Master Gichin Funakoshi's Real Knowledge of Karate Kenpo (Published in Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue 124)

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).