Master Gichin
Funakoshi's Real Knowledge of Karate
Kenpo
By: Sean R.
Marshall
Master Choki
Motobu is noted for his distaste towards Master Gichin Funakoshi, at least
partly based on his view that Funakoshi did not understand how to actually
fight. There is a story which describes Motobu testing Funakoshi in front of
some students of Funakoshi's. Apparently, Funakoshi did not react when his
"contemporary" asked him what he would do in a particular situation.
Seeing this, Motobu threw Funakoshi to the ground. You might think that would
be humiliating, being that it was in the presence of some pupils. However, I do
not think it is so easy to judge the outcome of this encounter, and the reasons
for not reacting. And this is from an objective point of view, not subjectively
defending Master Funakoshi.
Master Motobu was a skilled
fighter, true enough. He fought in challenge matches against many people, from
different martial arts as well, such as judo and Chinese kenpo, in addition to
western-style boxing. No doubt this latter match served to further enhance
Motobu's bad blood towards the innocent Funakoshi. The drawings of that match
actually depict Master Funakoshi as the
karate-man and victor. But why dislike the person sketched, over the person
doing the sketching, in this case?
Funakoshi, on the other hand,
and unlike probably most of his
colleagues and seniors, did not fight in a single, proper, match. But this is
clearly related to the core reason for him not reacting to Motobu's scenario.
Funakoshi noted in his book, "Karate-Do: My Way of Life", various
instances of reactions, one of which was when he was walking home with a group
of fellow students and their teacher, Master Anko Itosu. Without repeating the
details that can be found in the invaluable book, Funakoshi found himself in a
situation of random defence on a street, at the beginning of an attack directly
aimed for him. He wrote that he dropped into a karate stance, but as he did so,
his teacher, Master Itosu, stopped him by yelling his name. Funakoshi did not
complete the reaction. He was not subsequently attacked properly, with completion of an attack. It turned out
that the supposed assailants, as Itosu knew, were not real attackers. They were acting
tough, and bullying, but they did not actually launch attacks. The latter is
the only time you can and should react, and even then, it is not correct to
just use all of your force and capability. It depends on the situation, and it
must be evaluated with care and composure, for the act of fighting is not a
good one, and it is the responsibility of the martial artist to not misuse
his/her fists, or use them without due consideration. It is not thought, but feeling – it is automatic and actually
even inherent. A karate practitioner
should be almost scared to actually
use his/her fists. It is not a joke. It is not a matter of being relaxed about
the subject, and not being so serious. It is
serious! Situations are serious! The avoidance of situations is the aim because
the alternative is the potential death of someone. And perhaps you, despite
your martial arts training. The question is, "Is it worth risking my life
for this?" Master Itosu was teaching a lesson during an actual scenario.
It was not – or at least at that
moment – a life-or-death situation. So a reaction was not correct. Though
Funakoshi may not have ended up striking the man who stood in front of him, in
reaction to the would-be attacker's initial assault, any full technique would
have probably resulted in a larger situation involving the rest of the
untrained group. And that would have forced the other karate students to fight
as well. When you consider the possibilities, it is easy to see why a reaction,
certainly before any proper attack, is not necessarily a good move, or the best
course of action. I have experienced this sort of situation, as a note, and I
avoided it in the same way, in principle, as appropriate for the different
version of the same kind of instance in which you know that a reaction will
cause something bigger, and the initiation of an attack was not with intent to kill. It was better
to avoid a reaction like moving to ask the aggressors to apologise. It would
not have worked so smoothly.
Another instance, some time
later, occurred while Funakoshi was walking alone. Again, saving the reader
from a repetition of the details, the point is that Master Funakoshi did not
fight the men, but instead opted to give them what he had in his possession at
the time, which were some cakes he was taking as an offering to the altar in
his father-in-law's house. This resulted in satisfying the thugs, and though
Funakoshi lost the items that were of personal value to him, he, and the
thieves, walked away with their lives, at very little cost to Master Funakoshi.
This illustrates having learnt the lesson his teachers desired to instil. Funakoshi
could have fought on various occasions. But he did not. That fact does not mean
he was incapable of fighting. He was
taught by at least one of the same karate masters as his friend, Master Kenwa
Mabuni, who was only taught many
years later, on account of him being two
decades younger than Funakoshi.
That's enough time for Funakoshi to
have been Mabuni's teacher! Though, he was apparently actually just Mabuni's
senior. Funakoshi must surely have been taught properly and completely, in the
same way that Mabuni is noted to have been taught. Of course, Mabuni did learn
from some different teachers to Funakoshi. However, there are numerous points
that directly prove Master
Funakoshi's actual knowledge of Okinawan karate.
In "Rentan Goshin Karate
Jutsu" (and therefore the English edition, "Karate Jutsu"), and "Karate-Do:
Kyohan", Master Funakoshi included a section that is an extract from the
famous karate kenpo text, the "Bubishi". In "Karate Jutsu"
it has been translated, while part of the English edition of the Kyohan was
left as the kanji (meaning that it should advance to a new edition of the
English version, which translates that section, at least using the translation found
in "Karate Jutsu"). Master Mabuni's text, "The Study of Sepai",
also contains some content that is taken from the Bubishi, just as many other
karate students similarly included in their own books. And it is not just the
philosophical aspects which are discussed in the Bubishi, that Funakoshi copied.
In "Karate Jutsu", being the fully translated manuscript, he describes
a list of techniques that – although a little different to what can be read in
Sensei Patrick McCarthy's compilation that forms a public, English-language,
Bubishi – have titles for the various comparable sections, which are the same
as the full Bubishi. It is known that karate students would copy the former
script, and also potentially make
alterations in accordance with their own ideas, thus forming personalised
versions of the Bubishi, and resulting in the existence of numerous Okinawan
Bubishi.
The section called "The
Danger of Pride", in the book "Karate-Do: My Way of Life",
details a story of Master Funakoshi having to fend off numerous attackers. Page
56, specifically, recalls that there were "...seven or eight [men] in the
group, ... [but Master Funakoshi evaded] all the blows ... [until] the attack
ceased." Another instance, while resulting in Master Funakoshi's
displeasure with his handling of the scenario, still illustrates the point of
his ability to react in real
situations. When he was elderly, he was [somewhat] attacked by a man, with the
umbrella that the man had seized from Funakoshi, to which the karate master
reacted by ducking under the swing of the umbrella, followed by a grip to the assailant's
genitals. That is still a reaction, even if Master Funakoshi was not happy. It
still serves to support my point here, despite my appreciation for Funakoshi’s
reason for discontent. (See pages 110 to 112 of "Karate-Do: My Way of Life"
– The section entitled "Violating a Rule".) Though, Funakoshi noted
his feeling of shame from the former
experience, as well.
Furthermore, in "Karate
Jutsu", there are various instances of descriptions of the meanings of
certain movements in some kata, as well as actual demonstrations of paired
techniques, accompanied by further-illuminating text, illustrating the
principles of grappling within tuidi/torite (capturing hands) {which was additionally developed during Master
Funakoshi's childhood when he engaged in tigumi/tegumi (Okinawan grappling –
"hands coming together") bouts against many, and multiple, opponents
– noted in "Karate-Do: My Way of Life" on page 124}. Other principles
and/or methods of combat are also described in "Karate Jutsu" and "Karate-Do:
Kyohan" (the latter text detailing seated "iai" techniques, as
well as the original 1935 Japanese edition of Funakoshi's Kyohan including a
variety of unarmed defences against weapon attacks, too). To draw the reader's
attention to the older book, in "Karate Jutsu" ("Rentan Goshin
Karate Jutsu" – the first version being "Ryukyu Kenpo Karate"),
examples that illustrate my prior points include: Pages 50/51 of "Karate
Jutsu": "Movement should be free in any direction, forward or
backward, left or right..."; Page 48 of "Karate Jutsu":
"...the meaning of hikite, or pulling hand, is to grab the opponent's
attacking hand and pull it in while twisting it..."; Page 54 of "Karate
Jutsu" – the technique called "Nejidaoshi (Twisting Down)":
"This can also be an application of Naihanchi Shodan."; Page 54 of "Karate
Jutsu" – the technique called "Kusariwa (Chain Ring)":
"...and then leap in and use both arms to encircle his legs with udewa.
This is an application of the movement in Passai."; Page 100 of "Karate
Jutsu" – in direct reference to one of the reverse sword-hand strikes in
kusanku (koshokun) [dai] kata (kanku [dai]): "Here one uses the right hand
to scoop and grab the opponent's arm and prepares to kick him or her."; and
Page 37 of "Karate Jutsu": "Coming through one's pains and
efforts to this understanding of how greatly the outcome of a karate match is
determined simply by the control of one's two hands is truly like an awakening
for the practitioner."
Now, back to the situation posed
by Master Motobu. It was not that Master Funakoshi was not capable of reacting.
He just would not be forced to unnecessarily fight. The lesson is not so
viewable from the superficial. Whether or not he explained it to his students
afterwards, the incident is much the same as his former encounters. What would
it prove, to accept the test from Motobu – who had challenged Funakoshi
previously, to which there was no acceptance – and succumb to the temptation to
meet the challenge, embracing a competitive nature, and react just to prove
Motobu wrong (who may have actually been setting Funakoshi up)? The result
would only be the students seeing a technique – and perhaps a fight after that, based on the relevant history, with the
possible inclusion of deception – and Motobu being satisfied, whether or not he
would have turned it into a match, as well as Funakoshi revealing a technique
to a man to whom Funakoshi's masters did not want to teach applications. Motobu
was a competent fighter, and he had eventually managed to be instructed by – according
to his actual words from the 1936 meeting
of several karate masters – Masters Itosu, Sakuma, and Matsumora. However many
kata he learnt from these men, and whether or not he actually learnt any extra kata from Master Mabuni, later
(considering their apparent friendship, and Mabuni's vast knowledge of so many
kata, resulting in him influencing other experts, younger and older than him),
naihanchi ichi and ni are the only kata I have actually seen in Motobu's school,
while there is a note from Master Shoshin Nagamine of Master Motobu having
learnt naihanchi and passai from Matsumora. There is no real
evidence to support Motobu's knowledge of further kata, even with his mention
of several of their names. That only shows his awareness of the existence of
other kata.
Nonetheless, he focused on
kumite, and developed his own set of techniques based on his experiences. Now,
they are good techniques, granted.
But the fact remains that a real situation is random and demands reaction, and appropriate reaction at that. Being
properly assaulted, with your life placed on the line, and instigating a fight
to then react after provocation, are two very different things. I see the value
in Motobu's techniques, and appreciate that he was not the only Okinawan, at
the time, to behave in what you might call incorrect ways, like getting drunk
and visiting the Red-light District. But I can't help but feel that the
particular techniques are a little tainted. In the end, as a note, I lean
towards the former point, considering their still very real fighting application
for actual situations.
Therefore, I firmly believe that
the truth is that Master Funakoshi did indeed understand the fighting
techniques of karate kenpo. However, a more important point is exactly what
Master Itosu, and Funakoshi's other masters, taught about avoiding conflict. So
to be entirely fixated on whether or not a particular person knew or knows how
to fight, is missing the point, and not learning the lesson that Master
Funakoshi learnt from his teachers, and perhaps Motobu did not ever learn. My
father was once in a situation when he was young, among other instances, in
which he was faced with a few assailants. But he talked his way out of it. He
is not a trained martial artist. He says that it would have been a good time to
know martial arts. But I say, to him, that what he did is exactly what I would
look to do, and what I have had to do on various occasions, for some of the
situations I have experienced. Different scenarios, same application of
principle. Martial arts is a good back-up plan. But that is exactly what it is:
a back-up. It is for an instance of absolute necessity, when your life, or your
loved-ones' lives, is or are on the line. Then it is worth risking your life, and there is no choice in the matter. As
the Shaolin adage reads (or, at least, an altered version of it, that I feel is
more precise): Avoid fighting at all
reasonable costs. But if there are no options remaining, and you are forced to justifiably
risk your own life, with it being deemed worthwhile doing so: maim, rather than
be maimed; kill, rather than be killed.
You have to abide by the laws of your country – know them! And you need to make in-the-moment, situational, decisions for
yourself, following study of the martial arts (including philosophical
introspection) and the relevant laws.
It must also be understood that true situations occur randomly, and if you must choose between fighting and dying,
and you can't simply run away in that particular case, what will your decision
be? It is like being a cornered wild animal. It doesn't want to fight, but it
will if there is no other option and it feels that its life is in jeopardy. A
point to add to this, however, is that minimal
force necessary should be the method employed in all scenarios. I have
personally experienced situations in which I did not need to counter-attack, so
I automatically didn't. It should become
natural for you to always apply the minimum force needed. You must always seek
avoidance of physical conflict in
particular, even during an actual
fight. Verbal conflict should also be avoided, but the most important note
about this sort of case is that if you do engage in a verbal "match",
maintain a calm and composed demeanour, not initiating any verbal attacks or
using language that is likely to provoke an escalation of the
presently-verbalised situation. The pursuit of avoiding combat of every kind, is
the pursuit towards some level of a minimalist attitude, and is in direct
relation to applying minimal force, because that concept is borne from trying
not to hurt others. You must respect your fists, and the damage they can
potentially do. You should almost fear
using them. Only react at all when necessary and justified. By employing the minimal
force required, you will easily find yourself within the realms of the law. Of
course, if you are unfortunate enough
to find yourself in the midst of a life-or-death situation demanding that you
fight, it is not all perfect – martial arts do
not make you invincible. The only
way to make it the most effective "back-up" it can be, is to train
and practise hard, every day (with the inclusion of the study
of philosophy and morality, for it is not
martial arts without this latter
aspect).
