OK, here is the info...
Kara means empty.
Te means hand.
Originally, the style was called China Hand by the Okis in reference to where it came from. The kanji character for China is the symbol for the Tang dynasty, and was often used to represent China. The tang Kanji was a homynym for empty, ie, it was also pronounced Kara.
In the 1930s, the Japanese masters got together and decided to sub the empty for the China character in a political move. Same sound, different meaning.
Some of Mattson sensei's symbols include the original Kanji for China.
So now you know the story.
Regards, Rich
Would you train with........
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RACastanet
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Stryke
heh I was kinda teasing about the kara kanji thing 
, just showing how everthing in the martial arts is up for debate .. I personally beleive it should include looking at weapons therefore i dont take the empty handed only angle .
I beleive that it was changed to empty hand as a political move , the okinawans where far more accepting of chinese words etc , when karate went to the mainland I think it was changed then , From my understanding mainly under Funakoshis influence , many of the Shotokan kata names were also Japanified
, just showing how everthing in the martial arts is up for debate .. I personally beleive it should include looking at weapons therefore i dont take the empty handed only angle .I beleive that it was changed to empty hand as a political move , the okinawans where far more accepting of chinese words etc , when karate went to the mainland I think it was changed then , From my understanding mainly under Funakoshis influence , many of the Shotokan kata names were also Japanified
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RACastanet
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Le Haggard
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- Location: Ballard area of Seattle, Washington State
"Are you confused yet...?"
LeAnn...
Behold the challenge of trying to differentiate one martial art from another, never mind sorting out the finer points of one style close to another!
BROAD overview:
Most people think that Karate is from Japan. It is not. The NAME is Japanese.
Okinawa is the "birthplace" of Karate, and the origins of these fighting styles go to Southern China, which, if you will look at a map, are quite close.
Okinawa was overrun and conquered by the Japanese; the Okinawans were even denied to OWN METAL for a hundred years.
Our founder, Kanbun Uechi, went to China to avoid conscription into the Japanese Army. He studied a CHINESE self defense art called Pangai-noon.
When he returned to Okinawa he was reluctantly persuaded to teach this method to some close associates.
Things grew...and when he passed away his grateful students renamed the style "Uechi-Ryu" ("The style/method of Uechi")
Other Okinawans followed similar paths around this time, and so the roots of several major "styles" were born...all CHINESE-based.
The Japanese adopted,popularized, and promoted '"Karate" as a sport and school-Phys-Ed program.
ShotoKan was a preservation of the fighting-based precepts, but distinctly Japanese.
So what makes Uechi Ryu distinct from other styles?
Bear in mind there are flavors and dialects of Uechi Ryu, based upon the preferences and strengths of any given teacher.
1: It is a fluid, circular-motion style, as contrasted to the hard, more rigid Japanese styles. Both employ body-conditioning to toughen the striking/blocking surfaces.
2: In Uechi Ryu, kicks are rarely above the belt, hand strikes are rarely below the belt...some overlap. The techniques are compact, well-suited for close quarters and not very flashy.
3: Sanchin is both our basic stance and our first-and-forever Kata.This confuses many newcomers as to "what is Sanchin?!"
4: We only have 8 Kata. (A Kata is a combination of techniques linked together to form a non-verbal demonstration of their intended use. Some styles have 30-some Kata.)
5: Uechi Ryu is closer to Kung Fu and Wing Chun (Chinese), than to ShotoKan(Japanese Karate) or Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate).We like to think that it is more practical, since very little space is required to use it.
We refer to it as an "in-fighting" style, meaning "in close quarters", or face-to-face range.
Uechi Ryu has suffered the effects of popularization as well, and recently steps have been taken to try and preserve/restore its original Okinawan character by removing the sport aspect of the art on Okinawa.
North America loves sports, so this could be pivotal in how it is presented/preserved over here.
I just happened to follow your question with this post.
I hope my fellow-Uechi-Ka find it reasonably complete, within the confines of these forums.
NM
Behold the challenge of trying to differentiate one martial art from another, never mind sorting out the finer points of one style close to another!
BROAD overview:
Most people think that Karate is from Japan. It is not. The NAME is Japanese.
Okinawa is the "birthplace" of Karate, and the origins of these fighting styles go to Southern China, which, if you will look at a map, are quite close.
Okinawa was overrun and conquered by the Japanese; the Okinawans were even denied to OWN METAL for a hundred years.
Our founder, Kanbun Uechi, went to China to avoid conscription into the Japanese Army. He studied a CHINESE self defense art called Pangai-noon.
When he returned to Okinawa he was reluctantly persuaded to teach this method to some close associates.
Things grew...and when he passed away his grateful students renamed the style "Uechi-Ryu" ("The style/method of Uechi")
Other Okinawans followed similar paths around this time, and so the roots of several major "styles" were born...all CHINESE-based.
The Japanese adopted,popularized, and promoted '"Karate" as a sport and school-Phys-Ed program.
ShotoKan was a preservation of the fighting-based precepts, but distinctly Japanese.
So what makes Uechi Ryu distinct from other styles?
Bear in mind there are flavors and dialects of Uechi Ryu, based upon the preferences and strengths of any given teacher.
1: It is a fluid, circular-motion style, as contrasted to the hard, more rigid Japanese styles. Both employ body-conditioning to toughen the striking/blocking surfaces.
2: In Uechi Ryu, kicks are rarely above the belt, hand strikes are rarely below the belt...some overlap. The techniques are compact, well-suited for close quarters and not very flashy.
3: Sanchin is both our basic stance and our first-and-forever Kata.This confuses many newcomers as to "what is Sanchin?!"
4: We only have 8 Kata. (A Kata is a combination of techniques linked together to form a non-verbal demonstration of their intended use. Some styles have 30-some Kata.)
5: Uechi Ryu is closer to Kung Fu and Wing Chun (Chinese), than to ShotoKan(Japanese Karate) or Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate).We like to think that it is more practical, since very little space is required to use it.
We refer to it as an "in-fighting" style, meaning "in close quarters", or face-to-face range.
Uechi Ryu has suffered the effects of popularization as well, and recently steps have been taken to try and preserve/restore its original Okinawan character by removing the sport aspect of the art on Okinawa.
North America loves sports, so this could be pivotal in how it is presented/preserved over here.
I just happened to follow your question with this post.
I hope my fellow-Uechi-Ka find it reasonably complete, within the confines of these forums.
NM
2 green you are absolutely right- (BTW I got a nice little lecture from my hub for saying Japan was the same as Okinawa LOL)
Karate came from okinawa-
And yep- enjoied the joke about kanji- I knew when I wrote the post that many of the things I said are some of the very things that are often up for debate. LOL hence- the can of worms LOL- but it's all in good conversation! I so love information of any kind- information- what each person deems as "knowledge" or "intelligence" is up to them. I love information so that I might make better determinations on those catagories. Then balance it out with not remebering things I should- hence "blond moments" to poke fun at it all.
Thanks for all the posts and help!
Le' are you teas'n me? LOL I'll answer as I can with what I have- but there are some seriously knowledgable (note term) people here who can help-much better than I.
I think that my point of view might be nice (and I HAVE to come up with SOME reason to give it LOL) simply because I'm not a "senior" in the art as of yet, and I use my style in an "oridinary person" kind of way- for lack of a better term. I'm a mom, We have our business's which yeah include dojo's- but my huhband is the one with all the talent But- that said- A bad guy could lurk anywhere- and I do feel prepared and at least would put up a serious fight, hurting any bad guy that tried to harm us. I also do it "for me", spiritually, physically, and mentally. So, from that kind of life-style, I guess my points and thoughts could be useful!
K-
Karate came from okinawa-
And yep- enjoied the joke about kanji- I knew when I wrote the post that many of the things I said are some of the very things that are often up for debate. LOL hence- the can of worms LOL- but it's all in good conversation! I so love information of any kind- information- what each person deems as "knowledge" or "intelligence" is up to them. I love information so that I might make better determinations on those catagories. Then balance it out with not remebering things I should- hence "blond moments" to poke fun at it all.
Thanks for all the posts and help!
Le' are you teas'n me? LOL I'll answer as I can with what I have- but there are some seriously knowledgable (note term) people here who can help-much better than I.
I think that my point of view might be nice (and I HAVE to come up with SOME reason to give it LOL) simply because I'm not a "senior" in the art as of yet, and I use my style in an "oridinary person" kind of way- for lack of a better term. I'm a mom, We have our business's which yeah include dojo's- but my huhband is the one with all the talent
But- that said- A bad guy could lurk anywhere- and I do feel prepared and at least would put up a serious fight, hurting any bad guy that tried to harm us. I also do it "for me", spiritually, physically, and mentally. So, from that kind of life-style, I guess my points and thoughts could be useful! K-
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Stryke
2green pretty good summary from where I stand , `d like to add that the Okinawans had there own martial flavour though and arts , the chinese influence is apparent but they also vary considerably from them too .
according to Karate do Kyohan by Funakoshi the travellers to China incorporated their new knowledge with that of Okinawa-te , and he beleived the use of the kara china(or foreign) was approprite and fashionable to spread popularity , much the same as most martial arts call themselves karate today , he then goes on to say when karate became a true japanese art rather than just okinawan it was`nt as appropriate , and in a sense degradng to continue so it was changed to the kara empty .
I think most of the arts have suffered from popularisation myself , there are many efforts to recreate the old methods in favour over more modern sporting focus , I personally try to do my shotokan with quite a lot of what i would consider old okinawa flavour , I think all karate is predominantly a close in grappling/striking art .
what intrigues me is the fact that I can see similar applications in all styles from very different approaches .
according to Karate do Kyohan by Funakoshi the travellers to China incorporated their new knowledge with that of Okinawa-te , and he beleived the use of the kara china(or foreign) was approprite and fashionable to spread popularity , much the same as most martial arts call themselves karate today , he then goes on to say when karate became a true japanese art rather than just okinawan it was`nt as appropriate , and in a sense degradng to continue so it was changed to the kara empty .
I think most of the arts have suffered from popularisation myself , there are many efforts to recreate the old methods in favour over more modern sporting focus , I personally try to do my shotokan with quite a lot of what i would consider old okinawa flavour , I think all karate is predominantly a close in grappling/striking art .
what intrigues me is the fact that I can see similar applications in all styles from very different approaches .
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Le Haggard
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- Location: Ballard area of Seattle, Washington State
Thanks Y'ALL!!! 
VERY Good Info! Something that really strikes home for me. I have known that Japan and Okinawa are distinct islands, but not that the cultures were THAT hotly contested. Uechi and the Okinawan roots are really particularly cool to me since I just had a great uncle pass this December who had lived in Okinawa since roughly WWII..he thought Highly of the culture too....The Public and Family included found out for the FIRST Time after he died..that he had been Secret Service in Okinawa until just about 5 YEARS ago!! Damn I wish he was around to ask questions of now! Its just cool to have the connection ya know?
Just a side note I think you all may find funny...My most memorable moment of the people of China I think comes from one weekend when I went out walking around the Northern Jiaotong University campus early in the morning. I was sitting and reading a book for a good hour..and watching these elderly grey-haired ladies "dance" for "exercise"...with FIGHTING FANS.. Total Fighting style too complete with snaps and turns and thrusts and deflects... They were much smoother than the young male martial artists in the various performances I had seen. I remember thinking how I wish I could be around them to learn... Who wants to bet they could kick some serious @$$? heehee You GO GIRLS!
Le'
VERY Good Info! Something that really strikes home for me. I have known that Japan and Okinawa are distinct islands, but not that the cultures were THAT hotly contested. Uechi and the Okinawan roots are really particularly cool to me since I just had a great uncle pass this December who had lived in Okinawa since roughly WWII..he thought Highly of the culture too....The Public and Family included found out for the FIRST Time after he died..that he had been Secret Service in Okinawa until just about 5 YEARS ago!! Damn I wish he was around to ask questions of now! Its just cool to have the connection ya know?
Just a side note I think you all may find funny...My most memorable moment of the people of China I think comes from one weekend when I went out walking around the Northern Jiaotong University campus early in the morning. I was sitting and reading a book for a good hour..and watching these elderly grey-haired ladies "dance" for "exercise"...with FIGHTING FANS.. Total Fighting style too complete with snaps and turns and thrusts and deflects... They were much smoother than the young male martial artists in the various performances I had seen. I remember thinking how I wish I could be around them to learn...
Who wants to bet they could kick some serious @$$? heehee You GO GIRLS! Le'
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RACastanet
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p.s.
Once a mand on the Island of Hawaii- watched an old asian man do a kata in the sand- when he was finished doing the kata- he left- but looking back to where the man had been doing a kata in the sand- was a perfect ying and yang symbol where his feet had stepped durring the kata- his kata made the large symbol.
True story-
is that cool or what! If I had any idea what style that came from or anything I would try to learn in. LOL
that's my neat story-
K
It must have been a very spiritual experience also to watch those women Le- like I said Jolly- Green- Giant here! LOL
Once a mand on the Island of Hawaii- watched an old asian man do a kata in the sand- when he was finished doing the kata- he left- but looking back to where the man had been doing a kata in the sand- was a perfect ying and yang symbol where his feet had stepped durring the kata- his kata made the large symbol.
True story-
is that cool or what! If I had any idea what style that came from or anything I would try to learn in. LOL
that's my neat story-
K
It must have been a very spiritual experience also to watch those women Le- like I said Jolly- Green- Giant here! LOL
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Bill Glasheen
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Good exchange, folks!
A few more comments about what makes Uechi Ryu (Uechi's style) unique.
First, the style Kanbun Uechi first taught after returning from China consisted of only three forms (including and starting with sanchin). Unlike most martial systems of the time - including those that had "a" sanchin kata, this style consisted primarily of open-handed techniques. The sanchin was done with flat hands (nukite). Defensive manuevers were done with open hands, making grabbing an obvious intent. Other than the trademark one-knuckle punch (shoken), there is the hiraken (flat fist), boshiken (thumb fist), and kokken/shukkoken (various crane hand techniques). There was no classic Okinawan "fist" thrust (seiken) in the original system. This was added when the system was expanded from 3 to 8 forms.
Unlike classic Northern Chinese systems and the more common Okinawan systems, the sanchin kata teaches people to fight in very shallow stances. While much is made in demonstrations of people being able to "take a hit" while in sanchin, the chief reason (IMHO) for the shallowness of the stance is mobility. Good Uechi fighters often move as well as the best Western boxers or classic aikido practitioners.
Finally, the original style of Kanbun Uechi only had one kick. It was a whip-like front kick off the front leg that used the big toe (sokusen) as the hitting surface. Those that develop it have quite a lethal weapon. Those that learn the principle of the technique without having a strong big toe may still be able to use the sokusen kick with a shoe that has a decent hard tip.
Hope that helps.
- Bill
A few more comments about what makes Uechi Ryu (Uechi's style) unique.
First, the style Kanbun Uechi first taught after returning from China consisted of only three forms (including and starting with sanchin). Unlike most martial systems of the time - including those that had "a" sanchin kata, this style consisted primarily of open-handed techniques. The sanchin was done with flat hands (nukite). Defensive manuevers were done with open hands, making grabbing an obvious intent. Other than the trademark one-knuckle punch (shoken), there is the hiraken (flat fist), boshiken (thumb fist), and kokken/shukkoken (various crane hand techniques). There was no classic Okinawan "fist" thrust (seiken) in the original system. This was added when the system was expanded from 3 to 8 forms.
Unlike classic Northern Chinese systems and the more common Okinawan systems, the sanchin kata teaches people to fight in very shallow stances. While much is made in demonstrations of people being able to "take a hit" while in sanchin, the chief reason (IMHO) for the shallowness of the stance is mobility. Good Uechi fighters often move as well as the best Western boxers or classic aikido practitioners.
Finally, the original style of Kanbun Uechi only had one kick. It was a whip-like front kick off the front leg that used the big toe (sokusen) as the hitting surface. Those that develop it have quite a lethal weapon. Those that learn the principle of the technique without having a strong big toe may still be able to use the sokusen kick with a shoe that has a decent hard tip.
Hope that helps.
- Bill
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Bill Glasheen
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- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Also some information on the evolution of a name...
Here's something on the original name...
China Hand
Here's something on the name after the change...
Empty Hand
And here are stylized chaligraphy for "Empty Hand Way" or "Kara te do" in Japanese.
- Bill
Here's something on the original name...
China Hand
Here's something on the name after the change...
Empty Hand
And here are stylized chaligraphy for "Empty Hand Way" or "Kara te do" in Japanese.
- Bill
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RACastanet
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