Hakatsuru Kata

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sat May 12, 2007 4:37 am

A kata not seen too often is Hakutsuru, a White Crane form reportedly brought to Okinawa by Gokenki, among others. Gokenki was a Chinese Fujian White Crane stylist who in the early part of the 20th century migrated to Okinawa, reportly as a tea merchant but he also taught some of his martial arts and interacted with Okinawa karate-ka. He is said to have been an acquaintance of Kanbun Uechi on Okinawa, possibly having met him as far back as when Kanbun was in China.

Among those Gokenki taught Hakutsuru to was Shinko Matayoshi, who passed it along to his son Shinpo. I have seen video clips of Shinpo Matayoshi performing Hakutsuru and they did not make much impression on me, possibly because they were recorded near the end of his life and his performance was modified to fit changes that come with age, possibly due to Shinpo's reported habit of modifying kata whenever his performance was being video-taped.

This clip is the first time I have seen Hakutsuru performed by someone else, and I have to say I see a lot of similarities to Uechi Ryu kata in this presentation, even though it is by a Shorin Ryu stylist, Takaya Yabiku. I could believe that this kata comes from the same area as the Uechi Seisan and Sanseiryu, and the Fujian Suparenpei that Bill teaches. Of course it is difficult to say whether such similarities arose through early mutual influences in China, later interactions on Okinawa, or a combination of the two. But I think this presentation provides some clues about the martial arts environment in which Uechi Ryu developed, both in China and Okinawa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltYWnXECZY4&NR=1

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sat May 12, 2007 4:45 am

Here is a performance of Hakutsuru by Shinpo Matayoshi by the way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encHYcCQ ... ed&search=

fivedragons · Post by **fivedragons** » Sat May 12, 2007 7:12 am

I love kata, or actually I should say that I absolutely despise kata because it points out all the things that I really really ****** at.

I understand what it is for, and I know how to learn from it.

But...

It wasn't meant as something to show people. It wasn't meant as something to signify any certain technique or ability.

It wasn't meant to be a way to show what you can do, because you study whatever style.

It wasn't meant to show what lineage you are from.

It makes me queasy to watch someone performing a kata as a demonstration.

It doesn't look cool, and I don't appreciate it.

And no one cares what lineage anyone is from, because no one knows crap about what they're doing except as it applies to their own experience, skills, and attributes.

I wish everyone would take their kata and go ##### themselves, so I could practice mine without thinking about all the freakish self important bird dances that everyone else parades in front of the public eye as if it is some kind of freaking peacock pageant of martial profundity, and if you know the secret dance of the leprous loon, you can be one of "us"

Sorry, just having fun, nothing to do with this post actually, just general irritability.

It is what it is, and it ain't anything more.

benzocaine · Post by **benzocaine** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:45 pm

A kata not seen too often is Hakutsuru, a White Crane form reportedly brought to Okinawa by Gokenki, among others. Gokenki was a Chinese Fujian White Crane stylist who in the early part of the 20th century migrated to Okinawa, reportly as a tea merchant but he also taught some of his martial arts and interacted with Okinawa karate-ka. He is said to have been an acquaintance of Kanbun Uechi on Okinawa, possibly having met him as far back as when Kanbun was in China.

Legend has it that Kanbu was Gokenki's teacher.

benzocaine · Post by **benzocaine** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:52 pm

http://www.womenskaratetour.org/History3.htm

Though still practicing regularly, Kanbun was not to teach for almost another 17 years. He began farming in the northern part of the island near Nago. Life was uneventful for Kanbun during those years.[63] He tried to forget his years in China, but his reputation was to follow not far behind. Then, after

Kanbun's return to Okinawa, Mr. Gokenki, the Chinese tea merchant, and former friend and student, often visited Okinawa on business. He soon located his friend and teacher, and tried to persuade him to teach again. With the ghosts of past events and the sudden downfall of his reputation in China still haunting him, and the possibility that his recent connections with Chinese training might help to identify him as a draft-evader, Kanbun was alarmed at the thought that his now happy and peaceful life may be destroyed and his new family made to suffer, and so vehemently refused.[64]

In 1912, Gokenki, moving to Naha, set up a tea shop. It seems, he was a rather outspoken fellow, and made no secret of his obvious preference for Chinese-style training and its superiority over many Okinawan methods. He managed, without much effort, to get into a brawl with another karate teacher from Naha, and defeated him soundly. After that it seems that the reputation of several teachers and systems were at stake -- to save face, other well-known karate teachers challenged Gokenki, but none were able to beat him. Then of course, many prospective students showed up at Gokenki's door asking for instruction. Gokenki was astonished at the reaction of people clamoring for him to teach them. Gokenki made it known that his teacher in China was actually an Okinawan after all, and lived on the northern end of the island.[65] He would always refer to Kanbun Uechi as a truly great karate master who had taught him in China (Note: Gokenki also influenced other Historical Martial figures such as Choshin Miyagi (1888 - 1953), Kenwa Mabuni (1889 - 1953), and Hohan Soken (1889 - 1982)).

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Sat May 12, 2007 7:40 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVoGIyhW ... ed&search=
F.

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sun May 13, 2007 12:47 am

benzocaine wrote: Legend has it that Kanbu was Gokenki's teacher.

The exact relationship between Gokenki and Kanbun is not clear. Just as the name "Shushiwa" is the Japanese form of the Chinese name Zhou Zihe, "Gokenki" is the Japanese form of the Chinese name Wu Xianhui (Pinyin transliteration, which is also sometimes written Wu Xiangui; the Wade-Giles transliteration is Wu Hsien-kuei). Wu was born in Fuzhou in 1886 and moved to Okinawa in 1912, setting up a tea shop in Naha and teaching White Crane quanfa to Okinawan students. Though he wanted to, the conflict between Japan and China prevented him from returning home to China and he died in Okinawa in 1940.

There are some excellent sources of information on Wu, including a biographical article on him by Mario McKenna that appeared in Dragon Times (Volume 20, 2001/2002) and information in Alan Dollar's Secrets of Uechi Ryu Karate and Pat McCarthy's introduction to his translation of the Bubishi.

Dollar states that "Gokenki regularly visited Kanbun at Shushiwa's school and Kanbun's school in Nansoe. The young man challenged Kanbun's enthusiasm and rousing exchanges of chuan fa took place when they came together" (p. 65). Dollar does later refer to Gokenki as Kanbun's "friend and student in China" (p. 67) but the student aspect is not elaborated on nor mentioned elsewhere, so it is not clear if this is a formal relationship or simply an informal one that was based on the friendly exchanges referred to on page 65 in Dollar's book.

McCarthy does not discuss Wu Xianhui's training, but intriguingly he states "Uechi Kanbun wrote that Wu (Go Kenki in Japanese) taught gongfu in the evenings in Naha" (p. 41). I believe McCarthy means to attribute this to Uechi Kanei however, since Kanei's 1977 kyohan is listed in the book's bibliography but there is no listing for a writing by Kanbun.

McKenna does discuss Wu Xianhui's training in his article. According to McKenna, Wu Xianhui was first taught quanfa and long sword by an uncle, Wu Songmu, and then by other teachers whom Songmu brought in to teach the family. McKenna goes on to state (p. 14):

It is believed that Xianhui was proficient in a form of Fujian Crane boxing, but it is unknown how he learned crane boxing or from whom he learned. One theory is that Xianhui had learned Ming He Quan or Singing Crane boxing. It is believed that Wu Songmu befriended the founder of Ming Hei Quan, Xie Zongxian (also known as Ru Ru Ko), the same Ru Ru Ko who reportely taught the Okinawan Higashionna Kanryo (Tokashiki 1995). Wu Songmu eventually invited Xie to to come teach Ming Hei Quan to his three sons as well as Xianhui and his two brothers Xiancai and Xianchang. Their training in Ming Hei Quan was held in secret until 1912 when the Wu Songmu passed away (Tokashiki 1995).

Another theory indicates that Xianhui had learned crane boxing from Zhou Zihe (1876-1926), the same Zhou Zihe who had taught the Okinawan Uechi Kanbun. Although renowned as Shaolin Tiger boxer, Zhou was also a master of several forms of quanfa including: Duck, Ox, Dog, Monkey, and Singing Crane boxing (Wei, et al., 1998, pp221). Apparently Uechi Kanbun and Xianhui had become acquainted at Zhou's dojo, so much so that when Uechi opened his dojo Wu visited him to exchange practice and techniques. This theory has some merit as oral tradition states that upon Uechi's return to Okinawa, Wu would recommend students to Uechi and Uechi would occasionally visit Wu's tea shop in Naha (Takamiyagi 1977, pp. 439).

Since Xie was the founder of Whooping Crane, presumably Singing Crane is another name for Whooping Crane, which is logical given the whooping sound is a form of crane song.

McKenna discusses on page 15 of his article what Wu taught, based on information from one of Wu's last surviving students, Itoman Shojo, who began training with Wu in 1936 at age 12:

Practice at the tea shop was about two hours long and consisted of an opening bow in seiza to Kyutenfukain Mitato Genshi or Busaganashi in Okinawan dialect. Busaganashi was a local deity of music, art and business in the Fujian area (Florence, 1998, pg. 53). They then moved to preparatory exercises, followed by happoren (san chin) practice with equipment, coordinated with their breathing. Next Xianhui would demonstrate a xing (kata) followed by the students. Xinhui would then correct their xing (kata). Along with happoren, Wu appears to have emphasized two additional other xing (kata) (see Table 4).

Itoman recalls Wu's quanfa as amazing. He reportedly had an incredible expression on his face when performing xing (kata). His breathing was hard and forceful, but his movements were much softer than Okinawan karate, which struck Itoman as being very hard (Ejima 2001). In addition to kata and conditioning practice, students would occassionally use a stick to practice defending againsts thrusts with kicks and punches (Ejima 2001).

Table 4 - Xing (kata) reportedly taught by Wu Xianhui
Mandarin Chinese-------Japanese----------English
Babulian--------------------Happoren------------Eight Linking Steps
Ershibada------------------Nijuhachi-uchi-------Twenty-eight Strikes
Zhongkuang---------------Chukyo---------------Middle Save

These sources seem to indicate that Wu (Gokenki) was more of a kohai then a student, but that their martial arts were very closely related. I do find it interesting that the Chinese quanfa exported to Okinawa in the late 1800s-early 1900s all seem to lead back to just two Chinese teachers: Xie as the teacher of Higashionna (leading the styles his students created) and of Nakaima Norisato (Ryuei Ryu), Zhou as the teacher for Uechi, and then one or both of these as the teachers of Gokenki.

MikeK · Post by **MikeK** » Sun May 13, 2007 12:53 am

This theory has some merit as oral tradition states that upon Uechi's return to Okinawa, Wu would recommend students to Uechi and Uechi would occasionally visit Wu's tea shop in Naha (Takamiyagi 1977, pp. 439).

But I thought that Kanbun was not teaching on Okinawa at that time, is my time line off or is one of the stories incorrect?

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:15 am

Both your timeline and the stories are correct. Kanbun wasn't teaching at that time on Okinawa. Gokenki referred students to Kanbun, but Kanbun turned them down. Reportedly this pressure to teach by prospective students sent to him by Gokenki was one of the factors leading Kanbun to leave Okinawa for Japan.

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:24 am

Some video of Happoren (Babulian):
Happoren or 8 linked steps - Karate's version
(according to one of the viewer comments: "That's Simon Lailey performing [Tiger style] Happoren in Haltwhistle at the Patrick McCarthy seminar hosted by Harry Cook"

Chinese version of kata Happoren

Babulien by unknown Chinese Master.

Old Minghe's "Babulien" or "8 Linked Steps"

Another clip of interest, by the same person who does clip 2 above:
Fuzhou MingHe SanJin

benzocaine · Post by **benzocaine** » Sun May 13, 2007 11:11 am

That's Simon Lailey performing [Tiger style] Happoren in Haltwhistle at the Patrick McCarthy seminar hosted by Harry Cook"

The same that taught Bill Suparempai?

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Sun May 13, 2007 3:29 pm

benzocaine wrote: The same that taught Bill Suparempai?

Yes, and Harry Cook has occassionally participated on this forum.

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Mon May 14, 2007 4:32 pm

If I am not mistaken, Kimo Wall taught Hakutsuru at one of George's camps. The form being taught and/or done by him may actually be on one of George's camp videos. I missed all those classes because I was busy teaching my butt off. But I saw enough to appreciate a very nice form.

A little bit of research may uncover this.

This does show a common link between Uechi and Goju styles. Many forms like these are a bit primitive in that they tend to look more like a human imitating an animal rather than the person having adapted the animal movements to the human body. But still, these little choreographic links give us interesting "moving references" to our styles' origins.

Hakutsuru in particular is one of the nicer, more evolved Fujian crane forms. And it reminds me a lot of Miyagi's Tensho kata.

- Bill

Topos · Post by **Topos** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:05 pm

"I wish everyone would take their kata and go ##### themselves, so I could practice mine without thinking about all the freakish self
important bird dances that ....".

Oh, thank you. I needed that this tiring day. Your "Moon Bat" symbol was right on. A few Sundays ago my wife & I were at Whole Foods at Alewife Cambridge when an obvious Vegean male, 5' 8" skinny Lefty twirp wearing a 'Meadow Muffin [ for the non bucolic, what the cow leaves all over the field] flat brown cap' and a tee shirt with "9-11 Was An Insided Job and a web address". I 'irish stage' whispered to my wife "a Moonbat ,, I want to yell out "Moon Bat Alert!!'. She pinched my bicept with " you are no Howie Carr, please shut up".
I stifled a loud laugh and obeyed. A few folks around me heard and another Cambridge Lefty looked at the small emblem on my black sweat shirt "US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES - De Oppresso Libre". Gasp! Lucky thing I had my wife to protect me otherwise I believe that they would have minced over and threatened to escort me out.

Ray is correct ... never bring a vegetable to a knife fight [grin].

Best day to all.

Topos · Post by **Topos** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:33 pm

Glenn,

Am I wrong but are not these movements subsumed in Seisan? The 'outside strikes to the sterns' of two opponents on either side is in the beginning of proceeding to the the temple stikes in Seisan? As I imagined copying the movements I 'felt them' from 'eons' of Seisan.

Thank you for any input.

Hakatsuru Kata

Hakatsuru Kata

FiveDragons

Hakatsuru Kata