The (

Japanese language is the principal language of the Japonic languages, Japonic language family spoken by the Japanese people. It has around 123 million speakers, primarily in Japan, the only country where it is the national language, and within the Japanese dia ...

: ) are the "twenty instructions" of the

Okinawan martial arts Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts, such as karate, tegumi and kobudō, which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its location (between " Mainland Japan" and Taiwan), Okinawa was influenced by various c ...

master

Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan karate. He is known as a "father of modern karate". Following the teachings of Anko Itosu and Anko Asato,Funakoshi, Gichin (1981). ''Karate-Do: My Way of Life'', Kodansha International Ltd. . he was one of the Okin ...

, whose

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

was Shōtō. All students of Shōtōkan

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

are encouraged to live, practice, and teach the principles to others.

History

Funakoshi trained in

Shuri-te Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts, such as karate, tegumi and Okinawan kobudō, kobudō, which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its location (between "Mainland Japan" and Taiwan), Okinawa was influenc ...

and

Naha-te Okinawan martial arts refers to the martial arts, such as karate, tegumi and kobudō, which originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its location (between "Mainland Japan" and Taiwan), Okinawa was influenced by various cul ...

from an early age. He ultimately developed his style of karate, which he believed leveraged the benefits of these two. Gaining the attention of a larger audience, Funakoshi later ventured to disseminate his art throughout

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, and created the to assist his

ka in their training.

Precepts

While it has been suggested that the were documented by around 1890, they were published in Genwa Nakasone's 1938 "Karate-do Taikan" as:
* Do not forget that Karate-do begins and ends with

Rei Recreational Equipment, Inc., doing business as REI, is an American retail and outdoor recreation services corporation. It was formerly governed, and continues to brand itself, as a consumers' co-operative. REI sells camping gear, hiking, clim ...

.
''
'' * There is no first strike in karate.
''
'' * Karate stands on the side of justice.
''
'' * First know yourself, then know others.
''
'' * Mentality over technique.
''
'' * The heart must be set free.
''
'' * Calamity springs from carelessness.
''
'' * Karate goes beyond the ''

dojo A is a hall or place for immersive learning, experiential learning, or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts. The term literally means "place of the Tao, Way" in Japanese language, Japanese. History The word ''d� ...

''.
''
'' * Karate is a lifelong pursuit.
''
'' * Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.
''
'' * Karate is like boiling water; without heat, it returns to its tepid state.
''
'' * Do not think of winning. Think, rather, of not losing.
''
'' * Make adjustments according to your opponent.
''
'' * The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength).
''
'' * Think of hands and feet as

swords A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...

.
''
'' * When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies.
''
'' * Formal stances are for beginners; later, one stands naturally.
''
'' * Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly; actual

combat Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

is another matter.
''
'' * Do not forget the employment or withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique.
''
'' * Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way.
''
''

The precepts are not numbered or ordered; each begins with meaning "one" or "first" to show that each rule has the same level of importance as the others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niju Kun Japanese martial arts terminology Shotokan Wisdom literature