JamuraiSack

My goal for the past two years has been to do a full split, and it will continue to be my main goal until I achieve it.

I thank you all for the warm welcomes and receptive responses! Aside from reading through online articles - i.e. whatever small snippet comes up when I search, for example "jitte kata history" - my research has primarily consisted of learning from various senseis over the years as well as my own speculation, as is the case with Nijushiho. I do plan on creating a list of actual books to read, however, as I feel they might be the most in-depth and accurate source of information. These two books you mentioned will certainly be added to the list. Your pilgrimage to sounds like an incredible experience. What sites did you visit? What kind of stuff did you learn? Going on a trip like that would be a dream come true for me. Here's hoping the virus can end soon so that I can make it a reality. You bring up a valid point. I should be weary in my search about the relation between kata within Shotokan vs their relation to each other within their original styles. And I did not know that about Channan, so thank you for that as well!

Hello! I am a Shotokan Karate practitioner with a large interest in Karate's history. I have spent many years researching it, with special attention paid to kata history. Specifically, I have taken a great interest in Shuri-te and Tomari-te katas, which make up the majority of Shotokan's kata repertoire. For the past few months, I have been searching deep for any and all connections between modern-day Shotokan kata and older Chinese taolu (the Kung Fu equivalent of kata). Given that Shotokan kata themselves are heavily modified versions of older Okinawan kata, there is no doubt in my mind that absolutely zero direct connections exist between Shotokan kata and more ancient Chinese patterns. Therefore, I am more interested in how the creation of the original Okinawan versions of Shotokan's katas were influenced by Chinese sources. With that being said, I am not searching for "the original Chinese version" of certain kata as, in many cases, Shotokan's kata did not exactly have an original Chinese version. Rather, their original versions were created by Okinawans as homebrew adaptations of certain Chinese patterns or techniques (Kusanku, Chinto, and Wanshu come to mind almost immediately). Rather, I am searching for any historical connection between any given Shotokan kata and the analogous Chinese pattern or technique that may have inspired it. Out of all 26 Shotokan kata, I have managed to find a noticeable Chinese connection with only a few of them. These are marked in bold: -Heian/Pinan: Derived from Kusanku and Channan. -Tekki/Naihanchi: Unknown Chinese origin. One person on martialtalk.com has stated that his teacher knows the original Chinese version. He allegedly recorded said teacher performing it. The thread is from 2009 and I cannot find the recording. http://www.martialtalk.com/threads/sorim-jang-kwon.80999/ -Bassai/Passai: Unknown Chinese origin. All rumors of 400-year-old Chinese recordings are baseless. Earliest version I could find is Passai Gwa, allegedly created by Chatan Yara. -Kanku/Kusanku: Created in memory of a Chinese diplomat, as the story goes. -Enpi/Wanshu: Created as a homage to the teachings of a Chinese ambassador named Wang, as the story goes. -Gankaku/Chinto: Created by Matsumara after techniques taught to him by a Chinese sailor, as the story goes.. -Jion/Jiin/Jitte: Unknown Chinese origin. Said by some to come from Arhat boxing. -Gojushiho/Useishi: Unknown Chinese origin. -Nijushiho/Niseishi: I have come to an extremely weak hypothesis that this kata comes from Xiao Jia, a basic pattern of the Chinese style Bajiquan. The "24 steps" theme - as well as many similar-looking techniques - are shared by the two. The creation of Niseishi closely coincides with a trip its creator - Aragaki - made to Hebei province, the same place that Xiao Jia was born. Xiao Jia also has movements that look vaguely similar to those found in Unsu and Sochin, two other Aragaki kata. -Unsu: Unknown Chinese origin. Said by some to come from Dragon Kung Fu, evidenced by the unique finger position found at the kata's beginning. -Chinte/Chinti: Unknown Chinese origin. The kata I am most interested in yet can find the least information on. -Wankan: Unknown Chinese origin. -Sochin (Shotokan version): Unknown Chinese origin but appears unique to Shotokan with no connection to any Okinawan kata. There is even an Okinawan kata named Sochin and it is completely different. -Meikyo (Shotokan version of Rohai): Unknown Chinese origin but appears unique to Shotokan. -Hangetsu/Seisan: Proven to have originated from the Chinese "Three Wars" pattern, of which there are many variations. If anyone can help me find any other connections between the above kata and any alleged Chinese sources, that would be amazing. Any other questions, comments, or criticisms about my findings would be equally appreciated and I look forward to what you all have to say. It is my dream to faithfully connect all of these kata to their Chinese origins for the purpose of historical documentation.