The History of Fighting

Jigoro Kano (the founder of Judo) on the left and Yoshiaki Yamashita
(the first to achieve a 10th degree red belt) performing  Koshiki-no-kata

This poster depicts Heavy Weight boxer Joe Louis and was aimed at getting new recruits to join the American army during World War Two. It was produced around 1942 during the ‘Brown Bomber’s' reign, which stretched from 1937 – 1949.

Chen Fake practicing Xin Jai

Chen Fake (1887–1957) was a master of t’ai chi ch’uan who was instrumental in the spread of his style, Chen-style taijiquan, when he took it from his home in the Henan Province in 1928 and started teaching it in Beijing. As the style is largely based on internal energies, Chen Fake feared its subtle properties may be lost to future generations so he created an external form known as Xin Jia (New Frame) to add a visual framework to the internal movements.

Gichin Funakoshi executing a shuto uke (knife hand block)

Tsukahara Bokuden (1489 - 1571)

George Silver was a late 16th, early 17th century English teacher of defence who wrote two major works, "Paradoxes of Defence" and "Brief Instructions on my Paradoxes of Defence", in which he promoted the use of small-swords and staves in favour of the rapier, a weapon which he strongly criticised. He believed that the rapier was dangerous, and was concerned with the number of duels that were happening in his time and worried that too many arguments were being settle that way. According to Silver, weapons like the small-sword offered far greater defence than the rapier and were far more versatile in attack. He stated;

“English masters....if they teach with ancient English weapons of true defence, weight and convenient length, within the compass of their statures and strength of men to command, because it makes them safe, bold, valiant, hardy, strong, and healthful, and victorious in wars, service of their Prince, defence of their friends and country. But the rapier in reason not to be taught, because it makes men fearful and unsafe in single combat, and weak & unserviceable in wars”. (George Silver, Paradoxes of Defence)

More Fencing Legends

Gankaku, as performed by JKA Chief instructor Masaaka Ueki (1939 – Present)

Gankaku Gankaku (Crane on a Rock) is a very old kata that was originally named Chinto (Fighter/Battle to the East), until it was changed by Gichin Funakoshi. In this case the change was brought about not only to make it more acceptable to the Japanese, but to remove any connotations of war the name might have as a result of Master Funakoshi’s pacifist beliefs. He also made modifications to the kata, changing its pattern to make it more linear like most of the other Shotokan kata.

Legend has it that it was named after a Chinese sailor called Chinto (or sometimes called Annan), who was ship wrecked off the cost of Okinawa. Chinto stole local crops until the King sent his bodyguard, karate master Sokon Matsumura, to defeat him. Matsumura, was an early exponent of the Shuri-te style and possibly the best martial artist of his day in Okinawa but when he fought against Chinto, the two were evenly matched and the ensuing fight was drawn. This prompted the karate master to invite the Chinaman to give him some lessons in his art and led to further development in what would become modern day karate.

More Kata History