The Bible of Karate

1. The Bubishi: A Military Manual of Self-Discovery

Providing disciples with the ancient masters’ secrets, the Bubishi has for generations preserved the original precepts upon which the civil fighting traditions rest; teachings now overshadowed by more base pursuits.

Source of Knowledge. The Bubishi, a manual of military preparation, serves as a patriarchal source of knowledge, offering strength and wisdom to those who embrace its spirit. It's more than just a collection of fighting techniques; it's a guide to understanding the deeper meaning of martial arts and one's place in the world. It is a record of martial wisdom.

Beyond Physical Training. The text emphasizes that true mastery extends beyond physical prowess. It advocates for introspection and philosophical understanding, turning karate-do into a conduit for self-discovery. This inward focus allows practitioners to realize their position in life and their connection to the world.

Moral and Ethical Foundation. The Bubishi underscores the importance of moral precepts and ethical behavior. It suggests that without inner peace and harmony, one cannot truly master the fighting traditions or their own lives. This emphasis on character development distinguishes the Bubishi from mere instruction manuals.

2. Tracing the Bubishi's Origins: A Tapestry of Influences

A number of the most recognizable figures in modern karate-do have used it as a reference or plagiarized from it.

Multiple Theories. The Bubishi's exact origins remain shrouded in mystery, with several theories surrounding its arrival in Okinawa. These include transmission through teachers, independent surfacing within the Chinese community, and compilation by Okinawans who studied in China. The exact source may be lost to history.

Influential Figures. Despite the uncertainty, the Bubishi has profoundly influenced modern karate-do. Figures like Funakoshi Gichin, Miyagi Chojun, and Mabuni Kenwa drew inspiration from its teachings. Mabuni Kenwa was the first to make the Bubishi public, introducing a legacy whose depth is still being explored.

Chinese Gongfu Styles. The Bubishi primarily focuses on Monk Fist and White Crane gongfu, offering insights into their history, philosophy, and application. It reveals the relationship between these Chinese traditions and Okinawa's civil fighting legacy, highlighting the cultural exchange between the two regions.

3. Karate-do's Evolution: From Secrecy to Sport

Molded by inflexible social ideologies and radically changed for group instruction and the competitive phenomenon in the school system, the original history, philosophy, and application of “karate-do” became overshadowed by commercial exploitation, which resulted in the myriad of eclectic interpretations we find today.

Indigenous Roots. Okinawa's fighting traditions evolved from an ancient grappling discipline combined with Chinese gongfu principles. This blend was fostered in secrecy due to political reformation and military subjugation. The art was known as Ryukyu kempo toudi-jutsu.

Japanization of Karate. After Japan transitioned to democracy, Okinawa's self-defense traditions were modernized and introduced into the school system. This Japanization process led to changes in history, philosophy, and application, overshadowing the original essence with commercial exploitation.

Modern Budo. Karate-do, like judo and kendo, became a modern budo, influenced by Japanese social ideologies and adapted for group instruction and competition. This transformation resulted in a myriad of eclectic interpretations, diverging from the original intent.

4. The Pechin Class: Guardians of Okinawan Martial Arts

It was these officers who were responsible for cultivating and perpetuating the development of unarmed self-defense disciplines.

Warrior Officials. The Pechin class, a warrior rank in Okinawan society, played a crucial role in cultivating and perpetuating unarmed self-defense disciplines. These officials were responsible for civil administration, law enforcement, and related matters. They served from 1509 to 1879.

Weapons Ban. The 1507 weapons ban by King Sho Shin led to an increased need for an effective means of self-defense. The Pechin class, disarmed like the rest of the population, intensified their cultivation of Chinese-based civil self-defense methods.

Satsuma Influence. During the Satsuma occupation, some Pechin traveled to Satsuma and were schooled in Jigen-ryu ken-jutsu. This exposure influenced the evolution of Okinawa's fighting methods, blending Japanese and Chinese techniques.

5. Herbal Medicine: An Integral Part of Martial Training

Folk medicine maintains that herbs and exercise are man’s only natural protection against illness.

Holistic Approach. In traditional gongfu, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and massage were integral to training. This holistic approach ensured speedy recovery and maintained good health, essential in a time without social security.

Chinese Tradition. China has the longest unbroken tradition of herbal medicine. Medicinal herbs played an inseparable role in the civil fighting traditions for centuries. They were used to treat minor ailments, acute conditions, and promote overall well-being.

Herbal Effects. Chinese herbal medicine employs a myriad of ingredients from the undersea and animal kingdoms, the world of plants, fruits, and vegetables, along with minerals and a select number of exotic elements. These herbs are used for a variety of effects, including analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, and hemostatic properties.

6. Meridian Theory: Energy Pathways to Vitality and Vulnerability

Over the course of centuries, an unending line of devout and observant physicians detected the existence of internal energy passageways and recorded their relationship to a number of physiological functions.

Internal Energy Passageways. Chinese medicine recognizes the existence of internal energy passageways, or meridians, that connect to specific organs. These meridians are associated with hypersensitive skin areas and recurring points linked to organ dysfunction.

Meridian Flow Theory. The "Meridian Flow theory" of acupuncture, developed by Xu Wenbo, states that the human body's twelve meridians correspond to the twelve bi-hourly time divisions of the day. This theory is used to determine the most effective times to stimulate or attack certain vital points.

Herbal Remedies. Ways of utilizing herbs to cure dysfunctioning organs and correct the flow of energy in the body were developed. Some herbs were used for a specific meridian and would not be mixed for they could cause disease instead of curing it when combined.

7. Vital Point Striking: A Science of Precision and Peril

Remaining disguised within the abstract postures, the combat applications were only disclosed to his most trusted disciples.

Forbidden Points. Acupuncturists identified dozens of vital points where needling and cautery were forbidden. These points, when stimulated incorrectly, could worsen disease or even cause death.

Zhang Sanfeng's Analysis. Daoist martial arts expert Zhang Sanfeng explored and recorded the results of his vital point analysis. He discovered that by striking specific points, alternative areas became more vulnerable to attack.

Delayed Death Touch. The Bubishi includes an explanation surrounding the "poison-hand" or "delayed death touch." This technique involves seizing, pressing, squeezing, or traumatizing specific vital points to extinguish human life.

8. Gongfu Quan: The Art of Encoded Combat

The quan (kata in Japanese) of Chinese gongfu is the ritualized method through which the secrets of self-defense have been customarily transmitted for generations.

Ritualized Transmission. The quan, or forms, of Chinese gongfu are ritualized methods for transmitting self-defense secrets. Each quan is a unique tradition with distinct principles, strategies, and applications.

Therapeutic Benefits. Beyond combat, the quan also offer therapeutic benefits. Animal-imitating paradigms and breathing patterns improve circulation, respiratory efficiency, and physical strength.

Balance and Harmony. Performing the quan correctly requires regulating the breath and synchronizing it with muscular activity. This fosters inner calm, enhances instinctive ability, and promotes overall well-being.

9. Qin Na: The Art of Seizing and Controlling

Although a compilation of self-defense skills that includes many lethal techniques, qin na is an art that strives to control an adversary without seriously injuring or killing him.

Ancient Self-Defense. Qin na, meaning to catch or seize and hold or control, served as the very first form of self-defense before the stylistic methods of gongfu were ever codified in China. It is an art that strives to control an adversary without seriously injuring or killing him.

Techniques. Qin na brings together techniques of twisting bones, locking joints, and separating tendons from bone; the seizing, manipulation, and striking of nerve plexuses, arteries, and other anatomically vulnerable locations; chokes and strangles; organ-piercing blows; grappling, take-downs, throws, counters, escapes, and combinations thereof.

Style-Specific Application. The application of qin na principles varies from style to style. In gongfu, qin na represents the application for each technique in each quan. In toudi-jutsu these techniques came to be called bunkai.

10. The Essence of Strategy: Adapting to the Unforeseen

Adapt to changing conditions.

Flexibility and Awareness. Success in combat depends on adapting to changing conditions and responding instinctively. Awareness and perception are strong weapons.

Exploiting Weakness. If you recognize or create an opening, waste no time in taking advantage of it. Be pliable when met by force, but use force to overcome the opposite.

Deception and Balance. Never reveal your true intentions. Learn well the principles of "hard" and "soft" and understand their application in both the physical and metaphysical realms.

Last updated: February 26, 2025