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Shotokan Karate
Krabi-KrabongAccording to The Martial Arts Encyclopedia by Jennifer Lawler, Krabi-Krabong is Thailand's art of sword and staff fighting. Krabi-Krabong ..... Shotokan Karate, which was developed by Gichin Funakoshi, is a martial art or method of fighting that comprises a number of techniques. These techniques include blocks, strikes, evasions, throws and joint manipulations. The practice of karate is divided into three: kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring).
The term "karate" combines two Japanese characters, "kara" and "te." Kara means "empty" while Te means "hand." Thus, the term "karate" has a literal translation of "empty hand." The suffix "do" (say it as "doe") means "way." Karate-do, then, means a way of life that goes beyond self-defense. In traditional karate-do, one's true enemy is himself.
Contemporary Karate has four components: physical conditioning, self-defense, mental conditioning and sport karate. Exactly who developed karate is not really known. However, one story has it that the Indian Priest Daruma or Bodhidharma (525 AD) was the originator of karate. There are others credited as being the forefathers of karate, among them are Hua T'o (190-265 AD), who was a doctor, and Yuen Fei, a famous general of the Sung Dynasty (960-1275 AD).
Karate's original name was "Kenpo," which means "First Law." Kenpo crossed over from China to Okinawa, where it became known as "Te." Te style comprised mostly of hand movements. In 1923, the Okinawans decided to change the Chinese character into a Japanese character. Thus, instead of "hands of China" was transformed into "empty hand." This change in meaning gave the art more depth, and signified the spiritual's overcoming of the physical.
In 1916, two karate masters from Okinawa brought their techniques to Japan. Kenwa Mabuni and Gichin Funakoshi promoted Karate as a sport all throughout Japan.
Prior to its arrival in Okinawa, many styles of Karate existed throughout China. Each martial arts system or style had its own distinct features such as tiger claw, butterfly kick and panther punch. The practitioners of each style vigilantly guarded their fighting techniques and often trained in the veil of secrecy. Hung, Liu, Ts'ai or Choy, Li and Mo are a few of the systems of Southern China that stemmed from the Shaolin or Shorinji temple. Many Cantonese and northern systems eventually found their way into the United States.
In the last 70 years, karate techniques have been altered and given their own distinct Japanese styles. A few of these styles include Shotokan, Shudokan, Waddoryu and Chitsoeryu.
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