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From Naha-te to Goju-ryu
Okinawa Goju-ryu is a cultural heritage which has come to us
from time immemorial.
Today this style is really the international fighting art
practised all over the world. It is
possible to tell, that the history modern goju-ryu has begun
since then as okinawan master
Kanryo Higaonna has visited the Chinese province Fujan located
in the south of China. There
it in current of 15 years was trained at great master Ryu-Ryuko.
Having returned home,
Higaonna has started to teach karate in the city of Naha, and in
a consequence this style has
received the name Naha-te (" the Hand of the city of Naha
").
After returning from China, sensei Higaonna spent a lot of time
for studying and working
off Sanchin kata. It gave this power exercise so much to energy
and forces, that sometimes
forgot about meal. About this time its personal pupil became the
young guy who
subsequently has become by the keeper of traditions and the
successor of the master. A
name of this person Chojun Miyagi.
In the dojo sensei Higaonna Kanryo first six months trained the
pupils only unsoku ho (the
basic complexes of movement of legs), repeating them again and
again. Then working off
Sanchin kata - the exercise including the control of breath,
energy and strengthening of
muscles followed. On studying Sanchin kata left from 3 till 4th
years. Training Sanchin was
so is severe, that on shoulders of pupils blood acted, sight
grew dim, and legs were on the
verge of wreck. After training in urine of some of pupils there
was a blood. Trained it was not
authorized to begin practice new kata while they did not seize
correct steps, correct breath
and did not develop a high degree of endurance. Sensei Higaonna
was known in China and
on Okinawa as an outstanding master of the fighting arts,
therefore very much many came
to it in dojo, trying to adopt its skill. But training was so
rigid, that only the some people
have remained with it up to the end. Ghojun Miyagi was one of
the few who has passed a
rate of its trainings and has remained with sensei Higaonna till
last minutes its lives.
Sensei Chojun Miyagi was born on April, 25th, 1888 in the city
of Naha in
rich nobiliary family. In the age of 11 years he has started to
train under
direction of the master in karate Aragaki Ryuko. In dojo Miyagi
basically was
engaged with chishi, nigiri-game (adaptations for development of
special
fighting force) and with makiwara (a column for impacts) after
some time,
owing to persistent work and diligent employment, Miyagi has
been
presented to sensei Kanryo Higaonna who was the close friend and
the
colleague of his first teacher. However, despite of good
recommendations,
Higaonna long looked narrowly at the new pupil, forcing to
perform the
most difficult and unpleasant work on the house. And only having
convinced
of huge desire, patience and moral qualities of Chojun Miyagi,
sensei Higaonna has started
the present training. From the earliest childhood Chojun Miyagi
has been fanatically betraid
to okinawan fighting art, but trainings at Higaonna were so
exhausting, what even it not
time thought of throwing employment.
For sensei Miyagi trainings were not limited to employment
in
dojo. Every day he ran in school and back, developing force
and
endurance of legs. Then he sent to harbour where, having
adhered
the big log to a neck, fulfilled movings from a rack in a rack,
and
also by means of inclinations developed force of muscles of a
back,
a neck and legs. After that sensei Miyagi passed to lifting of
stones,
some of which weighed more than 100 kg. If the stone was too
heavy, he came back to it again and again from day in day while
natural weight of a stonedid not concede to patience and strength
of mind of the master. Despite of additional
physical preparation, he still considered trainings with
Higaonna rigid and extremely heavy.
During performance Sanchin kata the pressure of muscles demanded
by sensei Higaonna,
was so strong, that sometimes led to loss of consciousness.
After evening trainings sensei
Miyagi has been so exhausted, that hardly reached the house.
Immensely tired, he climb up
on steps in the room, should lift legs by means of hands.
However and on it forces not
always sufficed and the sensei fell asleep in vestibule till the
morning. Higaonna trained the
pupil seriously and carefully, transferring it all the knowledge
which has been saved up by
many generations of masters.
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Sensei Higaonna has lead all life in persistent lasting many
hours trainings, becoming one
of few rather great masters. But the everyday overstrain has not
passed gift, and in October,
1916 in the age of 63 years sensei Kanryo Higaonna has died.
After death of master Miyagi has continued employment, having
addressed to the nature,
as to the oldest and wise teacher. Often his trainings passed on
seacoast where sensei
Miyagi fulfilled "ki-ai" (outpouring of energy). His fighting
shouts were so powerful and
strong, that considerably blocked a roar of waves. In the same
place there passed special
training of eyes: translating a sight from nearby subjects on
horizon and return
simultaneously concentrating on the certain power centers, it
developed so-called " the
poisoned sight ". Remembering precepts of ancient masters to be
engaged in severe
wearisome conditions, sensei Miyagi practised kta under a
torrential rain and in midday
heat; turned out technics, having come on a throat in water.
Using every minute a daily life,
the sensei incessantly trained. So, every time, passing by a
stone fence, he striked on its
blows by a shoulder, a back or a breast. Developing skill to
fall, Miyagi, walking along the
street suddenly rushed on a stone roadway and quickly being
rolled rose on legs. Perceiving
karate as complete fighting system, he never sat a back to a
door or a window. Everyone
goes to sleep, closely counted position of hands, legs and all
body. Taking a morning shower,
strolling on a room, approaching to a door, the sensei carefully
thought over ways and ways
of the possible attack, always ready to reflection of attack.
Sometimes in the mornings
iyagi asked the wife to open a curtain at a window to check up,
whether he the first will
feel a sound of an opening window or light going from a window
before a sound. Once it hasasked to open and close a curtain some
times, and the wife has thought, that it goes mad.
To sensei Miyagi for his life there were many cases testifying
to a high level of the master.
In this clause we shall tell about one of them.
Being in the age of 25 or 26 years, Chojun Miyagi together with
friend Mimi Unchu has
gone to look cockfights which were very popular at that time on
Okinawa, in mari (one of
areas Nahas). In that area of veins known enough master in
karate Motobu Choki by
nickname (monkey). iyagi and Motobu never met before, but each
of them was well
known about reputation of another. When they have met, iyagi has
noticed that at Motobu
on the person a long cut to which medical grasses are enclosed.
Later it has learned, that the
cut is put as a result of vindictive fight in which opponent has
cut Motobu with a stone.
Having seen this wound, iyagi has thought about itself, that at
Motobu bad times have
come. But Mimi Unchu has softened spirit Motobu, having noticed:
" About, you have again
fought ". Motobu nothing having told, has turned conversation on
a theme of cockfights.
Then Motobu has turned to imi Unchu and has told, that it has
studied new technics. imi
Unchu has answered: " Can you will show us? " Motobu has risen,
has looked on iyagi and
has told: " achu, rise and approach here ". Spirit of Motobu
under influence drunk sake was
clear and has been caused by the fight which has offended
it.
Reputation Cojun Miyagi as the fine expert of fighting arts it
was widely known only in
Naha, but also across all Okinawa. Motobu undoubtedly wished to
learn the truth about this
person and fighting art Naha-te. It intended to show the force
and to enter into confusion
Miyagi. Having risen opposite iyagi, Motobu has asked: " chu who
will win when you
have grasped the opponent or the opponent has grasped you? "
" So all depends on the person ", - has answered iyagi. Without
prevention Motobu has
unexpectedly seized iyagi by a top. A room in which they were
was very small and the
atmosphere became menacing. imi Unchu was frightened and has
rushed on street,
whence continued to look through a window. Holding iyagi for a
top, Motobu has planned
powerful impact by a hand. Then iyagi, about improbable which
force of capture legends
went, has quickly intercepted hand Motobu, and has braided it so
strongly, that has
compelled it is obedient to fall to a floor. Larger Motobu which
intended to win iyagi, felt
helpless and shouted from a pain.
Sensei Miyagi for long years of trainings has achieved in
development in karate of amazing
results. Any technical reception, whether it be knocking down,
sabaki (system of
withdrawals), the block or impact, possessed extraordinary speed
and force. The
eyewitnesses seen the sensei in operation, spoke, that in the
future there will be nobody who
will possess such huge destroying energy as sensei Miyagi.
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Renaming Naha-te in Goju-ryu
In 1930 the senior pupil of sensei Miyagi Ginan Shinzato has
shown Sepai kata (18
hands) on All Japanese Championship of Fighting arts spent in
honour of crowning of PrinceKhirokhito. After performance to
Shinzato master Kobudo has addressed with a question. It
has asked, to what school in karate concerns Shizato. Sensei
Shinzato could not answer this
question as at that time there was no necessity to have the name
to each style. Having
returned to Okinawa, Shinzato has told to sensei Miyagi about
this meeting. Having thought
some time, iyagi has decided to name the art on new, named it
goju-ryu. This name has
been chosen not casually. During development of all history
shaolin fighting arts, concept of
rigidity (GO) and softness (JU) always were under steadfast
attention of masters of hand-to-
hand fight. Ancient masters approved, that the present fighter
should not be unduly rigid or
soft. For hoping too strong impact not in a condition correctly
to estimate a situation, and
the softest and passive leaving cannot amaze the opponent. Only
the intangible side
simultaneously uniting rigid and soft, conducts in original
fighting skill.
To this day sensei Morio Higaonna who is the keeper of tradition
of Okinawa goju-ryu, has
an ancient Chinese treatise "Bubishi". In it " Eight precepts "
style of the White Crane, veryprecisely reflecting an essence of
the modern name of school Goju-ryu (" School of a
combination rigid and soft ") are resulted.
Mind is a single whole with heavens and the ground.
1. The circular rhythm of a body is similar to a cycle of the
sun and the moon.2. The way of inhalation and exhalation is a
rigidity and softness.3. Act according to time and changes.4. The
technics comes when there is no realized idea.5. Legs should come
and recede, be divided and meet.6. The sight does not miss even the
slightest change.7. The hearing is well directed in all
directions.
Now at school Goju-ryu exists 13 kata. Nine of them the
following: Chinese Sanchin, Saifa
(" Danger with a side "), Seiyunchin (" Pulling death "),
Shisochin (" To blow up four "),Sanseru (" 36 hands "), Sepai (" 18
hands "), ururunfa (" the Flying wave "), Seisan (" 13
hands "), Suparinpei ("108"). These kata have been brought by
Kanryo Higaonna from China
and kept in a protogenic kind. And, since XVI century (time of
approximate creation of style
of the White Crane) and till now any, even the most
insignificant movement has not been
changed. The others kata have been created by sensei Chojun
Miyagi: Geki sai dai ichi and
Gekisai dai ni (" Destroying attack-1 " and " Destroying tack-2
"); Sanchin-Goju-Ryu,
created on the basis of Chinese; ensho (" a Rotating brush
").
Long time secrets of style have been reliably hidden from
uninitiated. And only sensei Morio
Higaonna has started to propagandize this art widely. At present
I.O.G.K.F. (" International
Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation") has branches more than
in the sixty countries of
the world.
Victor Panasiuc,
Chief-instructor IOGKF in Republic of Moldova
