Those of us that train Karate have all heard the typical Historical Outline, that every movement has meaning, that all techniques were once used on the battlefield, that Karate is an old Tradition stretching back for Generations to Okinawan Farmers having to defend themselves from Bandits and invading Samurai.
Then we proceed to learn how to count in Japanese, how to behave in a Japanese manner, how to follow 'Traditional' Japanese etiquette along with linking Karate to Samurai Tradition dating back thousands of years in Ancient Japanese History.
We are told that Karate originated from Okinawan Te, that it was mixed with Chinese Quan Fa to formulate Okinawan Tote which eventually became Karate as we know it, and it was a Peasant Art practiced among Farmers and Fishermen from three particular villages; Tomari, Naha, and Shuri... That the Chinese aspects of the Art can be traced back to the Shao Lin Temple of Fujian Province China and, further, to Ta Mo, or Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japanese) which is meant to justify the inclusion of various aspects of Zen Buddhism within the training.
To begin, I have no issues with the inclusion of Japanese Tradition NOR the inclusion of Zen Training... These have tremendous value for the development of good character as well as deep understanding through direct knowledge and constant practice.
Now... Let's unpack these 'historic' aspects a bit.
Okay. The first part, that Karate was created by Okinawan Farmers and Fishermen in order to defend against Bandits or Invading Samurai.
Peasants in Okinawa spent the majority of their time working in order to feed their families, they had to produce otherwise they starved, so what time did they have for training to fight? Yes, this is considered a life skill, necessary for the protection of one's family and property, but learning Kata, endless drills, with applications being held out for a select few sounds rather elitist and not particularly conducive to effective defense of family or property.
There are major holes in this story. The fact that the most effective forms of combat are trained by 'doing' along with the injury rate being high in such training... There was no real Medical Service in Okinawa back in the day, injuries would seriously impact a person's ability to produce and provide for their families, so this would have been avoided.
Even a slight cut could prove fatal without proper treatment and most lived in extreme poverty. Even in China today, most live in extreme poverty with some questionable beliefs regarding Medical Treatment as Medical Treatment is still not readily available in outlying areas where buildings are in disrepair, cancer rates are high due to pollution, and sanitation is not really a thing. Malnourishment rates are high in these areas that still live as they did back in the day.
Then you have the fact that Karate is taught in the language and Tradition of the Japanese, so it does not appear to have been very effective in defending against invading Japanese Samurai... Yes, there were instances where history does show the Okinawans held off and even defeated the Japanese, but in the end, Okinawa became a part of Japan... The Samurai invaded and took over, the Okinawan Culture was all but wiped out, integrated into the culture of Mainland Japan.
The Majority of those we know of as 'Okinawan Masters' of Karate were from the upper class of Okinawan Society, considered as Okinawan Bushi/Pechurin, the Noble Class of Okinawa, mainly serving Royalty who lived in Shuri Castle.
Nearly all of them were on board with integration into Japanese Society/Culture, even changing the name of the 'Art' from Tote to Karate so as to downplay the Chinese influence on their 'Art' and 'Culture.'
Those that were NOT on board with integration were exiled, living abroad in other countries, all of them, as well, from the Nobility Class, none of them farmers or fishermen to begin with... Which is not to say they did not possess these skills, but that they were not of a class that lived in extreme poverty. They were from families that consisted of what would be the equivalent of Knights in European Culture, some with more status than others.
The other aspect, that Karate is linked to Tradition which goes back generations... This, too, is a myth.
Karate is a Modern Art created in the 1920's or 1930's. Any aspect of Karate that is older is not from Karate, it comes from older family methods of training, methods that were not considered 'Arts' or 'Styles' in the sense that we think of them today... There was no 'Ryu-ha' in Okinawa prior to integration with Japanese Culture. The concept of Karate Ryu-ha is a Modern creation, artificial in nature, with ZERO basis in history.
Systemization is a Japanese concept as the Japanese are a very Organized and Systemized people with etiquette for just about everything... The Okinawans are not.
Even the name 'Okinawa' is not 'Okinawan,' the Ryukyu People, as a culture, are certainly a mix of various cultures due to their location as a centralized hub for trade in the area between Japan, China, Southeast Asia, even the Dutch and other European Countries had an influence on this Island Nation and the Japanese did not/do not view them in a positive light, seeing them in much the same way as they see the indigenous Ainu People.
So, in short, on that aspect, Karate did not exist prior to the early 20th century... It was created through various committees of 'Masters' seeking to integrate with Japanese Culture, seeing such integration as a way towards legitimization of their own place within that Culture and that Culture's History via mandate from the Imperial Government of the time.
Even today this has not been settled as there are still aspects of Okinawan Society that seek their independence from Japan in order to save their own Culture... We also see this in America with the Hawaiian Independence Movement, and who on Earth could blame them for seeking what they once had?
As for the notion that techniques were used on the battlefield? I can certainly get on board with this, if the techniques were still taught directly.
It is not the technique that matters, but the methodology in which they are trained that makes the difference. Karate, a Modern Art, is NOT a battlefield tested Art in any way, shape, or form, which is reflected in the methodology currently employed to teach the Art.
Applications of a Practical or Pragmatic Nature are often not taught at the beginning, focusing on proper stances, proper technique, often performed in the air rather than against an opponent and, when performed against an opponent, resistance is not encouraged until MUCH later.
A true Battlefield Art would teach by doing because a Soldier would need to be able to perform immediately, rather than waiting for a certain grading in order to get the basics down. Imagine if it took seven years to get a legion of Soldiers battle ready? The War would be over, all the battles would be lost.
The idea that one has to get the basics down first is sound, yes, but the idea that application needs to come later? That is utter bullshit. The basics should BE THE APPLICATIONS, this is crucial to effective implementation in a Battle Field setting.
People learning Kata first, then doing endless Waza without any direct application? Leading to effective utilization on a Battle Field with success? That is utter non-sense.
I have heard people say 'We do not spar in this Dojo,' followed by 'We train real fighting here' and what they often mean is that they practice Kata alongside pre-arranged drills with opponent doing X and defender responding with Y.
This is fine for basic skills training, but does not include the chaos of a real combative situation, it does not teach one how to think on their feet, to shift strategy, and worst of all, it does not include any type of resistance from the opponent that would force the defender to utilize anything outside the context of that drill.
This is NOT real fighting. It is DANCING, and not even very good dancing at that because dancing also includes aspects of free-form improv which has more to offer real combative training than what is described above.
So no, Karate is NOT an ancient Samurai Art developed on and for the Battlefield by hardened Peasant Soldiers. It is a Modern Art created from aspects of Okinawan Culture mixed in with Japanese Culture to give it some sort of legitimacy.
As for the Zen aspects and the link to the Shao Lin Temple in Fujian? Even this is called into question, or perhaps not. When one looks at Modern Wushu, what we see is a Performance Art meant to entertain while keeping the practitioners of this Art physically fit.
There is no denying that it takes tremendous skill to perform Wushu, or Quan Fa as many Historians have called it. There is no denying that it is extremely difficult to develop the skills necessary to perform and entertain.
The word 'Kung Fu' means HARD WORK. It does not necessarily refer to combative arts, anything can be Kung Fu if one develops a deep level of skill to be considered a Master. From cooking, to painting, to stone masonry, to building and construction, to medicine, even to acrobatics, to worship and Chanting in a Religious context, to Religious understanding itself.
The Quan Fa that was brought to Okinawa had more to do with performance and entertainment than it did with combat. Most Cultures do not share their combatives with outsiders, especially within Asian Culture and, more importantly, especially when it comes to family arts passed from Father to Son.
Even within Okinawan Culture this is prevalent. There exist Arts that are NOT taught to outsiders that DO contain aspects we can find within Mordern Karate, but are not, and have nothing to do with Modern Karate as an Art.
These are the true Traditions and they ARE Traditions which can be traced to combatives that have an entirely different methodology than the one found within Karate or Wushu. They have nothing to do with performance, nothing to do with entertainment or competition and they are held within those families, not the Shao Lin Temple.
The Bodhidharma aspect? This is a Character, supposedly a historical figure, that some believe existed while others believe was fictional. No one has reached a consensus on Bodhidharma and the fact that writings and teachings attributed to him are actually from later periods of Chinese History throws even more doubt upon his actual existence.
The fact that Zen/Chan/Dhyana as a whole does not really have a historical basis within Buddhism (outside of some Meditation Practices within Therevada that only have a passing resemblance to Zen with NONE of its' Teachings) seems to call even further doubt on Zen actually being Buddhist as a whole.
It seems to have more elements of Daoist thought than actual Buddhist thought, re-packaged in Buddhist Garments in order to remain relevant during a time when Buddhism was sweeping the Chinese Nation in popularity.
The addition of Zen to Karate Training, also, was part of Okinawans seeking to integrate their culture with the mainland since many of the Samurai were practitioners of Zen Buddhism and this was later integrated as a form of Imperialistic Zen Buddhism with Nationalistic tones. This was a time when Japan was extremely Nationalistic, having aligned with Nazi Germany, seeking to expand their Imperial Influence and those, within Japan, not adhering to Japanese Culture were punished, ostracized, and humiliated (the book Zen At War goes into detail on how the Japanese Empire utilized Zen as a tool for Nationalism and War).
Okinawan Culture was (and is, in some respects) animistic, naturalistic, with some deeply held beliefs that were more in line with Shamanic Traditions of many Ancient Cultures.
Their society was actually ruled by a class of Priestesses, while the Men were seen as Soldiers, Workers, and Government Officials, the true power rested with Women... Women were the head of households, women were the Priestesses that had say even over laws enacted by Royalty, the society of the Ryukyu People was, effectively, a Matriarchy.
This was in stark contrast to Japanese Society, which was AND IS very much a Patriarchy.
Albeit there are many aspects of Japanese Culture and Religion that are Animistic and Shamanic, these Traditions still fit within the regimented and organized nature of Japanese Culture, which is also very much a Warrior Culture even to this day.
There is nothing wrong with either approach, it just shows the contrasting difference between Cultures and how much influence Imperial Japan sought over those under its' rule.
So the connection to Bodhidharma and Zen within Karate and as part of Okinawan Culture is ALSO a Modern Creation, just as Karate itself is a Modern creation and very much a Japanese, rather than Ryukyuan Art.
It was created as a regimented means of Physical Fitness, combined with the Warrior Traditions of Japan, to be utilized in Schools in preparation for conscription into the Japanese Military during a time in history that was defined by extreme Imperialistic Militarism and expansion.
It was never utilized on some ancient Battlefield, it was never driven into secrecy where it was only practiced during the night away from prying eyes of occupying forces as a means of fighting without weapons.
Battlefield Arts were primarily Arts that utilized weapons of War with empty handed aspects being meant for Law Enforcement and protection of Royalty within Palace Walls.
Much of what we understand about Karate's 'Do' aspects are also the product of Modern Times. Many of the 'Masters' we have record of were people of questionable character bent on making money to support their families in post war Japan. Some of them were extreme alcoholics and womanizers, many of them got into pointless brawls, then sought to teach that Karate was an art of Defense and Character Development, which it certainly can be, but coming from these types of people, it seems very disingenuous.
Karate was taught to Law Enforcement AND Yakuza alike, many of them shared the same training floor and, like many forms of Quan Fa, was seen as an Art of the less than savory characters within society.
There are many stories of my Teacher's Teacher's Teacher where he would accept payment in the form of Alcohol, that he looked down upon some students because of their skin color, that many students were awarded higher status within the Organization due to the fact that they were Asian, and he would often chain smoke whilst telling people they should not smoke as Karateka.
Aspects such as these cannot be ignored if we are to be honest about what we study and where it came from.
Indeed, there is room for improvement and the potential exists due to the fact that these Arts DO draw upon some deeper aspects of Tradition, but we simply cannot ignore the gaping holes in the story if we are to come to a complete understanding in order to improve upon what we have been handed.
This is not meant to be disrespectful to anyone, to those who took the time to pass this down, but it is meant to be truthful and honest, to ourselves AND our Students.
There is no such thing as a pure Tradition of Karate. There is no such thing as Karate with ancient roots.
The original Art of the Ryukyu Noble Families was NOT Karate, it was NOT created by farmers, it has nothing to do with Tote. It did not consist of Kata or pre-arranged Waza, it did not focus on proper form for the sake of form, it focused on function, on actual implementation of skills RIGHT AWAY... Not seven years down the line, and it held no basis in a Belt Ranking system.
This might seem controversial to some, many will outright attack ALL of this, but I do not care.
What I have learned recently has shed A HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT on the subject and I have been fortunate enough to have been welcomed into a circle that was actually willing to share this information with me as a member of the family.
I love Karate... I love it so much that I cannot allow the truth to go unspoken, regardless of what that means for me in the community at large.
I respect my Teachers, I respect the Tradition, but we cannot rest on delusional thinking where we set critical thinking aside and do not seek to clarify the Truth.
There is plenty of PUBLIC evidence to back ALL of this up, nevermind the Tradition of Ti that I now study in conjunction with my Karate that has made my Karate so much the richer in all aspects of Training.
I still practice Zen as well, I still utilize the Japanese Etiquette within my Training because there is tremendous value there, but the romanticized outlook has been utterly destroyed within me through my studies and exploration. This has also made this better by providing balanced viewpoints within myself.
We must all wake up and seek to better ourselves through honesty and truth, we cannot keep up the charade of purity and perfection that has permeated all aspects of Karate Culture.
