carl

Shi also means "die" as in death. So for obvious reasons you have to be careful about how you use it. Shishi also means "quality" or "nature." It depends on what kanji you use. Hope this helps. Carl

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Good luck to you, Kicks, and to all that are in Katrina's path. You are in our prayers. Carl

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The book is OK. However, Bishop has a couple of little mistakes there. One is to list Chubu Shorin-ryu as a style, while it actually was an association. "Chubu" means "central" and "Nanbu" means "southern". All Okinawa Karate-Do Association divided its Shorin-ryu styles to these two regions, "Chubu" and "Nanbu". Mr. Bishop apparently didn't have this information available and he listed Seibukan as a style under the name of Chubu Shorin-ryu. Jussi, I'm not sure if that's a mistake or not. He was discussing how several styles got together to form the All Okinawa Karate-do Federation, whose aim was to preserve the "traditional" karate styles. He goes on to say that "Zenryo Shimabukuro, Joen Nakazato, and others decided to divide the member Shorin styles into two geographically divided branch associations. Nakazato's Shorinji-ryu came under the South Island (Nanbu) Shorin branch and Shimabukuro's style, then known simply as Shorin-ryu, came under the Middle Island (Chubu) Shorin branch." I think he made it quite clear (at least to me) that the Chubu and Nanbu branches were just that. Branches. I know there are different styles of Shorin-ryu as well as different schools. I don't think Mr. bishop was trying to intentionally mislead. Although I could be wrong. Carl P.S. Jussi, just out of curiosity, what does Seibukan translate to? Thanks.

Yes. Although some might differ. I was told that kata means "formal exercise." Junbi undo = preliminary exercises, hojo undo = supplemintary exercises, and kata = formal exercises. Thus, Fukyu = basic, kata = formal exercise. Carl

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Tanren and stoneheart, you are both somewhat correct. Shoshin Nagamine did develop Fukyu Ichi in 1940, He also developed Fukyu Ni or Gekisai Ichi with Chojun Miyagi. Some of us in Goju-ryu also consider Gekisai Ichi and Ni to be our Fukyu gata or basic formal exercises. Carl

I found the book, OKINAWAN KARATE. Teachers, styles and secret techniques, by Mark Bishop, to be a good source on the different styles of Okinawan karate. But I agree with you, Jussi, when you said, "read everything with a healthy dose of criticism - be it published by anyone." Carl

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Hello, Patrick. Welcome. Carl

Hello, Densetsu, and welcome. Okinawan Goju-ryu. Carl

Congratulations, JEM618. Carl