Cultural Knowledge

Bunka chishiki[文化知識]: The first two characters/ideograms mean "culture; civilization." The second two characters/ideograms mean "knowledge; information." The combination of these characters/ideograms mean "cultural knowledge." The first character means, "sentence; literature; style; art; decoration; figures; plan," the second character means, "change; take the form of; influence; enchant; delude," the third character means, "know; wisdom," and the fourth character means, "discriminating; know; write."

This term/characters/ideograms are used to provide meaning in the martial arts regarding the need to understand the cultural knowledge that created the system, style or branch of martial art that is practiced. This seems an important aspect that actually provides a form of key to open the proverbial pandora's box but in a positive way.

Karate, or any martial discipline, is a body of cultural knowledge that helps the practitioner attain a certain state of being. In order to find that key to that state one must understand and cultivate the cultural knowledge that is the essence of the system, style or branch. In karate as in many other systems kata becomes a form of cultural and combative information that makes it work. This cultural knowledge does not change and is timeless much like the fundamental principles underlying all combative arts regardless of whether Asian or Western or European.

Cultural knowledge of the past coupled with that of the present is the means by which all martial system grow and prosper, it is what puts the relationship of the movement to the individual. It is a means of exploring the past with the present to create in time a future meaning of the system and this results in a metamorphosis of the original system.

Understanding the cultural belief system of the Sensei encompasses that of the past origins promoting a wholehearted holistically form of training and practice that becomes a descendent of the originally cultural knowledge. Nothing is lost but it does become different and the connectedness of past and present build a solid foundation in its entirety then a system that is newly created lacking substance, depth and breadth that comes from the ancient practices which by the way are as relevant today as they were then with small variations, differences and applications.

In Isshinryu and with other styles or branches there are keys, or karate koans, that are related to cultural knowledge of then and apply to those of the now, the present, named "ken-po goku-i" Goju and Shorin have a unique gokui that is derived, like Zen koans, from that system or branches origins or current master. It is a means to connect the mind and body through cultural knowledge so that one can achieve progress and maintain a line of connectedness in an ancestral way.

An underlying theme is here that speaks to "respect" for the cultural past while creation of a cultural present is possible. In a way, we learn only through the efforts of those who passed so that we may learn and compensate for the present. It is balance of yin-yang.