(or , ) is a
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
Kata
''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised ...
, performed in straddle stance ( / ). It translates to 'internal divided conflict'. The form makes use of in-fighting techniques (i.e.
tai sabaki
is a term from Japanese martial arts and which relates to 'whole body movement', or repositioning. It can be translated as ''body-management''. It is a term used widely in and very important in kendo, jujutsu, aikido, judo, karate and ninjutsu. T ...
(whole body movement)) and grappling. In
Shorin-Ryu and
Matsubayashi-ryū
Matsubayashi-Ryū (松林流), is a style of Okinawan karate founded in 1947 by Shōshin Nagamine (1907–1997) (an Okina Sensei). Its curriculum includes 18 kata, seven two-man yakusoku kumite (pre-arranged sparring) routines, and kobudō (we ...
Naihanchi Shodan 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
Shindo or Shindō may refer to:
*
* Shindo (religion) (신도), an alternative name of Korean Shamanism used by Shamanic associations in modern South Korea.
People
* Shindō (surname)
Other uses
*, a Japanese manga by Akira Sasō (1998), film an ...
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
Anko may refer to:
People
* , Japanese emperor
* , father of modern karate
*, karate master and contemporary of Itosu
*Ankopaaingyadete (Anko), 19th-century Kiowa calendar artist
Fictional characters
* , in the ''Naruto'' series
* , in the ma ...
, but others believe that it 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, a shoulder-width stance with the toes angled inwards, or the
kiba dachi
The horse stance (sometimes called horse riding stance) is a common posture in Asian martial arts and takes its name from the position assumed when riding a horse. It is called ''mǎbù'' (馬步) in Chinese, in Japanese, and ''juchum seogi'' ( ...
, 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.
History
In his 1922 book titled ''To-te: Ryūkyū Kenpō / 唐手 琉球拳法''
Gichin Funakoshi
was a japanese martial artist who is regarded as the founder of Shotakan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is known as a "father of modern karate". Following the teachings of Anko Itosu and Anko Asato,Funakoshi, Gichi ...
called this series of forms "Naihanchi/ナイハンチ" and attributes the form to what he calls the "Shōrei-Ryu/昭霊流."
Similarly,
Motobu Chōki
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 invited Ankō Itosu to learn karate. Chōyū was also a noted marti ...
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", 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 the kata from
Sokon Matsumura
Sokon Group (officially Chongqing Sokon Industry Group Co., Ltd) is a Chinese company founded in September 1986 with headquarters in Chongqing, China. Born as a manufacturer of components for household appliances and shock absorbers, it currentl ...
, 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
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
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
The ''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 yo ...
(Heian) kata, Naihanchi would traditionally be taught first in
Tomari-te
Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts, such as karate, tegumi and Okinawan kobudō, which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its central location, Okinawa was influenced by various cultures with a long hi ...
and
Shuri-te
Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts, such as karate, tegumi and Okinawan kobudō, which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its central location, Okinawa was influenced by various cultures with a long hist ...
schools, which indicates its importance.
Gichin Funakoshi
was a japanese martial artist who is regarded as the founder of Shotakan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is known as a "father of modern karate". Following the teachings of Anko Itosu and Anko Asato,Funakoshi, Gichi ...
learned the kata from
Anko Asato. Funakoshi renamed the kata Tekki (Iron Horse) in reference to his old teacher, Itosu, and the form's power.
Motobu's Naihanchi
The oldest known reference to Naihanchi are in the books of
Motobu Choki
is a town located in Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2016, the town has an estimated population of 13,441 and a density of 250 persons per km2. The total area is .
Several islands can be accessed from Motobu, namely ...
. He states the kata was imported from
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, but is no longer practiced there. Motobu learned the kata from Sokon Matsumura, Sakuma
Pechin , or , historically ''Opoyakomoi'', was a rank among the Yukatchu class of the former Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa, Japan), above the rank of Satunushi and below the rank of Ueekata. As scholar-officials, they often served in administrative p ...
,
Anko Itosu
Anko may refer to:
People
* , Japanese emperor
* , father of modern karate
*, karate master and contemporary of Itosu
*Ankopaaingyadete (Anko), 19th-century Kiowa calendar artist
Fictional characters
* , in the ''Naruto'' series
* , in the ma ...
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 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 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
Anko may refer to:
People
* , Japanese emperor
* , father of modern karate
*, karate master and contemporary of Itosu
*Ankopaaingyadete (Anko), 19th-century Kiowa calendar artist
Fictional characters
* , in the ''Naruto'' series
* , in the ma ...
, Tokumine
Pechin , or , historically ''Opoyakomoi'', was a rank among the Yukatchu class of the former Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa, Japan), above the rank of Satunushi and below the rank of Ueekata. As scholar-officials, they often served in administrative p ...
, or
Motobu Choki
is a town located in Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2016, the town has an estimated population of 13,441 and a density of 250 persons per km2. The total area is .
Several islands can be accessed from Motobu, namely ...
. The kata are performed entirely in
Kiba dachi
The horse stance (sometimes called horse riding stance) is a common posture in Asian martial arts and takes its name from the position assumed when riding a horse. It is called ''mǎbù'' (馬步) in Chinese, in Japanese, and ''juchum seogi'' ( ...
("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''", 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
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
, taught a form called Neixi (inside knee) in Mandarin. This form includes the same sweeping action found in the nami-gaeshi (returning wave) technique of Naihanchi. Neixi is pronounced Nohanchi in
Fuzhou
Fuzhou (; , Fuzhounese: Hokchew, ''Hók-ciŭ''), alternately romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute t ...
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 a double meaning. One straightforward reference to the inside knee and one indirect reference to soft styles of traditional Chinese martial arts such as
Taichi
Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Ta ...
. See
neigong
Neigong, also spelled ''nei kung'', ''neigung'', or ''nae gong'', refers to any of a set of Chinese breathing, meditation, somatics practices, and spiritual practice disciplines associated with Daoism and especially the Chinese martial arts. Neig ...
.
[needs verification or source]
Embusen 演武線
The
embusen
]
is a Japanese language, Japanese term used in martial arts like karate and judo to refer to the spot where a ''kata'' begins, as well as its line of movement. Though it is not stressed in Okinawa, nearly all Japanese-influenced ''kata'' start ...
is a straight line, running horizontally to the left and right of the dojo.
See also
*
Karate kata
Kata ( ja, 形, or more traditionally, 型; lit. "form") is a Japanese word describing detailed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Karate kata are executed as a specified series of a variety of moves, with stepping and tu ...
*
Kata
''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised ...
*
Bunkai , literally meaning "analysis" or "disassembly", "is a term used in Japanese martial arts referring to process of analysing kata and extracting fighting techniques from the movements of a 'form' (''kata''). The extracted fighting techniques are call ...
*
Pechin , or , historically ''Opoyakomoi'', was a rank among the Yukatchu class of the former Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa, Japan), above the rank of Satunushi and below the rank of Ueekata. As scholar-officials, they often served in administrative p ...
/
Peichin
References
External links
*
Naihanchi Shodan and Nidanhttp://wadokaionline.com/article-on-naihanchi-kataArticle on Wadoryu Naihanchi
Further reading
* Joe Swift - Roots of Shotokan: Funakoshi's Original 15 Kata; Part 2 - Pinan, Naihanchi, Kushanku & Passai Kat
* Nathan Johnson – Barefoot Zen: The Shaolin Roots of Kung Fu and Karate, Weiser, York Beach, 2000.
* Shoshin Nagamine – The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do, Tuttle, Boston, 1998.
* Mark Bishop – Okinawan Karate, Tuttle, Boston, 1999.
* Shoshin Nagamine – Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, Tuttle, Boston, 1999.
* Bruce D. Clayton - Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting Origins, Black Belt Communications, 2004.
{{Karate
Karate kata