aefibird Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 Sorry if this has been answered before in another thread. However, as all the kenpo/kempo threads are now in one place it may be useful to bring this question up again. Can anyone explain to me why some people call their art keNpo and others call it keMpo? Is it to do with lineage, differeces in techniques, location or something else? Or is it simply due to a difference in spelling (much like American English and British English ), with the actual systems of kenpo and kempo being the same? Thanks! "Was it really worth it? Only time and death may ever tell..." The Beautiful South - The Rose of My CologneSheffield Steelers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubletwist Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 The following answer was found here: http://www.urbin.net/EWW/MA/KF/3D.html#Differ What's The Difference Between Kempo And Kenpo? Nothing. Actually, the only difference is in the translation of the Kanji to its English form. The rules of Kanji holds, that when a character (written word) ends in an "n," the "n" is pronounced, when spoken; with the exception, that when the "n" is followed by another character (word), which begins with a "p," the two characters are unchanged in the written form and the "n" is pronounced "m". Ken-po follows this rule. So, if following the correct Kanji translation, it is spelled "Kenpo" and pronounced "Kempo". It is only in transliteration that Kenpo is written Kempo. Hope that helps DT - "Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently." Benjamin Franklin-"If you always do what you've always done you'll always be what you've always been." Dale Carnegie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasori_Te Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 As you said, it's simply a spelling difference. Kempo/ Kenpo means fist way. Ch'uan Fa means the same in Chinese. A block is a strike is a lock is a throw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red J Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 As you said, it's simply a spelling difference. Kempo/ Kenpo means fist way. Ch'uan Fa means the same in Chinese. Hence why many kenpoists have Ch'uan Fa as a system or reference in their lineage. The Chu'an Fa subsystems and references usually have more of the Chinese elements in it, while the kempo subsystems have Okinawan influences. My system has both influences with pinans and animal forms. I had to lose my mind to come to my senses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Monkey Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 gonna be a pain and ask if any of you know/have the characters for 'kempo/kenpo'? is it really just the japanese reading of the chinese characters? post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubletwist Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 gonna be a pain and ask if any of you know/have the characters for 'kempo/kenpo'? is it really just the japanese reading of the chinese characters? I BELIEVE That this is it: http://www.fearthepenguin.net/~ender/pics/kenpo_kanji.jpg DT - "Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently." Benjamin Franklin-"If you always do what you've always done you'll always be what you've always been." Dale Carnegie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorin Ryuu Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Those are the correct characters for kenpo. I could be wrong on this, but I think it was a term the Japanese came up with by themselves to describe unarmed methods of combat (almost all the time meaning Chinese) rather than a Japanese pronunciation of a Chinese word. DM, is there a Chinese word using these two characters like this with the same meaning in China? Martial Arts Blog:http://bujutsublogger.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta1 Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I've allways been told that the Chinese characters for Chuan fa are pronounced as kempo in Japanese. Also, while the terms Chuan fa and Kempo encompass many different systems, the Kempo arts all are made up of different systems. This is especially true of American Kenpo. So I see no problem applying these terms to any of the Kempo family of styles. Freedom isn't free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorin Ryuu Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I looked it up in one of Robert Smith's books (Chinese Boxing) and sure enough, the Chinese characters for chuan fa are the same characters that the Japanese use for kenpo. I didn't know that. I never really payed much attention to the actual characters for chuan fa before... Martial Arts Blog:http://bujutsublogger.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Monkey Posted October 29, 2004 Share Posted October 29, 2004 um..... a worthless post but yeah, them characters are the ones for kuen (chaun-fist) faat (fa-art/skill/technique). post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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