The Chinese Martial Arts Origination of Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do
Original Article By: Hong Kong Goju Ryu
(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD) Translator’s Note: The following is the English translation of the original Chinese text of the 'History' section of the Hong Kong Goju Ryu Karate-Do website. Goju Ryu Karate-Do is an Okinawan style of martial arts that is in reality a preservation of a Chinese (White Crane) style of Gongfu. Due to the historical difficulties that exist between China and Japan, generally speaking Japanese Karate is not popular or prominent in Hong Kong, but Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do is acknowledged in China as an authentic lineage of Chinese martial arts. Goju Ryu is premised upon Fujian White Crane Gongfu which is a collection of techniques that exhibit a perfect blend of yin and yang interchange.
ACW 1.7.2012 Introduction (現今的剛柔流空手道，已發展成為一種世界性的運動武術，其實它亦是第一個由日本傳入香港的空手道門派，但真正了解它的歷史的人畢竟不多。如果我們要明白「剛柔流」的歷史，首先要知道日本的空手道是由沖繩人所傳入，而沖繩人的武術則由中國人傳授這個關係。) Today's Goju Ryu Karate Do (剛柔流空手道), has developed into a recognised worldwide movement of martial arts. It may be surprising to learn that this martial art has been imported into Hong Kong from Okinawa, and that it is one of the many karate schools to be found there. However, it is also true that not many people really understand its true history. If we are to appreciate this true ‘Goju Ryu’ history, we have to understand that Japanese karate actually comes from the people of Okinawa, and that it was transmitted into that country from China. Chinese people taught the Okinawan people a number of martial arts that eventually developed into Karate. This fact is indicative of the close historical ties between China and Okinawa. (古時，沖繩的武術是沒有流派名稱的，當時的沖繩人只用地方名來分別不同的武術，例如那霸手，首里手，泊手等……由於當地的武術絕大部份是由中國傳入，所以亦被統稱為「唐手」。) In ancient times, the Okinawan martial arts had no schools defined by technique. Instead, Okinawan martial arts were named after places to distinguish one tradition from another. An example of such styles are Na-ba-Shou (Naha-Te - 那霸手), Shou-Li-Shou (Shuri-Te -首里手), and Bo-Shou (泊手), etc. As the vast majority of these local Okinawan martial arts have originated from China, they are often collectively referred to as ‘Tang-Shou’ (唐手), or ‘Chinese Hand’. (「那霸」是沖繩一個重要的港口市鎮，其中有一位享負盛名，被公認為「剛柔流」開祖的的武術家東恩納寬量，他在當地所教授的武術被尊稱為「那霸手」，傳到其首徒宮城長順後，於1930年「那霸手」正式改名為「剛柔流」，而「唐手」亦於1935年改名為「空手道」;因此，宮城先生亦被尊稱為「剛柔流」之流祖。) ‘Naha’ is an important Okinawan port town, which is famous for the development of the ‘Goju Ryu’ style which has its roots in the martial arts brought from China by the local Okinawan Master Higaonna Kanryo (東恩納寬量 – Dong En Na Kuan Liang). He called his Chinese martial arts ‘Naha-Te’. His main disciple was called Miyagi Chojun (宮城長順 – Gong Cheng Zhang Shun)– he inherited the complete style from Higaonna. In 1930, Miyagi Chojun renamed ‘Naha-Te’ (那霸手) as ‘Goju Ryu’ 剛柔流), and in 1935, changed the name ‘Tang Hand’ (唐手) to ‘Empty Hand Way’ (空手道). (其實不少人也知道空手道是由中國武術演變過來的，但中國武術亦有很多的門派，究竟「剛柔流」是中國武術中那一門，那一派呢？相信很多人亦不知道。現在就讓我們了解一下「剛柔流」兩位開祖的武術家東恩納寬量先生和宮城長順先生的習武經過，便能夠找出答案了。) Although it may be true that many people might know that Karate-do in general evolved from Chinese martial arts, few understand that the Okinawan martial art of Goju Ryu is in fact a Chinese martial art. To understand this fact the lives of the two warriors Higaonna Kanryo and Miyagi Chojun must be examined to realise the direct link between Okinawa and China. Higaonna Kanryo (1853-1916) 
(恩納寬量先生自少對中國武術非常嚮往，在他22歲時(1874年)，得到一位經常來往中國褔州的官員吉川介紹，便到了中國褔州跟隨一位很出名的白鶴拳名家謝宗祥先生學習嗚鶴拳。鳴鶴拳源自---------「前五虎」之王打興。至第六代林世威，林傳福州蓋山潘嶼八，潘滲入羅漢拳精華，創「鳴鶴拳」，潘傳長樂縣謝祟祥（余師）(Ryu Ryuko/劉六哥/ Xie Zhong Xiang (1852-1930))。八十年代日本沖澠剛柔流空手道亦派人到福州認祖歸宗，確認剛柔流始創人東恩納寬量及宮城長順曾在福州拜謝崇祥為師習藝，並立碑永誌。)
Higaonna Kanryo had a profound interest for the practice of Chinese martial arts from a very young age. When he was 22 (in 1874), he eventually obtained official permission from the Chinese state authorities to travel to Fujian province to train in the martial art known as ‘Fujian White Crane Fist’, (or ‘Bai He Quan - 白鶴拳’). He was accepted as a disciple by Master Xie Zhong Xiang (1852-1930), also known as ‘Ryu Ryu Ko’ in the Okinawan language (劉六哥- pronounced ‘Liu Liu Ge’ in Chinese). Here, Higaonna was taught ‘Crying Crane Fist’ (Wu He Quan - 鳴鶴拳), also known as ‘Whooping Crane Fist’ (Ming He Quan - 鳴鶴拳). This style originates from the ‘Advancing Five Tiger’ (前五虎 – Qian Wu Hu) style – as taught by Master Wang Da Xing (王打興). This style was passed (unchanged) down to the 6th generation Master Lin Shi Wei (林傳福). Master Lin Shi Wei passed on the style to Master Pan Yu Ba (潘嶼八) of the Mount Gai (蓋山-Gai Shan), area of Fuzhou (Fujian province). Master Pan was already a renowned master of Luo Han Fist (羅漢拳) before he inherited Master Lin’s style. Master Pan combined elements of Luo Han Fist with that of Qian Wu Hu – and created the ‘Crying’, or ‘Whooping’ crane style of Fujian White Crane martial arts. Master Pan passed on his style to master Xie Sui Xiang (謝祟祥) – also known as ‘Xie Zhong Xiang’ in China, and ‘Ryu Ryu Ko’ in Okinawa. He lived from 1852 to 1930. In the 1980’s, researchers from Okinawa were sent to the Fujian city of Fuzhou (in China) to research the Chinese origins of Goju Ryu Karate, and the claim that Okinawan Higaonna Kanryo learnt this martial art from Master Xie Zhong Xiang - as Miyagi Chojun had been taught. All of these facts were confirmed, and a monument was erected in Fuzhou to record this research for future generations. (寬量先生於福州習藝15年，於38歲因思鄉便返回沖繩去。回到沖繩後，他把在中國學習多年的拳術無私公開地教授給當地居民，武名日盛，其教授的武術，則被冠稱為「那霸手」。雖然寬量先生是公開授武術，但對其弟子除了武技之傳授外，亦十分注重人格修養的灌輸。故此剩下者多為優秀之輩。東恩納先生在大正六年（1916）病歿，享年63歲。) Higaonna Kanryo spent a 15 year apprenticeship in the Fujian city of Fuzhou, but when he was 38 years old, he eventually returned back to Okinawa due to experiencing homesickness. After his return to Okinawa, Higaonna Kanryo continued to practice his Chinese martial arts, and eventually started to teach local Okinawans the art. He was renowned for his deep and profound martial knowledge, as well as his good character. As well as being a master of martial culture, Higaonna Kanryo insisted that his students develop their characters as well as their bodies. In this regard the requirement of character development and personality transformation was instilled into his students without exception, and was taught as an implicit aspect of the martial movements themselves. He successfully taught many students during his life-time as a martial arts master in Okinawa. In 1915/1916, at the age of 63, Higaonna Kanryo passed away due to an illness. Miyagi Chojun (1888-1953) 
(宮城長順 (MIYAGI CHOJUN) 生於 1888，在 14歲時（1902年）拜東恩納寬量為師習藝，1915年，他亦到中國褔州再求深造，同行者有一位白鶴拳明家吳賢貴先生。他們到達福州後，宮城先生亦隨東恩納寬量的師傅謝宗祥繼續學習中國拳法(嗚鶴拳)，在這段時間，他學習了「鶴法」中著名手法「六機手」，「六機手」包括有鐵骨手、爪子手、鐵沙手、撒攪手、一路草枝手及向天刀手。(資料來源: 武備誌) 當他回到沖繩島後，再把它整理改良後，稱為轉掌（TENSO）).
Miyagi Chojun was born in 1888. In 1902 – when he was 14 years old – he was accepted as a personal martial arts disciple of Master Higaonna Kanryo. Following the passing of Higaonna Kanryo in 1915/16, Miyagi Chojun travelled to the Chinese city of Fuzhou (in Fujian province), to continue his study of Chinese martial arts. Here, he stayed with a prominent White Crane Boxing practitioner named Wu Xian Gui (吳賢貴). Fuzhou is where Higaonna Kanryo trained in the Crying Crane Fist style (嗚鶴拳 – Wu He Quan) of Chinese Martial arts (i.e. ‘拳法’, or ‘Quan Fa’) – under the guidance of Master Xie Zhong Xiang. During this time, Miyagi Chojun trained in the following well known aspects of ‘Crane Law’, or ‘鶴法’ (He Fa); 六機手 (Liu Ji Shou) – Six Crucial Point Hand 鐵骨手 (Tie Gu Shou) – Iron Bone Hand 爪子手 (Sa Jiao Shou) – Claw Hand 鐵沙手 (Tie Sha Shou) – Iron Sand Hand 撒攪手 (Sa Jiao Shou) – Spread Mix Hand 草枝手 (Cao Zhi Shou) – Grass Stick Hand 天刀手 (Tian Dao Shou) – Divine Knife Hand (Source: According to the document entitled ‘Wu Bei Zhi’ (武備誌) or ‘Martial Perfection Record’). Upon his return to Okinawa, Miyagi Chojun developed these arts into ‘Zhuan Zhang’ (轉掌), or ‘Turning Palm’, known in Okinawan as ‘Tensho’. (1916年東恩納先生病歿，宮城長順先生承繼了他的道場，其後更成為沖繩警察部及大學裡的空手道師範。1930年，宮城先生因體會到必需給此種武術系統一個名稱，他覺得由中國傳到沖繩的白鶴拳名著「武備誌」裡的〝拳法大要八句〞——人心同天地，血脈依日月,法剛柔吞吐，身隨時應變，手逢空則入，碼進退離逢，目要視四向，耳能聽八方。當中包含了武術的應有的綱領，而「法剛柔吞吐」一句更有陰陽協調，呼吸及用力法度應鬆緊配合，剛柔並濟之意，故把其所教授之武術稱為「剛柔流空手道」，而宮城長順先生便順理成章地成為剛柔流的流袓。) In 1915-1916, Master Higaonna Kanryo passed away. Master Miyagi Chojun inherited Higaonna Kanryo’s training hall (道場 – Dao Chang) and lineage of martial arts. Later, Master Miyagi Chojun became the Karate-do instructor for the Okinawan Ministry of Police and the University. In 1930, Miyagi Chojun believed that it was necessary to give his developed martial arts system a distinctive name. He understood that the White Crane Fist (白鶴拳 – Bai He Quan) had spread from China to Okinawa, and so consulted the classic book known as the ‘武備誌’ (Wu Bei Zhi), or ‘Martial Perfection Record’. In the chapter entitled ‘拳法大要八句’ (Quan Fa Da Yao Bu Ju), or ‘Fist Law Great Essential Eight Phrases’, it says – ‘The heart and mind of humanity is (essentially) identical with the divine-sky and (the broad) earth. The blood flows in accordance with the (movements of the) sun and the moon. The law (of the universe) is both ‘hard’ (剛 – gang) and ‘soft’ (柔 – rou). The body changes with the cycle of the seasons. The hand enters and conforms to the principle of emptiness. To advance and retreat must be measured and timely; the two distinct movements become united. It is essential to be aware in all directions. The ‘hearing’ should permeate through the eight directions. The middle-point (between extremes) contains the guiding principle for martial arts. The ‘law of the hard – soft interaction’ (法剛柔吞吐) is dependent upon the harmonious interaction of yin and yang. The inward breath and the outward breath should be co-ordinated with the relaxing and tensing of the muscles – this is the principle of making power in martial arts. Through the focus of the ‘intention’ (意), the ‘hard’ and the ‘soft’ (柔) are integrated (濟).’ The ‘Lineage Inheritor’ (教授 – Jiao Shou) – Miyagi Chojun – declared that his martial art would be known as ‘剛柔流空手道’ (Chinese; ‘Gang Rou Liu Kong Shou Dao’), or ‘Goju Ryu Karate-Do’ in the Okinawan language. Therefore, Master Miyagi Chojun was the first person to call his martial art ‘Goju Ryu’. (流祖官城長順先生於1953年，病歿於沖繩。他一生對剛柔流空手道不離不棄，精研不輟，從事剛柔流空手道的推廣，授徒無數。到了今天，空手道已成為一種世界性的武術競技活動了。) The ancestor of the school (流祖 – Liu Zu) – Master Miyagi Chojun – passed away from illness in 1953. During his life there was never a moment that was not ceaselessly dedicated to the practice and research of Goju Ryu Karate-Do. The number of his (lineage) descendents is innumerable. Today, Karate-Do has become a world-wide martial art, and sporting athletic activity. (相信大家對剛柔流空手道的歷史有了深一步的了解，希望大家在空手道的鍛鍊中找到樂趣！) We believe, as practitioners of Goju Ryu Karate-Do, that we are preserving a deep historical tradition of martial understanding. We hope that everyone will find pleasure in its practice! ©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2012. Original Chinese Language Source Article: http://www.karate.org.hk/karate-history.htm |