Styles from the Concept of Hard and Soft

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Isshinryu, similar to other styles, although derived from the efforts of an individual tend to follow other luminaries who created a dualistic style using the concepts from yin-yang, i.e., hard and soft. Goju-ryu, for instance, may have used strength and pliability as a basis for its hard-soft development and implementation - Goju [剛柔].

There are others like Mabuni sensei who used other terminology to describe his efforts in creating a unique style, i.e., “half hard and pliability.” You can see that the martial disciplines of those times were of like mind and one can assume their training and practice over many years along with influences and experiences of Japan and China may have led them toward a yin-yang concept that most understand as “hard-soft.” 

Much like his contemporaries Tatsuo-san tried a variety of names for his creation where he finally settled on, “Isshinryu.” Even Funakoshi Sensei tried to describe his new system by mentioning the two kata, one hard and one soft, from Shorei and Shorin. They would represent strength and pliability as well and we find that same thought process in the creation of Isshinryu. 

These major principles of Toudi or Ti, as described by some Okinawan sources, all seemed to have evolved to this stage where knowledge, understanding and experiences exposed the relation of hard and soft and allowed it to be named accordingly. This led to ways of teaching, describing and in our modern times better ways to articulate how this is learned. 

Isshinryu’s explanation is the adoption and reconfiguration of two kata, one hard and one soft, that form by their embusen lines a + sign. The two together are then considered the father (sanchin) and mother (naihanchi) where the child born is Isshinryu. The two kata referenced are sanchin and naihanchi, they intersect. 

Shorin-ryu’s kata named, “Naihanchi” is considered the mother, i.e.,  (---) Yin. Goju-ryu’s kata named, “Sanchin” is considered the father, i.e., ( | ) Yang. The child from the intersection or coupling of the two to create, “Isshin-ryu” the offspring, i.e., denoting the (+) Equilibrium-n-Balance the two bring to the study, practice and application of this, the newest of Okinawan martial discipline. 

It had been believed in some of the Isshinryu factions that this concept that resulted in the creation, or birth, of the Isshinryu system was unique and what contributed to the thought that Tatsuo-san was an innovator and ahead of his times when in reality he and his martial contemporaries were all considering the same concept from different perspectives all along. 

This is a similar belief that is found in the twelve “Isshinryu” features where there are only "three" features that can be attributed to Isshinryu in the fifties/sixties that were more or less exclusive to this new system, at the time, and they are the "Vertical Fist," "Muscle/bone blocks," and "Thumb on top of vertical fist."

Don’t get me wrong, I love the style and I appreciate that Tatsuo-san took the time and effort along with his other unique personalities to create such an eclectic system of Okinawan karate. If not for conditions outside his control Isshinryu, I have no doubt, would be a prominent style on Okinawa up there with Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu and Uechi-ryu. Due to those circumstances and conditions instead it takes a second seat as a sub-style of the Shorin-ryu system. 

The good news is there are a few on Okinawa who are working diligently to get Isshinryu the recognition and place among the martial communities it deserves. It is a hope that its favor, popularity and growth throughout the rest of the world will push this effort in a positive direction.

Bibliography (Click the link)

McKenna, Mario. “Principles of Okinawa Karate.” June 10, 2015