China’s Primary and Secondary Schools and Universities in China, so as to popularise this martial art amongst the youth! In 1992, he taught for free and borrowed 100 further sets of Japanese Karate-Do uniforms for which he distributed for free. He founded the Fudan University Karate Association and opened the first Karate-Do training class to be held in a Chinese university and was hired as the Honorary President and Chief Instructor of the Association (which provided him with a small room to live, three meals a day and a small stipend). From this firm foundation, he opened a Karate-Do training course and served as the Head Coach for the Shanghai Metallurgical College. The following year, he aimed at establishing Karate-Do classes throughout the whole country yet again! This time he was successful, and he managed to establish fully functioning Dojos in Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, Shenyang, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other major cities – attracting the huge number of 80,000 ethnic Chinese students! Mr Mekaru Kenichi was appointed by the Okinawa Fist Study Association of Japan to promote traditional Karate-Do all over the world! He has taught in major cities in dozens of countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. After 20 years, the number of students around the world has reached 35,000! He has stated, however, that as China is the birthplace of Karate-Do – China remains the country with the most potential for development. In order to spread and develop Karate-Do in China, he would rather give up the materially superior conditions of other countries, relocate to a remote part of China for meditative study, and invest whatever money he could raise and donate it to the Chinese people - to be used for the promotion of Karate-Do! After years of hard work by Mr Mekaru Kenichi , the regular practice of Karate-Do has developed rapidly throughout China – a process which has proven especially strong in Shanghai. Today, dozens of colleges and universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, Donghua University, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, and Peking University, have all established regular Karate-Do associations and offer Karate-Do courses (including medicine and weaponry). At the same time, many fitness clubs have also launched Karate-Do as a form of fitness exercise, training tens of thousands of students! On April 25th, 1999, China's first official Karate-Do body – the ‘Shanghai Wushu Association Karate Committee’ - was established through the authority of the World Karate-Do Federation! Through the introduction of Mr. Wang Zhaoji (王肇基) - the Director of the Karate-Do Committee of the Shanghai Wushu Association - Mr Mekaru Ginkari was hired as the first Consultant Head Coach. This appointment was confirmed at the inauguration ceremony, where enthusiastic Karate-Do students were called upon to hold a demonstration and competition! Mr Shimizu Seno - the Deputy Consul General of the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai - also came to the Shanghai Wushu Academy to watch the inauguration ceremony! At the invitation of Mr Mekaru Kenichi important members of the World Karate Federation and All Japan Karate Federation attended the inauguration ceremony – including director Arakawa Tong and director Hasumi Keiichi! These Karate-Do experts personally guided Chinese students in their Karate-Do practice – and helped explain the competition rules as established by the World Karate Federation! Everyone who attended, regardless of rank, ethnicity or origination, all chose to support China by joining the Karate-Do Committee of the Shanghai Wushu Association! During May 2000, following negotiations between Mr Mekaru Kenichi and the Japan Kyokushinkaikan - the first Sino-Japanese karate exchange competition (for college and high school students) was held (including full-contact sparring, Kata and weapons demonstrations), with many more high-spirited Sino-Japanese exchange competitions being held since then! During February 2001, Mr Mekaru Kenichi invited the All-Japan Karate Women's Champion to Shanghai to participate in the exchange competition with Shanghai karate students – to offer advice regarding practice methods, Kata performances and actual combat (self-defence) experience! Chinese Language Source: 铭苅拳一介绍
铭苅拳一介绍2012年01月15日 13:46:07 铭苅拳一先生于1988年第一次来到中国,在上海武术院进行了第一次空手道交流表演,当时反映极为强烈。鉴于上海各界人士对空手道十分感兴趣,在上海发展空手道的想法产生于他的脑海之中。 1990年,铭苅先生经巴西总统致信介绍及日本驻沪领事馆的推荐,在当时上海市市长朱镕基先生帮助下,由上海市体委外事处联络,在上海体育宫自费创办了中国第一个公认的空手道训练班。当时大批学习者络绎不绝,报名极为踊跃,全部免费借用了从日本带来的三百套拳士会空手道道服。 在日本,空手道是作为学校体育教育课程的。由此铭苅先生想在中国各中小学及大学内开展空手道运动,在学生中进行普及。1992年,他义务免费授课,并免费借用一百套日本空手道道服,创建了复旦大学空手道协会及开设了中国高校的第一个空手道训练班,并受聘为协会荣誉会长兼总指导;同时在上海冶金高等专科学校开设了训练班并担任总教练。 次年,他又把目标指向了全国,先后在成都、昆明、西安、沈阳、南京、杭州、青岛、广州、香港等各大城市办班传授武艺,学生总数8万人次以上。 铭苅先生曾受日本冲绳拳士会委派,到世界各国推广空手道。在美国、加拿大、墨西哥、巴西、巴拉圭、阿根廷、哥伦比亚、秘鲁、法国、西班牙、葡萄牙、意大利等数十个国家的大城市都任教过,历经20年,学生达3万5千人次。但还是发现中国是最具有潜力可发展的国家。为了在中国传播和发展空手道,他宁愿放弃其他国家的优越条件,来到中国进行考察,投入许多资金在中国空手道事业的开展推广方面,为了能使中国的空手道运动更好、更顺利地发展。 经过铭苅先生多年的努力,空手道事业在中国发展蒸蒸日上,特别是在上海。如今包括复旦大学、上海外国语大学、上海对外贸易学院、东华大学、南京理工大学、北京大学等数十所高校都成立了空手道协会,开设了空手道课程。同时许多健身俱乐部也已开展此运动,培训学员数万名。 1999年4月25日,经世界空手道连盟认可,中国第一个空手道委员会——上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立。在上海市武协空手道委员会主任王肇基先生的介绍下,铭苅先生被聘为首任顾问总教练,并在成立仪式上召集空手道学员举办了表演比赛。日本驻沪领事馆副总领事清水濑野先生也来到上海武术院观看了这次成立仪式。在铭苅先生的盛邀下,世界空手道连盟和全日本空手道连盟的最高干部局长荒川通和理事莲见圭一亲临上海庆祝空手道委员会的成立,观看、指导中国学生的表演比赛,并对世界空手道连盟的比赛裁判规则作了讲解。 上海市武术协会空手道委员会成立以后,铭苅先生在沪上的所有在册学员都加入了空手道委员会成为会员。 2000年5月,在铭苅先生与日本极真会馆的协商下,进行了首届大中学生中日空手道交流赛,以后又举办过多次中日交流赛。 2001年2月,铭苅先生又邀请了全日本空手道女子冠军来到上海,参加了与上海空手道学员的交流比赛,进行了练习方法、套路表演及实战比赛的交流。 阅读(274)|**(0) Sensei Yoshitaka Inokuma (猪熊佳孝) was born on the 25.2.1920 - and as of 2022 - he is currently 102-years-old! Although he currently holds an 8th Dan Black Belt Grade - he gave-up wearing the White 'gi' uniform and coloured belts years ago as he focuses to an ever greater degree on the 'Chinese' spiritual and physical roots of the martial art he tells everyone should be known as 'Chinese Hand' and not 'Empty Hand'! His Dojo is open twice a week for two 24 hour stints - where students can walk in and out as they please. (During its 'closed' days, individuals and groups can attend through arrangement)! Sensei Yoshitaka Inokuma (猪熊佳孝) does not teach all the classes (which are often directed by Sensei Masahiko Ando 8th Dan) - but can often be seen wandering in and out in a natural manner - very different to the average Japanese Dojo. At the conclusion of training, for instance, the teacher often sits with his students sharing a meal and a cup of tea with them - food that he has prepared himself! He describes his Karate-Do as being premised upon perfecting the following attributes: ・Concentrating unified power whilst performing and landing each technique. ・Unified power in generated within and expressed through the outer body. ・Karate is about gathering unified breathing power - and not brute strength. ・It is a martial art that includes throwing and joint-locking techniques. ・Okinawa Kobudo includes the weapons of Sai, Nunchaku and Bojutsu, etc. Shuri Ryu karate-Do is a traditional fighting system formed in Kyushu before the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) - which combines Okinawan Shuri-te (Shuri-Hand) and various elements of old Japanese martial arts. As is typical with many Okinawan martial arts - Shuri-Te has both Chinese and Okinawan influences. By combining these influence with Japanese fighting arts - a more all-round system was produced. This is the martial system that Yoshitaka Inokuma (猪熊佳孝) has taught at the Hasshokan Dojo for more than half a century - where he has established a temple for storing important historical objects and documents relating to the theory and practice of the martial art of Shuri Ryu. This Dojo is located Japan's Kagawa Prefecture, situated within Takamatsu City. Shuri Ryu involves the alignment of the bones and joints, as well as the alignment of the mind, body and environment! The must become calm, expansive and all embracing - whilst the bodyweight drops through the aligned bones and joints before hitting the ground and rebounding upwards - creating a massive counter-force which is transitioned around the body through 'will-power' and 'intention' - so that it can be emitted through the relevant (attacking) anatomical weapons. The Shuri Ryu practitioner is 'still' and perfectly 'centred' - and yet can move with a surprising speed and agility whilst applying an explosive power which is enhanced by a profound relaxation of body and mind! By breathing deeply and fully all these attributes fall into place and the centre of gravity is 'dropped' - ready to stabilise, move and evade, or 'explode' with a surprising force! Chinese Language References:
https://www.sohu.com/a/319652408_120134390 https://www.cup.com.hk/2019/04/15/99-years-old-karate-master/ Japanese Language References: https://seisiyoukan.jimdofree.com http://don110510.blog.jp/archives/17067832.html https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/15123 Although the martial arts term ‘Ninja’ is a distinctly ‘Japanese pronunciation – the two ideograms used to express this concept are of Chinese origin – namely ‘忍者’ (Ren Zhe). Whether this concept originally spread from China as a martial arts principle – or was distinctly developed in Japan - is open to debate. Certainly, the ‘Ninja’ of medieval Japan occupied entire clan-systems which ‘mirrored’ perfectly their Samurai equivalents with the only difference being that the Samurai clans were socially accepted and the ‘Ninja’ clans were clandestine and considered ‘illegal’. The ‘Ninja’ communities were made-up of the peasantry and any outcast members of the nobility and criminal fraternity, etc. Although the ‘Ninja’ communities were hidden from open view, they were disciplined, followed strict codes of conduct and were dedicated to perfecting many different martial skills designed to ‘counter’ or ‘negate’ every martial advantage the Samurai believed they possessed. In-short, the ‘Ninja’ communities represented a ‘different’ but related blue-print for Japanese feudal society – perhaps one that was internally democratic and fairer than its Samurai alternative, as women were considered ‘equal to men – and practiced martial techniques designed by women for women to use on the battlefield or during ‘assassinations’ - a key skill of the ‘Ninja’ warrior. The character ‘忍’ (ren3) is comprised of a contracted version of the lower particle ‘心’ (xin1) - which translates as ‘mind’ and ‘heart’ - and the upper particle ‘刃’ (ren4) - which represents a ‘bladed weapon’ such as a ‘knife’ or ‘broad-sword’, The Japanese version of this ideogram appears to have a handle affixed to a blade – a blade said to be covered in ‘blood’: When combined together, the ideogram ‘忍’ (ren3) suggests a situation where the human mind (and body) is said to be highly skilled swordsmanship – together with ‘tolerating’ the ‘lose’ of a certain amount of one’s own blood – as well as spilling that of the opponent. The training in this martial art is arduous and painful to experience – but this is the path that must be ‘endured’ if mastery is to be achieved. Whereas the ideogram ‘者’ (zhe3) is comprised of the lower particle ‘白’ (bai2) which carries the meaning of the colour ‘White’, whilst the upper particle is ‘耂’ (lao3) and refers to a ‘an old man who is bent-over and has long hair’ - usually implying ‘acquired wisdom overtime’. Therefore, ‘者’ (zhe3) appears to mean a ‘body of expert knowledge acquired by an individual over a long period of study’. The combined term of ‘忍者’ (Ren Zhe) - or ‘Ninja’ - refers to the concept of an ‘accumulated body of knowledge and martial arts skill and acquired by an extraordinary person overtime’. Or, an ‘acquired body of knowledge and martial arts skill that transforms an ordinary person into an extraordinary person’. Related Terms:
忍術 (Ninjutsu) - ‘Ren Shu’ = ‘Endurance Art’ 忍法 (Ninpo) - ‘Ren Fa’ = ‘Endurance Law’ Ninjutsu originally derived from an indigenous, traditional Japanese fighting technique known as the ‘Thorn Kill Art’ (刺杀术 - Ci Sha Shu) - perhaps implying the ability to ‘assassinate an opponent using a poisoned-dart'. Later, this art absorbed several Chinese cultural influences such as the ‘Art of War’ by Sunzi", and the martial principles contained within the ‘Six Secret Teachings’, etc. There is a legend that a Chinese Buddhist monk travelled to Japan early-on, and brought various Tantric Buddhist and Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques (perhaps around the 8th century CE) which were combined with Japanese Shintoism. This mixture of Chinese and Japanese martial elements was integrated to finally form ‘Ninjutsu’. The techniques of ‘evasion’ and ‘invisibility’ in were emphasised in the city – whilst ‘ambushes’ and the ability to suddenly ‘disappear’ was perfected in the mountainous areas. Chinese Language Reference: https://baike.baidu.com/item/忍术/381309 |
AuthorShifu Adrian Chan-Wyles (b. 1967) - Lineage (Generational) Inheritor of the Ch'an Dao Hakka Gongfu System. |