What came first....the bunkai or the kata

[Makushi]

It's my understanding that kata is a method for an individual to practice bunkai in a safe and repetitive manner and also build the physiological foundation needed for the lethal execution of the technique.

However, many schools put kata at the core of their cirriculumn without even teaching the bunkai.

So which is it? Is karate about the bunkai, or is karate about kata?

[Kieran-Lilith]

While bunkai is found in the kata, bunkai (being the applications of techniques in the kata, by my understanding) is also taught just as the techniques. Kata is also taught for repetition of techniques, deep stances to build endurance and strength, etc. I would guess schools that have kata at the core but don't teach bunkai with it have kata for that reason.

Personally, my school has kata and bunkai, and both of them are very important.

[patusai]

Since the general idea of karate is that there is no first attack I would think that Bunkai came first.

Back in the day one of my styles taught bunkai for all the kata and specifically taught bunkai as a kata for a select number of kata: Jion, Patusai, Kushanku and Usieshi. From what I understand a lot of American schools have since done away with the actual bunkai as a kata in istself but still teach bunkai so that students can better understand what it is that they are doing and why. I seriously can't understand teaching kata without bunkai.

[Whitefeather]

As far as I can figure it, self defense techniques (different blocks/strikes) came first, then roughly done katas came to preserve the different techniques, then, at some time between the creation of the techniques and the creation of the kata came the creation of the bunkai/combination of movements. I do not know much history, but I would bet that is pretty close to how it went down.

David

[jaymac]

Is this like "what came first: the chicken or the egg?" I do not know the answer, but I believe they must have developed together at the same time. I love knowing the bunkai of my kata. This way I can imagine what it is I am doing against my attacker. I can't believe that there are schools that would not believe that bunkai is just as important as the kata itself.

[Makushi]

I can't believe that there are schools that would not believe that bunkai is just as important as the kata itself.

There are some very "successful" and highly regarded schools in the NW that don't teach any bunkai until after the shodan level. One school in particular does especially well in kata competitions even on the international level. However, the students don't know or practice the bunkai.

IMHO, it seems like bunkai IS the true essence of the self-defense aspects of Karate. Karate without the bunkai really isn't Karate.

[Mike Flanagan]

I'd say its the principles which come first. The kata expresses the principles and the bunkai show examples of the principles in action.

Mike

[Jiffy]

I think of it this way...

Which is more important, breathing in or breathing out?

The answer is of course, neither is more important. They are inter-dependant. Without one, the other cannot exist.

I think the same applies to Kata and Bunkai. Without one, the other is pointless.

[NothingsShadow]

I tend to agree with Jiffy, obviously you can do one without the other but in doing so you are missing half the story. I have seen karateka within my dojo who have excellent (technically very good) technique but no zanshin, focus or intent, this stems from the fact they don't truly understand what they are doing (bunkai). On the other hand some have amazing intent, looking like they are really fighting while practicing their kata but their laking in precise technique. Only those who truly understand both sides can execute their kata well.

IMHO kata hold the key to most things in Karate, I think beginner's are essentially taught the bunkai first in that they will probably learn some generic basic applications before they get right into kata. Once they have got a solid grasp of the basic kata and bunkai it is really up to the student to investigate their kata and find their own bunkai, constantly refining it to find techniques that truly do work for them.

I have no idea how the kata/ bunkai relationship first started, it may have been something like this or something completely different.

[jaymac]

I tend to agree with Jiffy, obviously you can do one without the other but in doing so you are missing half the story. I have seen karateka within my dojo who have excellent (technically very good) technique but no zanshin, focus or intent, this stems from the fact they don't truly understand what they are doing (bunkai). On the other hand some have amazing intent, looking like they are really fighting while practicing their kata but their laking in precise technique. Only those who truly understand both sides can execute their kata well.

IMHO kata hold the key to most things in Karate, I think beginner's are essentially taught the bunkai first in that they will probably learn some generic basic applications before they get right into kata. Once they have got a solid grasp of the basic kata and bunkai it is really up to the student to investigate their kata and find their own bunkai, constantly refining it to find techniques that truly do work for them.

I have no idea how the kata/ bunkai relationship first started, it may have been something like this or something completely different.

(There are some very "successful" and highly regarded schools in the NW that don't teach any bunkai until after the shodan level.) But they eventually teach it.