History of Shuri-te
FongSiuChing
The Shaolin Temples (monasteries) are possibly the most revered and
famous structures in the history of all martial arts. The history of
the Shaolin order is obscure and shrouded in myth and secrecy. Even
from their beginnings, they were constant targets of bandits and
rebellious soldiers. According to tradition, the first Shaolin Temple
was built in Honan province sometime around 500 A.D., on Shao-shih
Mountain south of Songshan Mountain, 50 miles west of Zhengzhou.
Traditionally, this was the original temple. The name Shaolin means
"small (young) forest." There is a legend about how the Honan Temple
received this name. The story goes that before the temple was built,
there was a forest there. It had been cleared or burned down by orders
of Emperor Hsiao of the Northern Wei Dynasty. When construction started
on the temple, the emperor's gardeners planted new trees.
Because some people are not informed, they assume there was only one
Shaolin Temple. They also assume that Honan Shaolin was the greatest
and grandest. But contrary to popular belief, this is not necessarily
the case, although the Honan Temple in the North appears to be the
original. There were 2 main temples, the Northern and the Southern.
Shaolin Admittance and Training
The Shaolin temples were like martial arts universities. In order to be
admitted, one would have to endure months or years of hard work and
chores. After being admitted, they had to train for ten years in the
basics. Then they could specialize in whatever they wanted to. There
were masters who were specialists in particular areas of training, and
the students could learn from the best in each field, or specialty
style.
The Shaolin 18 Monk Fist and Bodhidharma
The Shaolin 18 Lohan fist was the first style practiced at Honan
Shaolin. Legend credits a man named Bohidharma (Damo, Tamo or Dharuma)
as being one of the first to have an impact on the temple's style.
To help the Shaolin monks withstand long hours of meditation he taught
them 18 breathing techniques and exercises (the Eighteen Hands of
Lohan) to develop their strength. These drills were called the
`Eighteen Hands of Lohan`. The concepts and principles taught by
Bodhidharma were part of the basis that they built the temple's
fighting style on.
The Shaolin Five Animal System (Wu X'ing Q'uan)
One of the most important happenings of Shaolin history was during the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), probably in the late 1500s/early 1600s
(However, some say that this took place around AD 618, and even others
say it happened around the 13th century. It makes no difference really
when it actually happened.) There were many rebellions against the Ming
government at this time. The monks began to document what they had
learned in their art. Chueh Yuan Shang-Jen, Li Shou (Li Ch'eng), and
Pai Yu Feng (Bai Yu-Feng or Bak Yuk Fung came up with a radically new
and balanced internal and external style. They successfully combined
internal Taoist techniques with that of the Lohan Shaolin system. The
new style had 172 techniques, according to tradition. They also came up
with new concepts and principles that they called the Shaolin Five
Animals. The techniques were modeled after the characteristics of the
following animals: Leopard (Bao), Tiger (Hu), Snake (She), Dragon
(Long) and Crane (He).
The Fukien Shaolin Hakutsuru Style, or White Crane
There are several Chinese forms of the name "Hakutsuru" in different
dialects: Pai Hao Q'uan, Peh Ho Kuen, Peh Hok, Bak Hok, Pak Hok, Bai He
Q'uan and He Q'uan. Other names of it are the Southern Five Elder Style
(Wu Zu Q'uan or Five Ancestors Fist), and the Yong Chun Style,
pronounced Weng Chun in Cantonese.
The legend about the Yong Chun Style is that of the Five Elders
(Ancestors) of Shaolin:
The Shaolin order was politically neutral most of the time, but in the
1640's, the much-hated Manchu (Ching) dynasty began. The cruelty of the
Manchu made Shaolin reconsider its position. In about 1647, the Honan
Shaolin Temple was utterly destroyed by the Manchu. Most of the monks
were killed, but a few monks fled to the Fukien Shaolin Temple (some
believe this took place in 1570. The problem with that date is that the
Ming was still in power at that time. It appears that it was the Manchu
that did it. The reasons that the Manchu would have done it make a lot
more sense. Other legends allege that it took place not long after the
Manchu took over.) Among those that fled to Fukien Shaolin were the
most influential Shaolin masters. They brought the precious martial art
books from the Shaolin Library with them. As a result of all this, the
status of the Fukien temple changed, and it became the new Headquarters
of the Shaolin order. It was a better base for anti-Manchu activities,
because it was a strategic location.
The Fukien Temple became part of the rebellion almost immediately after
the destruction of Honan.
The Manchu could not govern very well in the South. There were many
areas near rivers that they could not control, because the rebels kept
them at bay.
Four sons of four Ming generals were sent to Fukien Shaolin to train in
the martial arts. Their names were Chih Shan (Jee Shin or Chi Shin),
Fung Doe Duk (Fung To Tak), Mew Hing (Miu Hin), and Bak Mai (Pak Mei or
Bai Mei). According to legend, there was also a Shaolin nun there at
this same time, by the name of Lui Sei-Leung or Lu Si-Niang. She took
upon herself the Buddhist name Wu Mei (Ng Mui or Five Plums) that she
is more popularly known as. They became the five elders of Shaolin
They analyzed their situation very closely. They needed to come up with
a plan to overcome the Manchu. The combat systems taught in the temple
at that time were based on animal movements. They required that the
monks master tens and hundreds of long, intricate forms, taking ten or
twenty years. There were an enormous variety of techniques, many of
them totally dissimilar to each other, and some of them were not very
useful, because they didn't work very well. The Shaolin grandmasters
recognized that this approach was unsuitable and unacceptable for the
rapid development of an effective and efficient fighting force. A new
training method made to fit the needs of the rebellion was necessary.
In the South, the terrain was different, and there was a need for close
range fighting tactics. Also, they needed a way to fight more
effectively against and exploit the weaknesses of the fighting arts of
their enemies. What they came up with was a radically new approach. The
focus for the new system was on human biomechanics. They refined and
modified the existing animal systems and movements into an essential
core of techniques.
Because of these new revisions, there became a split between the
Northern and Southern Shaolin styles. The North retained the original
exaggerated movements and form, and the South adopted the new
streamlined and efficient form. When I say North, I don't mean Honan
Shaolin. I mean all the Shaolin practitioners in the North outside of
Honan Shaolin. The reason I make this distinction is because Honan
Shaolin was always in close contact with Fukien Shaolin, and there was
always a heavy interchange. So Honan Shaolin implemented the new temple
style form also. This knew style was known under the generic title of
"Nan Q'uan" or Southern Fist.
Now comes the story of Fang Qi-Niang:
A Shaolin monk that had fled after the 1673 destruction of the Fukien
temple (some say it was 1674) was Fang Zhonggong (also known as Fang
Zhen-Dong, Fang Zhang-Guang, Fang Honshu, Fang Shi Yu and Fang Huishi.)
His specialty style was the Shi Pa Lohan Fist (Shi Ba Luo Han Q'uan).
He sought refuge in nearby Putian at the Shalian Temple while awaiting
the overthrow of the Manchu government for a time. Supposedly, this was
another temple clandestinely affiliated with Shaolin. Later, he went to
Yong Chun village. It was there that Zhonggong raised a family. His
seventh daughter was named Fang Qi-Niang (Chi-Niang, Chi-Liang, or
Ji-Niang). He taught her the Shaolin style. She later saw cranes
fighting and developed the Fukien Shaolin Crane style using what her
father had taught her for a base, which was essentially the Yong Chun
style created by the Five Elders. This style in the Japanese language
is known as Hakutsuru.
The Shaolin Hakutsuru over time broke up into many branch styles. The
major ones are: Wing Chun; the Five Ancestral Fist; the Ancestral Crane
(Zonghe, Suhe, or Zanhe Q'uan, also known as Sleeping or Trembling
Crane); the Shouting Crane (Minghe Q'uan, also known as Whooping,
Singing or Crying Crane); the Eating Crane (Shehe Q'uan, also known as
Morning Crane); and the Flying Crane (Feihe Q'uan). The Fukien Jumping
Crane is not related to these. It comes through different roots. (Of
course, these are not the only styles that branch from it. The Okinawan
Styles are also branches of it also, as we shall see.)
The Hakutsuru was the "Shaolin style" referred to by Funakoshi and
other sources that Iwah and Wai Shin Zan taught Bushi Matsumura,
although one source says that Iwah taught Bushi his own form of it.
Okinawa and the Development of Te
Just off the coast of Fukien is an island called Okinawa, which means
"a rope tossed into the water." Repeatedly it was taken over by
invaders. But the inhabitants had the doctrine of no resistance. They
just submitted themselves and did not usually fight them, although they
would defend themselves. They would do things secretly under the noses
of their taskmasters. The inhabitants themselves are a mixture of many
different bloodlines. It is the melting pot of the Orient. At first the
island had a tributary relationship with China, but that ended shortly
after the Japanese conquest by the Satsuma clan in 1609. Since then,
the island has been under Japanese rule.
Over the centuries, two indigenous martial arts had developed there. At
first the development was independent of China. One was an empty-hand
art called te. The other was an art of weapons called kobudo. Later on,
there was much foreign influence on these systems.
There was an even greater influx of Chinese influence on te in the late
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as more masters visited China and
studied under Chinese experts. This led to the creation of three hybrid
styles of what became known in Okinawa as "karate," or "China Hand."
They were a mix of te and Chinese styles. They were Naha-te, Tomari-te,
and Shuri-te. The styles were named after the cities of Okinawa in
which they were developed. But these "cities" were so close that you
could live in one "city" and walk next door and be in the next "city."
Shuri-te (Sui-Di)
Around 1760, Kusanku, a Chinese envoy, was sent to Okinawa. Some say
that he was a Shaolin monk, and others say he learned from a Shaolin
monk. Another form of his name is Guan Kui or Guan Gui. Once he was on
a boat going to Satsuma, and that it was blown off course during a
fierce typhoon, and drifted to shore on Oshima Beach of Shikoku Island.
At that time, he gave a martial art demonstration. The book
Ohshima-Hikki that contains the account says "with his lapel being
seized, Kusankun applied his martial art and overcame the attacker by
scissoring his legs."
Sakugawa was born in Shuri Toribori on March 3, 1733 and died on August
17, 1815 at the age of 82. Sakugawa Satunushi was a samurai. Some say
that his name was Shungo. His dying father suggested that he learn the
fighting arts. In Akata village, Shuri, Sakugawa found Peichin Takahara
(1683-1760). Takahara was a monk, mapmaker and astronomer. Takahara
Peichin was born in the village of Akata Cho in Southern Shuri.
Takahara who 67 at the time and was a famous warrior of the Okinawan
fighting arts. Sakugawa respectfully asked Takahara to become his
student, and was accepted. He studied under him diligently.
He asked Takahara for his blessing to study with Ku Sanku, the Chinese
Master, and Takahara approved. Sakugawa improved day by day as he
studied with Ku Sanku.
When Master Kusanku returned to China, Sakugawa followed him and
remained in China for six years still studying with him. Sakugawa
became a famous samurai, and was given the title of Satunuky or
Satonushi by the Okinawan king. It was most likely, Sakugawa that
created the kata Ku Sanku.
Bushi Matsumura
Bushi Matsumura was born in 1797, and died in 1889. According to some
sources, Bushi's family name was Kiyo (Kayo). Matsumura grew up in
Yamagawa village of the city of Shuri, Okinawa. He was partly Chinese.
Sakugawa began training Bushi at Akata when he was 14 years old, in
1810. According to tradition, it was at Bushi's father's request that
Sakugawa teach him. Some say that to train Bushi to block, Sakugawa
tied to him to a tree so he could not move. Then he threw punches at
him.
Sakugawa trained him up until his death, and then Sokon was probably on
his own for a while. According to oral history, he studied under
Sakugawa for 4 years.
Bushi was recruited into the service of the Sho family. At that time,
Sho Ko, the king of Okinawa, desired to have him change his last name,
as was the custom, and suggested the name Muramatsu (Muramachi), or
"village pine." After discussing the matter with some friends and
relatives, he decided that Matsumura (Machimura), or "pine village",
would be more appropriate. Sokon asked the king to let him change the
name to that, and the request was granted. Some say this happened at
age 17, which would probably put it around 1813.
Many sources say that Bushi Matsumura trained in China, and it is
certainly a strong tradition. Hohan Soken said that Bushi trained at
"Fukien Shaolin" for 26 years and some months.
Some prominent students of Bushi Matsumura were Yasutsune Itosu and
Chotoku Kyan, although there were many more. Itosu's head student and
successor was Chosin Chibana, who formed Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu from
Itosu's version of Shuri-Te. Kyan's students formed Shobayashi
Shorin-ryu from his personal brand of Shuri-te. Another student of
Itosu was Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan. Once in a while,
Itosu would take him to study under Bushi Matsumura. He was also a
student of Azato, a Shorei-Ryu master.
Nabi Matsumura
Keeping with Samurai tradition, a close family member was selected as
his successor in his personal system. His grandson Nabi Matsumura was
chosen. Nabi's birth and death dates are kept secret.
Bushi's senior student was Itosu. Because of that, it is assumed by
some that Itosu was his successor. However, Nabi was the heir to
Bushi's personal system. Itosu added some to it, creating his own
system. He was not a blood relative to the Matsumura family, and could
not be the successor to the family style therefore, although he was a
great master. In 1928, Chosin Chibana became head of Itosu's system
following Itosu's death. It was at that time that Chibana designated
Itosu's version of Shuri-te as Shorin-Ryu. The pure and unchanged
Matsumura Shuri-te taught by Nabi and Soken was not known as Shorin-Ryu
until Soken changed the name later.
Some say Nabi Matsumura was very strict and secretive. Others received
the glory, but he remained in obscurity. Possibly, he wished it to be
that way. Not much information is available about him. His birth and
death date are either not known, or are kept secret. It is said he was
born in the 1850's and died in the 1930's. Nabi inherited everything
his grandfather possessed, including his title "Bushi Matsumura."
Nabi's wife and first child died soon after the child's birth. He did
remarry later.
Hohan Soken
Nabi chose Hohan Soken, his nephew, to be his successor. Soken was born
May 25, 1889 and died November 30, 1982. He was born into the old
Okinawan Samurai class. Because of the hardships placed upon the
Samurai when their class was abolished, Soken, had to work a more lowly
type of job in the rice fields with the commoners. Nabi, however,
noticed Soken's potential. So he proposed to him that he would train
him in Hakutsuru if he would simply show enough dedication, patience
and control. Soken eagerly accepted. This was when he was 14 years old
in about 1902 or 3. Nabi began training him in the basics. This
training lasted 10 years (till about 1913). Finally, after that he knew
that Soken was ready for Hakutsuru.
Hohan Soken left Okinawa around 1924 and went to Argentina, where many
Okinawans had moved to work. Soken and Chotoku Kyan reportedly had
planned to travel overseas together but went their separate ways, with
Kyan going to Taiwan. Soken Sensei learned some Spanish during his long
stay in Argentina and by the accounts told by his Okinawan students, he
lived a very exciting life there. Among other things, he worked as a
photographer and had a clothes cleaning business. He did many
demonstrations. Soken returned in the early 50's a relatively wealthy
man by the Okinawan standards of the time.
When Soken returned to Okinawa, he found that Karate had greatly
changed. Sport Karate had pretty much replaced the old way. He refused
to join some of the more popular Karate Associations. For many years he
was the World's oldest living active Karate Master. At first he called
his system Matsumura Shurite (Machimura Sui-di), but later named it
Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito (Seito means "orthodox") to distinguish it
from sport karate. Soken, unlike his uncle and great-grandfather,
practiced weapons. He learned the art of Kobudo from Ushi Komesu of
Ihonohara village and apparently also from Mantaka Chiken.
Soken, as with Nabi, had 2 wives. One was Argentinean, while his second
wife was Okinawan. None of his sons took an interest in their father's
tradition. One of Soken's sons by his first wife had followed Soken
Sensei back to Okinawa and had kept Soken Sensei's ashes. When that son
passed away earlier this year, Soken Sensei's ashes returned to
Argentina as they were left in the care of the son's Argentinean wife
and children in accordance with Okinawan custom. Having Sensei's ashes
in South America and his grave on Okinawa is fitting for a man with
ties so deep in both places. If one must pay one's respects to Soken
Sensei, we ask that one do that at the grave and avoid causing the deep
offense inherent in trying to make a Graceland-style visit to see his
body.
*from The History of Matsumura
Taken from http://www.msisshinryu.com/history/shuri-te