The Pinan ( 平安 ) kata are a series of five empty hand forms taught in many karate styles. The Pinan kata originated in Okinawa and were adapted by Anko Itosu from older kata such as Kusanku and Channan into forms suitable for teaching karate to young students. Pinan is the Chinese Pinyin notation of 平安; when Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to Japan , he spelt the kata name as Heian , which is the onyomi of 平安. Pinan or Heian means "peaceful and safe". Korean Tang Soo Do , one of 5 original kwan of Korea, also practice these kata; they are termed, "Pyong-an" or "Pyung-Ahn", which is a Korean pronunciation of the term "ping-an".
36-451: According to Motobu Chōki , one of Ankō Itosu's early students, the Pinan kata was created by Itosu and was originally called Channan ( チャンナン ) and had slightly different movements. When Motobu asked Itosu about this point in his later years, Itosu replied, "The form is somewhat different from those days, but now I have decided on the form as it was performed by the students. Everyone preferred
72-642: A degree of fame that neither had previously known in Japan. In 1923, he opened a karate dojo in Osaka. Among his students at that time were Tatsuo Yamada and Sannosuke Ueshima . In 1926, he published his first book, Okinawa Kenpo Karate-jutsu Kumite-hen (Kumite Edition of Okinawa Kenpō Karate Art). This is the oldest book on kumite, and the 12 kumite drills presented in this book are still passed down in Motobu-ryū today. Around 1927, Motobu moved to Tokyo to establish
108-807: A displaced member (by the Japanese annexation of Okinawa) of the Ryukyuan aristocracy than by inability. In the fall of 1936, Motobu temporarily closed his Daidōkan dojo in Tokyo and returned to Okinawa. He then attended a roundtable meeting of karate grand masters held in Naha on October 25. He stayed in Okinawa for a while and returned to Osaka the following year. There he began teaching karate to his son Motobu Chōsei. Motobu occasionally traveled to Tokyo to teach karate, but due to deteriorating health he closed his dojo in
144-481: A karate instructor at the time, and was adopted by Itosu. The Channan is now lost, but some believe that the Motobu-ryū 's "Shirokuma" ( 白熊 , lit. ' white bear ' ) kata may be Channan because of its similarity to Pinan. The Pinan kata were introduced into the school systems on Okinawa in 1895, and were subsequently adopted by many teachers and schools in the 1900s. Thus, they are present today in
180-472: A major spot for karate tourist visiting from all over the world. Naihanchi Naihanchi ( ナイハンチ ) (or Naifanchi ( ナイファンチ ) , Tekki ( 鉄騎 ) ) is a karate kata , performed in straddle stance (naihanchi-dachi ( ナイハンチ立ち ) / kiba-dachi ( 騎馬立ち ) ). It translates to 'internal divided conflict'. The form makes use of in-fighting techniques (i.e. tai sabaki (whole body movement)) and grappling. In Shorin-Ryu and Matsubayashi-ryū Naihanchi Shodan
216-639: A shoulder-width stance with the toes angled inwards, or the kiba dachi , for the purpose of conditioning the legs to develop explosive power. If one rotates one's torso a few degrees to one side or the other while performing Naihanchi/Tekki, the result is the Hachi-monji, or figure eight stance. Some researchers believe the form is a non-ballistic two-man grappling exercise. In his 1922 book titled To-te: Ryūkyū Kenpō / 唐手 琉球拳法 Gichin Funakoshi called this series of forms "Naihanchi (ナイハンチ)" and attributes
252-474: A translation of the 1956 second edition of the Kyohan book, there is no longer any mention of Naihanchi and the book claims the form, which it calls "Tekki" is named in reference to "the distinctive feature of these kata, their horse-riding (kiba-dachi) stance." Other than the "Shorei-Ryu" reference, none of these books attribute the form to any particular source or practitioner. Itosu is reported to have learned
288-412: Is a theory that Shirokuma is Channan because of its resemblance to Pinan. Furthermore, he taught Wanshū and Jitte. Around 1921, Motobu moved to Osaka , Japan. In November 1922, a friend convinced Motobu to enter a " boxing vs judo " match which was taking place. These matches were popular at the time, and often pitted a visiting foreign boxer against a jujutsu or judo man. According to an account of
324-581: Is practiced at Motobu-ryū to this day. He also favored kumite matches based on this kakidi form, called kakidamishi ( kakedameshi in Japanese). kakidamishi is often mistaken for brawling, but it was a rules-based kumite match. Motobu published a series of kumite drills in 1926. These are among the earliest kumite drills. In these drills, Motobu drew on the theory of Naihanchi kata, which he emphasized, as well as on his experience in practicing kakidi and kakidamishi . Below are some of his ideas regarding
360-487: Is that Shūkōkai teaches Pinan Nidan first, and Pinan Shodan second, believing Pinan Nidan to be the easier, more beginner-friendly kata. The order that is learnt in Wado-Ryu goes as follows, In some Shito-Ryu dojos the order is different, as most Shito Ryu versions of Pinan Shodan are harder than the rest, so the order is as follows, Motobu Ch%C5%8Dki Motobu Chōki ( 本部 朝基 , April 5, 1870 – April 15, 1944)
396-436: Is the first ni kyu (brown belt kata) although it is taught to yon kyu (green belts) occasionally before evaluations for the ni kyu rank. It is also the first Shorin-ryu and Shindo jinen-ryu kata to start with a technique to the right instead of the left. There are three modern kata derived from this (Shodan, Nidan and Sandan). Some researchers believe Nidan and Sandan were created by Anko Itosu , but others believe that it
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#1732791401158432-526: Is the first of the series, followed by Tekki nidan and Tekki sandan. In the 1960s a kung fu practitioner, Daichi Kaneko, studied a form of Taiwanese white crane kung-fu, known as Dan Qiu Ban Bai He Quan (Half Hillock, Half White Crane Boxing). Kaneko, an acupuncturist who lived in Yonabaru, Okinawa , taught a form called Neixi (inside knee) in Mandarin. This form includes the same sweeping action found in
468-463: The Daidōkan dojo and also became the first Shihan of the karate club at Toyo University . Regular students at the dojo at that time included Higaonna Kamesuke and Marukawa Kenji. In addition, his guest students were Yasuhiro Konishi , Hironori Ōtsuka , and boxer champion "Piston" Horiguchi. Motobu had no small amount of difficulty in teaching karate in terms of language. He moved to mainland Japan after
504-624: The Naihanchi kata, which were derived from an older, original kata, Nifanchin. Nifanchin was brought to Okinawa via Fuzhou, China, at some point in the long history of trade between the two kingdoms. It was broken into three distinct segments, possibly by Anko Itosu , Tokumine Pechin , or Motobu Choki . The kata are performed entirely in Kiba dachi ("Horse stance"). The name Tekki itself (and Nifanchin) translates to "Iron Horse." Tekki Shodan (鉄騎初段), literally meaning " Iron Horse Riding, First Level ",
540-530: The age of 50, so he was forced to teach exclusively in the Okinawan dialect at the dojo. As a result, those who were not pleased with his success spread a rumor that he was illiterate. This rumor has been largely discredited by the existence of samples of Motobu's handwriting, which is in a clear and literate hand. In a Tsunami video production on Motobu-ryū, Motobu Chōsei comments that his father's language difficulties may have been motivated more by protest at being
576-588: The best in Okinawa in terms of practical karate techniques. He is reported to have been very agile, which gained him the nickname Motobu no Saru ("Motobu the Monkey"). Motobu later moved to mainland Japan, and at the age of 52, he beat a foreign boxer in Kyoto, Japan, and his name became instantly known throughout the country. He distanced himself from the modernization trend in karate, focusing only on kata Naihanchi and concentrating on kumite practice. Motobu Chōki
612-575: The boxer fought very sluggishly. Taking advantage of this, after a few rounds, according to the account, Motobu moved in on the taller, larger boxer and knocked him out with a single hand strike to the head. Motobu was then 52 years old. The King article detailed Motobu's surprising victory, although the illustrations clearly show Funakoshi Gichin as the Okinawan fighter in question. The two were often at odds in their opinions about how karate ought to be taught and used. The popularity generated by this unexpected victory propelled both Motobu and karate to
648-678: The curriculum of Shitō-ryū , Wadō-ryū , Shōrin-ryū , Kobayashi-ryū , Kyokushin , Seido Juku , Shinki-Ryu , Shōrei-ryū , Shotojuku , Shotokan , Matsubayashi-ryū , Shukokai , Shindo Jinen Ryu , Kosho-ryū Kempo, Kenyu Ryu, Kushin Ryu and several other styles. Funakoshi modified the Pinan forms to Heian forms, introducing his version of Kushanku (actually renamed Kanku Dai). The 5 kata were Pinans Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, and Godan. The Pinans are taught to various beginner ranks according to their difficulty. The kata are all loosely based on an I-shaped embusen or shape. These kata serve as
684-412: The earlier days of karate training, it was common practice for a student to spend two to three years doing nothing but Naihanchi/Tekki, under the strict observation of their teacher. Motobu Choki, famous for his youthful brawling at tsuji (red-light district), credited the kata with containing all that one needs to know to become a proficient fighter. The Tekki series of kata were renamed by Funakoshi from
720-521: The fall of 1941 and returned to Osaka. In June 1942 he taught karate briefly at the Tottori Agriculture High School (present-day Tottori University Faculty of Agriculture). After moving to mainland Japan, Motobu occasionally returned to Okinawa for short periods of time. In late 1926 and 1927, Motobu returned briefly to Okinawa. On January 7, 1927, Motobu demonstrated wood-board breaking and kumite in front of Kanō Jigorō ,
756-573: The fight from a 1925 King magazine article, Motobu is said to have entered into a challenge match with a tall, burly foreign boxer called George. Motobu, on the other hand, recalls that the boxer was John "somebody." According to research by Charles. G. Goodin, director of the Hawaii Karate Museum , the boxer was likely to be the Estonian Jaan Kentel . Early rounds involved evasion by the smaller man. Motobu recalls
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#1732791401158792-428: The form to what he calls the "Shōrei-Ryu/昭霊流." Similarly, Motobu Chōki spells the name of this form "Naihanchi/ナイハンチ" in his 1926 Okinawa Kenpō To-te Jutsu/沖縄拳法唐手術 . By 1936, in his Karate-do Kyohan/空手道教範 Funakoshi had started referring to this form as “Kibadachi (騎馬立/キバ ダチ)” or “Cavalry Horse Stance,” while still referencing the original “Naihanchi / ナイハンチ” name. In the 1973 "Karate-do Kyohan The Master Text",
828-511: The foundation to many of the advanced kata within Karate, as many of the techniques contained in these kata are contained in the higher grade katas as well, especially Kusanku . In certain styles, Pinan Shodan and Pinan Nidan are inverted - what certain styles call Pinan Shodan is what others call Heian Nidan, and vice versa. For example, the kata Shotokan calls Heian Shodan, other styles, such as Shitō-ryū call Pinan Nidan. Another point to note
864-647: The founder of judo, who was visiting Okinawa. He was introduced as "Okinawa's Number One" in kumite and was greatly admired by Kanō. In late 1936, Motobu returned briefly to Okinawa again and attended a roundtable discussion of karate masters in Naha on October 25. In November, he also attended a roundtable discussion organized by young Okinawan karate practitioners. Motobu was invited as the most practical karate master. In late 1942, Motobu returned to Okinawa, hoping to die in his hometown. He died in April 1944. Motobu Chōki's third son, Chōsei Motobu (1925- ), still teaches
900-562: The kata from Anko Asato . Funakoshi renamed the kata Tekki (Iron Horse) in reference to his old teacher, Itosu, and the form's power. The oldest known reference to Naihanchi are in the books of Motobu Choki . He states the kata was imported from China , but is no longer practiced there. Motobu learned the kata from Sokon Matsumura, Sakuma Pechin , Anko Itosu and Kosaku Matsumora. Motobu taught his own interpretation of Naihanchi, which included te (Okinawan form of martial arts which predates karate) like grappling and throwing techniques. In
936-725: The kata from Sokon Matsumura , who learned it from a Chinese man living in Tomari . Itosu is thought to have changed the original kata. The form is so important to old style karate that Kentsu Yabu (a student of Itosu) often told his students 'Karate begins and ends with Naihanchi' and admonished his students must practice the kata 10,000 times to make it their own. Before Itosu created the Pinan (Heian) kata, Naihanchi would traditionally be taught first in Tomari-te and Shuri-te schools, which indicates its importance. Gichin Funakoshi learned
972-647: The kata: Motobu trained many students who went on to become noteworthy practitioners of karate in their own right, including: The family tomb is the Motobu Udun Tomb in Ganeko, Ginowan. On February 25, 2021, the Motobu Udun Tomb was designated a cultural property historical site by Ginowan City in recognition of its high value as a material that unravels the relationship between Ginowan District and royal descendants at that time. It has since become
1008-454: The name Pinan, so I followed the young people's opinion." Since Motobu (b. 1870) began studying under Itosu at the age of 12 ( East Asian age reckoning ), this means that the Channan was already in existence by the 1880s. The name "Pinan" was suggested by students of the former Okinawa Prefectural First Middle School (now Shuri High School) or Okinawa Prefectural Normal School, where Itosu was
1044-525: The nami-gaeshi (returning wave) technique of Naihanchi. Neixi is pronounced Nohanchi in Fuzhou dialect, which could indicate Neixi is the forerunner to Naihanchi. Neixi is also the shortened form of the mandarin 内 Nei (internal/inside) 方 Fang (place/location) 膝(厀) Xi (knee). This is closer to the original Nifanchin pronunciation. Taking this one step further, in Classical Chinese, Nei could have had
1080-589: The style that his father passed on to him. As a point of reference, it is important to distinguish between the " Motobu-ryū " which Chōsei teaches, and "Motobu Udundi", the unique style of the Motobu family, which bears a resemblance to aikijutsu . Now Chōsei Motobu is the second Sōke of Motobu-ryū and the 14th Sōke of Motobu Udundi. Motobu's karate is characterized by its emphasis on kumite as well as kata. He learned kakidi ( kakede in Japanese), an ancient form of kumite from Sakuma and Kōsaku Matsumora, and it
1116-602: The time he was over 20 years old, he was confident that he could defeat his brother in kumite. From the age of 19 or 20, Motobu, along with his older brother Chōyū and his friend Kentsū Yabu , began studying under Kōsaku Matsumora. He was taught by Matsumora, especially irikumi , an ancient form of kumite, and Matsumora praised him as being very talented in the martial arts. Yabu was a good friend of Motobu's and they practiced karate together throughout their lives. Motobu famously emphasized Naihanchi kata, but also taught Seisan , Passai , and Shirokuma (White Bear). There
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1152-448: Was an Okinawan karate master and founder of Motobu-ryū . He was born into a branch of the Ryukyuan royal family, and at the age of 12, he and his older brother Motobu Chōyū were invited by Ankō Itosu to be taught karate. Motobu also studied karate under Sakuma, Matsumura Sōkon , and Kōsaku Matsumora . He excelled especially in kumite and was already known throughout Okinawa in his twenties. As he grew up, he came to be regarded as
1188-674: Was born in 1870 in Shuri Akahira, the capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the third son of father Chōshin and mother Ushi. His father, Prince Motobu Chōshin ( Motobu Aji Chōsin ) was a descendant of Shō Kōshin, aka Prince Motobu Chōhei (1655 - 1687), the sixth son of Shō Shitsu (1629–1668), the King of Ryukyu. The Motobu family was one of the cadet branches of the Ryukyuan royal family called the Motobu Udun ("Motobu Palace") and
1224-420: Was one of the most prominent families in Okinawa. He studied karate primarily under Ankō Itosu (1831 - 1915), Sōkon Matsumura (1809 - 1899), Sakuma, and Kōsaku Matsumora (1829 - 1898), but also occasionally under Kunjan Pēchin and Kuniyoshi Shinkichi. He studied under Itosu for seven or eight years. With the abolition of the Ryukyu Kingdom, these teachers lost their jobs and became impoverished. The Motobu family
1260-503: Was originally one kata broken into three separate parts. The fact that only Naihanchi/Tekki Shodan has a formal opening suggests the kata was split. Whilst the kata is linear, moving side to side, the techniques can be applied against attackers at any angle. The side to side movements in a low stance build up the necessary balance and strength for fast footwork and body shifting. The kata are intricate strategies of attacking and defensive movement, done in either naihanchi (or naifanchi) dachi,
1296-493: Was wealthy because they received income from the Japanese government as a member of the former royal family. Therefore, the Motobu family employed them as karate teachers and assisted them. Motobu was taught Naihanchi and Channan (the original form of Pinan ) by Itosu. However, under Itosu's tutelage, Motobu found it difficult to defeat his older brother, Motobu Chōyū, in kumite. Therefore, he secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri, and by
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