Monday 28 September 2020

Chinte: What was the actual old Funakoshi chinte (mariti)?

I think it can be deduced that Funakoshi chinte (mariti) was actually like the version shown in Mutsu Mizuho’s book, Karate Kenpo (1933). This is based on comparison with the Shotokai version of chinte which it is very much alike, while the usual variety is found in Mabuni Shito-ryu as well as multiple Funakoshi karate lines. Gojushiho [sho] is from Master Mabuni, so it is of course possible that other kata were introduced or altered by him. I would say it makes sense that if Shotokai, the branch named as the successive line from Master Funakoshi to Shigeru Egami, has a version of chinte which is like the one found in Mr Mizuho’s text, then it at least creates scepticism over which chinte is the original that Master Funakoshi taught, regardless of if he in fact knew more than one way of performing the form. But I actually think the version found in Karate Kenpo is the old Funakoshi chinte, and that Master Funakoshi didn’t teach it to everyone, along with other kata, and that if he did, Master Mabuni had some students who also learnt from him change it. As the different chinte exists in more than one legitimate source and is also found in Kyudokan Shorin-ryu karate, perhaps that supports it being the original Funakoshi chinte. But maybe I’m wrong.





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