History

eSc · Post by **eSc** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:19 pm

Hey,

I have been trying to do some personal research to understand the history / lineage of Karate. I've come across some great articles on the internet which have lead me to look at purchasing several books.

I currently have G.E.M's The Way Of Karate and am looking to pick up his Karate-do book.

I am looking at purchasing the following:

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do. By: Shoshin Nagomine

Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques. By: Mark Bishop

The Bible of Karate Bubishi. By: Patrick McCarthy.

Has anyone read any of these books.

Does anyone have any good articles or information on this?

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:23 pm

The McCarthy book is a must. The others are classics.

Along the line of Uechi Ryu and Okinawan karate, I'd like also to recommend Alan Dollar's Book. Check out the following arrticle on fightingarts.com for a quick review of all three books.

Uechi-ryu Karate – A short History: Part 1

- Bill

eSc · Post by **eSc** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:34 pm

Yes I did read this article before posting this message (Including Part 2). I quite enjoyed it.

I will also look at getting Allan Dollar's

Secrets of Uechi-ryu Karate and the Mysteries of Okinawa

Thanks.

eSc · Post by **eSc** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 6:55 pm

Bill (or anyone)

I happened across a pdf that I'm sure is not new to you but is to me

http://216.232.47.236/acrobat_files/kar ... gy-map.pdf

This is a geneology map of karate.

In it you see the uechi break off.

However, it does not show any link to any other major start points (suri-te naha-te ... etc. ..)

It doesn't look like Uechi has any ties into any of the other major branches other then it existed and was being developed at the same time.

Is this correct?

(man I can't wait to get these books and start reading)

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:06 pm

That is correct. There is no direct link on Okinawa between Uech Ryu (and its daughter systems) and any other Okinawan system.

The connections go way back to China, where the concept of a style or a ryu was a much less concrete one. Thus you will find connections between Uechi and Goju if you can go back in history in China, but the common material may not be something you recognize as either being stable or something that looks like a style today.

As for the origin of Uechi Ryu, we have no reason to believe that the original system (Uechi Sanchin, Seisan, and Sanseiryu) existed before Uechi Kanbun studied with Chou Tse Ho (Shushiwa). The two of them may have been responsible for or witnessed the choreography of this system from available martial knowledge at that point in time. The same can be said for Goju Ryu and Kanryo Higaonna. And given the temporal and geographic proximity of their origins, we should not be surprised that their respective Sanchin and Seisan kata are similar.

- Bill

Spitkicker · Post by **Spitkicker** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:55 am

While the lineage is not entirely accurate; neither are some of the books you mentioned. They will present a basic picture to work from and help guide you to dig deeper.

mikemurphy · Post by **mikemurphy** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 3:44 pm

Mark Bishop's "Okinawan Karate" and John Corcoran's "The Martial Arts Source Book" are good resources for lineage and such.

mike

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