Preface 
Preface
No Time Like the Past
Reflections
I remember sitting in the Burbank office of Geri Simon, then publisher at Ohara Publications, late in 1985 when she declined my offer to publish the Bubishi. Instead, she encouraged me to write the book, Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate. I suppose her choice was based upon the idea that a Top-Ten rated kata competitor, with whom their sister publication—Karate-Illustrated magazine—co-supported, represented the potential for more commercial success than taking a chance on a abstract project like the Bubishi. While I was certainly disappointed by Ohara’s lack of interest in such an important work they did allow me to introduce a summary of its articles with the publication of Classical Kata, released in 1987. That was, to the best of my knowledge, the very first time such details had ever been translated into English and published in the Western world.
Partick McCarthy Hanshi.
Although my book Classical Kata was noteworthy for its time, it did little to attract any widespread attention. By 1989 a Tokyo-based colleague of mine, named Gene Pelc, arranged for me to meet a friend of his who was in the publishing business. Delivering an improved edition of my work, which also included a foreword by Higaonna Morio, Gene’s friend offered some important advice about how I might better present the work.
Paying heed to the advice given at that encounter, I subsequently made many important changes to the manuscript. By this time, I had generated interest in the translation through the small research group I had established in Japan, and was receiving requests from all over to release a limited edition. As such, I released the first 109-page translation of my work in the fall of 1990, complete with the foreword by IOGKF Director, Higaonna Morio, which did much to attract additional attention.
Partick McCarthy at the Shaolin Temple in 1992.
Partick McCarthy’s 1992 edition of the Bubishi.
Returning from a trip to Fujian in late November 1990, my wife informed me that the vanity press-style edition had sold rather quickly. It became evident that another edition had to be produced immediately. Using what little money we generated from sales of the first edition, I went on to produce an even better quality and larger publication 18 months later. By the summer of 1992 I had released a 140-page version of the same work, which now included a foreword by Li Yiduan, and the support of the Fuzhou Martial Arts Association.
Over the next two years I made several trips back to Okinawa, Yongchun, Fuzhou, the Shaolin Temple, Shanghai, Taiwan and SE Asia in connection with the book. I also began teaching seminars, which did much to further promote interest in the Bubishi. With a significant improvement, and more than fifty pages of supporting research, we released a 244-page special edition Bubishi in 1994. Featuring a highly informative introduction, complete with several forewords by leading authorities, photos, diagrams and illustrations, the edition was a big success and caught the attention of Tuttle publications.
Partick McCarthy’s 1994 edition of the Bubishi.
Introducing a summary of the Bubishi in 1987, and three subsequent self-published editions, before being produced by Tuttle in 1995, this project has been remarkably rewarding. Revising and editing my work, and publishing it under the new name, Bible of Karate, was an excellent marketing strategy. The new title and strength of Tuttle’s worldwide distribution network soon made the book an instant success and a martial art’s bestseller. What’s even more pleasing is to learn that my work has since been translated into several languages, including Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, and Czech.
Changes
Much has changed since the publication of my original work more than twenty years ago. Most noticeably is the effortless way with which we are now able to locate, collect, and process information. The Internet’s information highway has not only provided instantaneous access to incredible sources of online information, it has also made worldwide networking with like-minded learners a virtual walk in the park. These days, it’s even possible for a person with absolutely no foreign language skills to translate Chinese script into English with just a few strokes of the keyboard. Isn’t that amazing? Computers, the Internet, and some pretty awesome software now allow for things that were simply not possible during the early years of working on this project.
There’s no denying that the development and popularity of the Internet has certainly made subsequent research much less troublesome. Contrasted with traditional research methods I can’t help but wonder how such technology might have otherwise influenced the final outcome of this project, had it then been available. That said, I remain confident nothing could ever replace the indelible experiences and wonderful memories collected during my journey throughout Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Delivering the essence of what appears in this publication required things that the Internet is still incapable of reproducing, such as hands-on experience, feeling the pulse of the culture and the spirit of those people most responsible for keeping it alive.
What is the Bubishi?
Undated and unsigned, the Bubishi—武備志/誌—A Record of Martial [Art] Preparation—is an abstract collection of Chinese writings about Fujian gongfu-based fighting arts and related subjects. Hand-brushed in old Chinese script, and linked to turn-of-the-century karate in Okinawa, its articles range in variety from gongfu history, attacking anatomically vulnerable targets, tactical strategy, and moral philosophy to identifiable acts of physical violence, prescribed application practices, escapes and counters, herbal concoctions, and medicinal remedies. Far from being the definitive book on karate the Bubishi is, nonetheless, a treasure trove of information. In the right hands, this penetrating work tells us much about what the Okinawan pioneers of karate valued most. In a modern tradition, where mimicking overly-ritualized styles and “fighting” in rule-bound contests have taken precedence over functional application practices, I am reminded of the wisdom of Matsuo Basho: Don’t [blindly] follow in the footsteps of the old masters, but rather seek what they sought.
Older hand-drawn books on Yongchun Quanfa.
Another mid-nineteenth century hand-drawn Bubishi-like manual from Fujian Province
Bubishi located at the library of Kyushu University.
A Document of Great Historical Importance
Credible pre-twentieth century documents explaining the history and evolution of Karate are virtually non-existent. Until the publication of Funakoshi Gichin’s first book on the art, in 1922, and the few pre-war publications which followed, the only known testimony in existence were a haphazard collection of rare writings; i.e., a single quote by the seventeenth century Ryukyuan statesman, Junsoku, dated 1683; a brief passage in the 1761 Oshima Hikki; abstract comments from a few visitors (Hall, Mcleod, Bettelheim, Perry) of various nineteenth century foreign ships; two mid-nineteenth century illustrations about mikiwara and hand-conditioning which appeared in the Nagoku Zatsuwa (Tales of the Southern Kingdom) by the Satsuma samurai, Nagoya Sagenta; a copy of an 1867 program outlining a demonstration of the fighting arts at Shuri’s Ochayagoten; a letter written in 1882 by Matsumura Sokon, and a motto he later penned in 1885; the 1904 testimony of Noma Seiji; a single page from a book written in 1905 by Hanashiro Chomo; and the ten-items of Itosu Ankoh written in his October 1908 letter to the Ministry of Education.
If nothing else, the sheer scarcity of early documentation should demonstrate the enormous historical value the Bubishi represents. I suppose for some, the value of this old compilation can only be measured by knowing that Okinawan karate pioneers, such as Funakoshi Gichin, Mabuni Kenwa, Miyagi Chojun, and Shimabuku Tatsuo, used it in their own personal studies. In spite of the rich and penetrating information, which lies within its pages, this fact that Okinawan karate pioneers used the Bubishi seems enough to reinforce its historical significance.
A Lifetime Study
I actually obtained my first copy of the Bubishi in Toronto’s Chinatown in 1973 while shopping for books on karate. Unknowingly, I purchased the Chinese (Taiwan) pirate copy of Mabuni Kenwa’s 1934 publication, entitled Karate Kenpo (The Study of Seipai), in which the second half of this book contains what he describes as Itosu Ankoh’s Bubishi.
Mabuni 1934 Bubishi.
I never really understood just how important the old text actually was until an Okinawan karate teacher, named Teruo Chinen, later explained it to me at a 1985 karate tournament in Bermuda. Promising to show me his hand-drawn copy of the Bubishi the next time we met, it wasn’t until a Las Vegas tournament, hosted by Osamu Ozawa, that I finally got the chance to see his treasured book. Since that awakening, the task of understanding this monumental work became a virtual obsession.
Patrick McCarthy at his Vancouver dojo with Teruo Chinen.
Taiwan pirate copy of Mabuni’s 1934 book;
An illustration from inside the book from the 48 Postures
Meaningful Journey
How fortunate I was to have stumbled across a book of such magnitude never knowing what impact it would ultimately have upon me. From beginning to the end and beyond, this project has brought me into contact with many interesting sources of information from which I’ve enjoyed wonderful learning opportunities. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Bubishi has led me down a fascinating path of learning, enriching my entire life.
As someone with more than just a passing fancy in the history of karate, the Bubishi became a window through which to identify a cultural landscape and social mindset diametrically opposite to the lifestyle we take for granted today. Through studying the past, understanding local knowledge, and becoming familiar with those personalities most responsible for pioneering this art, it became possible to identify their original aims and spirit. By linking the past to the present I discovered the original contextual premise upon which this art was forged, what forces affected its evolution, why such variations upon common themes unfolded, and how such secrets fell quietly dormant into an abyss of ambiguity.
As a student of the fighting arts, and fully understanding its original contextual premise, I was able to glean crucial foundation knowledge about the human body, its mechanics and those immutable principles that underpinned how application practices work. Armed with this information, I established a working theory—Habitual Acts of Physical Violence [HAPV]—from which to help eliminate the ambiguity shrouding the original meaning of kata. Modifying the original Shaolin-based empty-handed, “one-on-one,” 36 acts of physical violence scenarios, I developed an easy-to-learn (-teach and -practice) structure of two-person reenactment drills. Applying this knowledge to the HAPV-premise resulted in astonishing discoveries. Using passive resistance as the preliminary basis from which to introduce a learner to the prescribed mnemonic-like application rituals found in kata, I used rote repetition, and a gradual to exponential ascent to aggressive resistance, as the definitive mechanism to nurture instinctive, rather than cognitive, response capabilities against the unpredictability of physical violence.
HAPV-theory
Gongfu pioneers responsible for establishing early ways through which to impart their lessons found success using mnemonic-like physical rituals. By recreating the kind of violent scenarios common to their society and era, quanfa teachers introduced learners to real-life contextual premises and prescribed fighting techniques through ritualised two-person drills. Using the safety of a private practice venue, learners rehearsed their prescribed fighting techniques against passive resistant partners until growing familiarity, indomitable fortitude, and physical skill afforded them combative functionality against unpredictable aggressive resistance. Separating the two-person drills into identifiable attack scenarios and prescribed response sequences [as exampled in the Bubishi’s forty-eight diagrams], quanfa teachers successfully established solo reenactment models and called the ritual practices Hsing (型 Kata in Japanese). By linking together individual models into collective routines, quanfa innovators developed unique and complex solo exercises through which to not only culminate the lesson imparted but also express one’s individual prowess while strengthening their overall mental, physical, and holistic conditioning.
Introduced to Okinawa during the later part of its Ryukyu Kingdom Period, kata ultimately found its way into the school system. Simplified for the sake of exercising large groups of school children at one time, this process removed its contextual premise-based two-person drills, thereby reducing the original art, which quietly fell dormant. With the focus upon form over function, kata became a vehicle through which to cultivate physical fitness and social conformity, in support of Japan’s war efforts during a radical era of military escalation. Kata practiced in modern karate have been so affected by the simplification process, the reverse influence of pre-war Japanese Budo culture, and its post-war rule-bound competitive agenda, that their introduction and practice throughout the twentieth century has literally been without a realistic contextual premise.
Not surprisingly, my theory has been ridiculed by some and opposed by others, before a general consensus argued such conclusions were self-evident. For a while, I almost believed there was a prize being awarded for trying to discredit my work. Because of this, I came to better understand Schopenhauer three stages of truth: All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
Two-person Drill Practice Simplified
#1. The habitual acts of physical violence (i.e., headlock, bear-hug, strangle, being impacted, or tackled from behind, etc.) are identified as the contextual premise of kata. Each is identified and methodically introduced to the learner in order of distance and simplicity (i.e. kicking, punching, trapping, and clinching distance). There are 36 habitual acts of physical violence and no fewer than 72 variations on these common themes, representing a total of 108 different scenarios.
#2. The habitual acts of physical violence are taught individually so that each learner can understand its dynamics, what makes them dangerous and which prescribed defensive tactics are best suited to effectively negotiate them.
#3. A single prescribed application is practiced with a partner back and forth at passive resistance, before variations are considered, thereby promoting familiarity with both the act of physical violence and its prescribed counter. Once an acceptable level competency is reached the attacker and defender are encouraged to gradually increase the intensity of the attack until the two-person scenario can be performed with aggressive resistance, and confidence about understanding and effectively negotiating unpredictability is established.
#4. Learners are then asked to practice the prescribed application by themselves in solo re-enactment rehearsals. Shaped into template-like rituals these solo rehearsals become the individual composites which, when linked together into choreographed routines, become something greater than the sum total of their individual parts: kata.
In spite of the diametrically opposite way that kata are taught today, I believe this formula best represents the way they were originally conceived and passed on.
More than Self-defense?
There are certainly many other examples indicating just how wonderfully accommodating kata truly is. Serving several other purposes, the most obvious include kata serving as a tool through which to impart a style’s curriculum, a creative competitive routine, an abstract form of shadow boxing, a way to hone one’s fighting skills, an alternative form of holistic exercise, and a form of meditation in motion.
Rediscovering the lost contextual premise of kata awakens a sleeping Dragon and breathes life back into an otherwise dormant ritual. When I finally worked out how mnemonic mechanisms not only accumulated the lessons already imparted but, when linked together, clearly offered something greater than the sum total of its individual parts, the mystery was solved. Sadly, disbelievers need such words to be uttered by an oriental Master to reverberate truth. However, for those readers who don’t require such validation you will find the HAPV-theory and two-person drill concept a workable formula with which to put the fight back into kata.
Pedagogical Perspective
As a teacher of the fighting arts, I was able to look at the Bubishi from a pedagogical perspective. By this I mean the whole context of instruction, learning, and the actual operations involved in the science of education. Teachers provide the link between the past and the future. What is imparted, and how it’s taught, profoundly influences what a learner will retain. Retention rates vary disproportionately with different learners. The classic categories all learners fall into are identified as auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Such knowledge provides the basis upon which teachers appropriately determine what combinations of these communications best suit each learner to achieve the desired outcome.
Source of the Bubishi English Translation
Over the years there have been questions concerning the source of my translation. Originally, I found such criticism rather odd as it was made perfectly clear in the acknowledgements that many people assisted with the overall translation of this work. It was my original intention to publish the work under the name, International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, but the publisher felt that having taken the lead from beginning to end with this project that identifying me as the translator would be more appropriate. My infatuation with this work, and passion for fighting arts, had brought me into personal contact with numerous senior Japanese/Okinawan and Chinese authorities who, in one way or another, helped me unlock many doors of understanding.
Most notably were: Li Yiduan, President of the Fuzhou Wushu Association; Hokama Tetsuhiro, author, historian, museum curator, and karate master, who dedicated fifty or so pages to the study of the Bubishi, in chapter nine, pp 294-343, of his 1984 book, Okinawa Karatedo no Aiyumi; Ken Low, a Vancouver-based politician, President of the Western Canadian Kung Fu Association, and Southern-style Quanfa Master; my lovely wife, Yuriko, without whom I simply could not have completed this project; and, a bunch of other folks from whom dribs and drabs came over the years.
Perhaps, this is a good opportunity to mention those people. First are the Chinese sources: Tang Shifeng Shifu, Shanghai Chin Wu old-boy; Si Yanpu, then chief instructor of Monk Fist boxing at the main Shaolin monastery; Liang Yiquan, retired Shaolin monk and director of the Shaolin Quanfa Research Society, Dengfeng County; Gao Shifu, Yangshuo Quanfa academy Guangxi; Guo Kongxi, third generation Tiger quanfa and the grandson of Zhou Zihe; Jin Jingfu, third generation lineage head master of Whooping Crane; Liu Songshan, third generation head master of Feeding Crane; Siaw Joonfa, fourth generation White Crane teacher, Persatuan Kebudayaan Jasmani Ming Chung Hok, East Malaysia; Cai Chuxian, Fujian, Cai family fist; Wu Bin, China’s MA’s Federation of Asia “Research & Teacher’s Dept.”
Japanese/Okinawan sources included: Yamaguchi Gogen, founder of the Goju Kai (who had previously published one version of the Bubishi); Otsuka Tadahiko, President of the Goju Kensha, and IMO, one of three leading Japanese authorities of the Bubishi; Nagamine Shoshin, historian, author, and the founder of Matsubayashi Ryu; Konishi Takehiro, second generation head master of Shindo Jinen Ryu and my source of Mabuni’s completely hand-written copy of Itosu’s Bubishi; Kinjo Hiroshi, widely regarded as one of Japan’s senior most Okinawan masters of karate; Dr. Iokibei Tsutomu, a TCM practitioner; Prof. Takara Kurayoshi, University of the Ryukyus; Higaonna Morio, of the IOGKF, who also wrote the foreword for my 1990 edition; Hisataka Masayuki, President of the Shorinji Ryu Kenkokan, who wrote a foreword in my 1994 edition; Fujiwara Ryozo, a highly regarded Japanese martial art’s historian/author; Takamiyagi Shigeru, a highly regarded Okinawan martial arts historian/co-authored with Uechi Kanei, Karate-do, Sono Rekishi To Gihon; Miyagi Tokumasa, a highly regarded Okinawan martial arts historian/author; Kinjo Akio, a highly regarded Okinawan martial arts historian/author; Tokashiki Iken, a highly regarded Okinawan martial arts historian, president of the Gohakukai and Bubishi author; Nakamoto Masahiro, a highly regarded Okinawan martial arts historian/author, and president of the Bunbukan; and, Iwae Tsukuo, a highly regarded Japanese martial arts historian/author.
I could also add Dr. Misao Batts, then a professional translator at the University of British Colombia, whom I contracted in 1985 to translate the Bubishi section of the big Uechi Ryu blue book, and parts of the Taiwanese pirate copy of Mabuni’s Bubishi. It was from these two works that my 1987 summary of the Bubishi came. There was also Egawa Machiko, principal lecturer at the Japanese Educational Centre, where I had been enrolled studying Japanese in 1985. Machiko san helped me understand little odds and ends here and there.
Patrick McCarthy in Naha with Tokashiki Iken.
Collectively, there have been many sources from which I drew liberally, but only I was responsible for the overall delivery of a finished product. It took nearly ten years of continual effort before my work finally caught the attention of Charles E. Tuttle. To be more precise, it was Alex Kask, then Tokyo editor for Tuttle’s martial arts titles, who recognized the value of the Bubishi and helped me transform it into the work that lies before you today.
Summary of Bubishi Contents
There has also been some criticism about the manner in which I had presented the Bubishi articles. It is my hope the reader understands why this writer found it necessary to reorganize the order in which I originally received the articles. I am sure it may come as a surprise to learn that the original document I received from the Konishi family was unbound and in random order allegedly as received from Mabuni Kenwa. As such, I found it necessary to reorganize the order of the articles in which I received them for the sake of producing a coherent publication.
Order of Bubishi Articles
To say that the Bubishi contains abstract information about the fighting arts is to acknowledge the obvious. In addition to the difficulty experienced while trying to decipher its abstract nature I also found the disjointed way its articles were presented terribly distracting. After discussing this issue with several colleagues I decided to present the information in a more coherent way.
As such, articles were grouped together by association in the following way. I included the origins of White Crane, observations of Monk Fist Boxing and related material, along with advice on correct etiquette, in a section on history and philosophy and called it part one. Grouping together those articles dealing with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I brought meridian channels, herbal pharmacology, prescriptions (ointments, medicines and pills), and 12-hour based theories for blood circulation, (incurable) diseases, injuries, and recuperation, along with related charts and diagrams into an organized section where one had not previously existed. I brought all the vital point-related information, charts, and diagrams into a single chapter in order to isolate it from the rest of the material so they could be best studied in association with each other. I took the rest of the work that related directly to fighting and grouped it together, except for Happoren, which I left in Part One’s history article, its original place.
With the help of Li Yiduan, Wu Bin, Chen Zhinan, Tokashiki Iken and Otsuka Tadahiko, I felt confident bundling the rest of the articles into a section entitled, Fighting Techniques. With the help of these authorities I identified Yongchun Crane and Monk Fist as the most likely nineteenth century precursor sources from which Okinawan Karate [kata] sprang. I defined the holistic value of kata and describe its contextual premise while identifying qinna as an adjunct practice and concluded the introduction to this section with a capsule history of Monk Fist quanfa and the principal variations of crane boxing: Jumping Crane (Zonghe Quan), Whooping Crane (Minghe Quan), Sleeping Crane (Suhe Quan), Feeding Crane (Shihe Quan) and Flying Crane (Feihe Quan), as they had not been previously identified for a western karate-based audience.
I saw fit to feature the following articles in the second component of Part Four: Articles #6, #7 and #32 [featured the Rakanken and Nepai kata along with general postures used in those routines], Article #13 [The Eight Precepts of the Fist—from which Miyagi Chojun chose the name Goju to identify his interpretation of the fighting arts], Article #14 [The Principles of Ancient Law], Article #15 [Maxims of Sun Zi], Article #16 [Grappling and Escapes], Article #20 [Rokkishu—Six Ji Hands of the Shaolin Style], Article #29 [The Forty-Eight Self-Defense Diagrams]. Although I was able to translate the two diagrams, identified as Articles #27 and #28 [Zheng’s 24-Iron Hand Applications and White Monkey Style, and Eighteen Scholars White Crane Fist and Black Tiger Style Fifty-Four Step Quan], there was no supporting text to explain their contextual premise.
The hand-drawn Bubishi included no subsequent list of sources, so I saw fit to conclude the work by producing a bibliography of those principal written sources I used, a list of over 300 Chinese and Japanese names, terms and ideograms, along with a complete index to cite their location in the text, in an effort to help subsequent research.
TCM-based Articles
At the time I undertook the task of overseeing this translation I had little knowledge of classical Chinese writing and no formal education in TCM, whatsoever. I am not in the least embarrassed to say that trying to understand the abstract nature of these articles, especially with such inadequate preparation, posed more than just a challenge, it was damn near impossible. Had it not been for the unselfish assistance of my Chinese colleague, Li Yiduan, and some help from Dr. Iokibei, Dr. Manaka, Otsuka Tadahiko, and Hokama Tetsuhiro in Japan, along with studying a bunch of research material, the entire section may very well have been skipped over altogether. Posing the most difficulty were the articles on herbal pharmacology. It wasn’t enough that some of the recipes were no longer in use, or several of the animal-related components were now on the endangered list, but also that the organic ingredients were frequently described using local jargon rather than correctly identified terms. Admittedly, even after the nearly two years it took to complete this most fascinating, yet perplexing, section I wondered just how much of it I truly understood.
Today’s widespread availability of medical care, and general knowledge of first aid, should in no way reduce the importance of learning such a study. If anything, such studies certainly illustrate the importance once placed upon them, especially during a time when the medical conveniences we enjoy today in the West were unheard of in old Okinawa. Just as difficult to grasp were the articles referring to attacking vital points, commonly known as Dim Mak.
Dim Mak
My original introduction to Dim Mak was more than three decades ago when I read Bruce Tegner’s 1968 publication, Nerve Centers & Pressure Points. However, coming up in fighting arts during the “blood ‘n guts” era of the 60s/70s, little emphasis was ever placed on such things as pressure points. Moreover, hard-to-swallow advertisements about mastering the secret art of Dim Mak, by “Count Dante” (aka John Keehan)—the Deadliest Man Alive, featured in comic books for $5.95, plus shipping, did little to encourage serious learners of that era to venture beyond a cursory look. It really wasn’t until I began training under Professor Wally Jay, pioneer of Small Circle Theory Jujutsu, in the 1970s, that I developed more of an interest in vital points. Of course, undertaking the Bubishi translation project changed the way I came to look at this secret art altogether.
“Count Dante” advertisement.
By the time I migrated to Japan during the mid-1980s, I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Manaka Yoshio (author of the Layman’s Guide to Acupuncture) through my senpai, Aladdin Timur, of Odawara, along with other experts like Otsuka Tadahiko (Author of the Japanese Bubishi) and Dr. Iokibei Tsutomu (TCM practitioner), all of whom were instrumental in my struggle to better understand its abstract nature. Even now, years later, it has only been because of subsequent studies that I am able to better understand the most ambiguous sections of the Bubishi; that, of course, being Dim Mak, the art of attacking of anatomically vulnerable structures and the so-called “delayed death touch.”
That said, resolving such abstract practices would have been much easier had I access to the kind of research which has been subsequently carried out by Prof. Rand Cardwell, Bruce Miller, and Dr. Michael Kelly. I simply can’t say enough good things about their work. Information that I myself was unable to glean from years of studying the Bubishi is now available thanks to the pioneering efforts of these researchers.
Prof. Rand Cardwell
Prof. Rand Cardwell’s publication, The Western Bubishi, is simply a must have book. His insightful analyses of the Five-Element and Yin-Yang theories, bioelectrical energy, meridians and the diurnal cycle, will provide the Bubishi reader with a clear understanding of how to attack the thirty-six essential vital points. I assure the reader that whatever is not evident about TCM-based theory through reading the Bubishi will be brutally apparent in his research.
Rand Cardwell wrote, “Cherished and highly guarded by pre-modern martial arts pioneers in Okinawa, the Bubishi presents the modern reader with a number of tactical concepts which have great importance even today. Divided into various sections the Bubishi also includes foundational skills and an abstract presentation on attacking anatomically vulnerable structures through the art of Dim Mak. Upon examination it becomes evident that someone with superior knowledge and experience, in the laws and theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), composed the Dim Mak-related articles. The unknown author(s) of this valuable anthology cites specific acupuncture locations as targets for attacking to produce various levels of incapacitation, even death. One major focus of my research was to verify the methodology used through a process referred to as ‘reverse engineering.’ The Bubishi includes a list of acupuncture point locations without providing the reasons why those points were selected. By examination of the laws and theories of TCM a much clearer picture of the actual depth of knowledge emerges. My research not only compliments McCarthy Sensei’s presentation of this old work, it also illuminates the ambiguity of TCM concepts while providing a simplified learning process. Rather than attempt to explain the effects of this Dim Mak from an occidental perspective, I chose to stay within the confines of the Eastern paradigm, which is how the Bubishi was presented. My research and conclusions rest solidly on the foundation provided by McCarthy’s work, but also strives to push beyond the abstract information contained in the Bubishi. This complementary work provides the modern martial artist a means to develop an advanced understanding of the material presented in the Bubishi and eliminates the tedious task of researching numerous TCM-related textbooks for the hidden answers. My work has been reviewed and accepted by both academically trained acupuncturists and serious martial artists throughout the world. I was particularly pleased that McCarthy Sensei became such an outspoken supporter of this work making it mandatory reading for any and all Bubishi readers.”
Bruce Miller
Bruce Miller’s voluminous works include, Essential Anatomy for the Martial Artist, Secrets of Power, Pressure Points – The Deadly Touch, The System of Pressure Points, Poison Hands – Truth, Techniques and Reasons, The Complete Book of Light Force Knock Outs, and Dim Mak – The Final Reality.
Bruce Miller wrote, “A wonderfully insightful publication, the Bubishi appears to be more of a compilation of fighting art-related knowledge than it does a ‘how-to’ manual. What really confused me were its abstract articles on Dim Mak. Once considered secret, much of this vital point and death-touch theory is antiquated, highly abstract and based upon folklore with little or no medical-science to support it. My hands-on medical experience, and subsequent publications in this field, effectively clarify the ambiguity of what the Bubishi addresses. By using the modern principles of anatomy, physiology, and kinetics, readers are better able to understand the so-called secrets. Master McCarthy is not only likeminded in this area he also vigorously supports and promotes my work within his worldwide organization as the only rational way to compliment the Bubishi.”
Dr. Michael Kelly
Death Touch, The Science Behind the Legend of Dim-Mak by Dr. Michael Kelly, delivers more than just a brutally honest explanation of this once secret art. An osteopathic physician by profession, Dr. Kelly’s penetrating study of Dim Mak presents a simplified understanding based on sound medical science.
According to legend, Dim Mak formed the basis upon which both Shaolin and Wudang Chinese fighting arts unfolded. Hidden amidst the techniques of its elegant fighting routines (hsing/kata) these legendary fighting arts subsequently influenced the development of Karate in Okinawa. As the traditional kata of Okinawan karate are based upon the classical routines of Chinese quanfa, so too, with them comes the secrets of Dim Mak. Addressing all aspects of attacking vital points, knockouts, death, and even delayed death, Dim Mak is an extremely dangerous discipline, which has been passed on only in secrecy, until quite recently. Simplifying the mystery of Dim Mak in western terms, Kelly’s work explains its true dangers and deadly effects through modern medical science. In addition to identifying lethal points on the body and teaching how to attack them and the internal organs, his work also includes quick knockouts, revival techniques, and the legendary delayed death touch. In old China, such learning was only ever imparted to the most loyal of disciples and never intended for public consumption. Having spent years thoroughly researching the medical implications of Dim Mak, I can hardly recommend a single work more comprehensive than Dr. Michael Kelly’s.
Personal Recommendation
It has only been during this generation that the ironclad ritual of secrecy has been broken and the knowledge of Dim Mak seeped out into the public domain through books, DVDs, and seminars. While revealing such secrets have explained much, it remains obvious that the art of Dim Mak is still a highly dangerous practice. Hence, the need for sound medical science-based reference books on the subject. Readers not familiar with the work of these three credible sources are encouraged to study their publications and/or attend the many workshops they frequently teach. Not only will this compliment your study of the Bubishi, I guarantee it will also help you locate Dim Mak applications contained within your own styles, and deepen your overall understanding of the fighting arts. I have long supported the work of these three researchers and recommend their books as companion texts to the Bubishi.
Funakoshi Gichin
Prior to Mabuni Kenwa publishing much of the Bubishi in his 1934 book, the Study of Seipai (Kata), Karate pioneer, Funakoshi Gichin, had already included a word-for-word reproduction of articles 13 (The Eight Precepts of Quanfa), 14 (The Principles of Ancient Law), 15 (Maxims of Sun Zi), and 16 (Grappling and Escapes), in his 1922 (Ryukyu Kenpo Karate, pp274-276), 1925 (Rentan Goshin Karate-jutsu, pp296-298) and 1934 (Karatedo Kyohan, pp300-302) publications. He also used articles 8 (Discussions on Seizing and Striking Veins and Tendons Using the Hard Fist Method), 9 (Twelve-Hour Vital Points Revealed), 17 (Seven Restricted Locations), 21 (Delayed Death Touch Twelve-Hour Diagrams) and 24 (Bronze Man Statue), the principal sections on vital points, to describe the medical implications of Dim Mak, in Karatedo Kyohan (pp263-277). In fact, I was particularly taken by the English translation of these articles as they appear in Oshima Tsutomu’s interpretation of this text (pp237-244, Kodansha International, 1973) and even more so with Neptune publication’s 2005 English translation of the same work (pp231-245). For the purpose of cross-comparative study, I hope readers of this Bubishi will also consider looking at Ken Penland’s Bubishi translation; articles 8 (p18-23), 9 (pp24-25), 13 (pp37-38), 14 (pp39-40), 15 (p41), 16 (pp42-44), 17 (p45), 22 (pp66-79), and 24 (pp83-86): John Teramoto’s articles 13 through 16, which can be located in his English translation of Funakoshi’s 1925 Rentan Goshin Karate-jutsu, entitled Karate Jutsu (pp175-177, Kodansha International 2001) and Neptune Publication features the same articles 13 (p260), 14 (p261), 15 (pp260-261), and 16 (p262) of Neptune’s English translation of Karatedo Kyohan.
Bubishi Illustrations and Diagrams
One of the biggest problems I encountered trying to fully understand the amateur quality illustrations and diagrams that appear in the Bubishi was the inadequate explanations accompanying them. Of course, several drawings were rather straightforward, requiring little explanation, while others were far less accommodating. The diagrams featured in Article #21, concerning the delayed death touch, particularly challenged me, as did the posture-related illustrations located in Articles #27, #28, #29, and #32. I suppose the tradition of copying hand-drawn illustrations might be best left to professionals! Wherever possible, I provided as much supplementary information as I could. Adamant about not using the original illustrations and diagrams, apparently because of their poor reproduction quality, the publisher arranged for an in-house artist to reproduce the images more clearly. I believe this was very helpful.
The International Ryukyu Karate Research Society
After migrating to Japan from Canada I began writing articles for several international martial art magazines, about the Bubishi, the subsequent research it inspired into the unknown application practices of kata, and the history and personalities of the pioneers through whose hands it passed. My writing gradually attracted a small but loyal following of likeminded enthusiasts from all over the world. In time, the trickle of monthly mail became a deluge of weekly correspondence that made several things quite evident: how many people were interested in such studies, how few people had access to primary sources of research, the need to establish such a source—and, I was in a position to take the lead and establish such a source.
The Journey
After more than a decade of 3K-based karate training, participating in rule-bound tournaments, and searching unsuccessfully for more than just the physical aspect of the fighting arts, one of my tournament coaches, Wally Slocki, recommended that I meet Richard Kim, Hanshi of the Dai Nippon Butokukai. In October of 1977, Wally arranged for Don Warrener to invite me to attend a seminar he was sponsoring with Kim Hanshi in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada). After attending the seminar, and enjoying a lengthy discussion about obligation and responsibility, Kim invited me to become one of his students. Not without its own set of problems, learning under the Master changed the way I would embrace the fighting arts, set me upon a new and challenging journey, and literally change my life.
Kim advocated that, As actual fighting was not bound by rules, one’s training should not be limited by style. In the strictest sense of the word the Master viewed styles as incomplete, limiting, and counterproductive. Using an abstract Zen-based formula of Eastern philosophy and instinctive action, the Master encouraged thinking outside the box, the learning of principles and the application of concepts rather than dogma and cognitive response. Most importantly, he taught that one’s true adversary lay within and that mastering “The Way” required a synergy between the physical, mental, and spiritual. A classical teacher frequently referred to as the Harvard Professor of the fighting arts, to this end Richard Kim inspired me to embrace Bunburyodo—academic study in support of physical training [文武両道]—in order to achieve my desired outcomes.
Researching my first book, Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate, the Master encouraged me to read E.J. Harrison, Nagamine Shoshin, Nakamoto Masahiro, Nakaya Takao, George Mattson, Bruce Haines, C.W. Nicol, Ratti and Westbrook, R.W. Smith and Donn F. Draeger. During my studies I became particularly interested in Draeger’s work. Like Kim, I found Draeger a practical advocate of the Pen and Sword (i.e., Bunburyodo). Through his work I learned of his organization, the International Hoplology Society (IHS), its many periodicals and publications and about Sir Richard Burton, the chosen patriarch of the IHS. This valuable experience inspired me to look beyond the obvious and into the culture, language, and ethos of the fighting arts to discover what forces affected its evolution. That new door of learning led me to the Japan Martial Arts Society (JMAS).
Although JMAS principally attracted Aikido and Koryu-based enthusiasts, as a karateka I was not discouraged from taking out a membership in the mid-1980s. While JMAS was another great source of learning it did not cater much to the Okinawan fighting arts. Yet, in its absence I was able to learn something quite unexpectedly by turning my attention to swordsmanship and Japan’s old fighting arts. Just about the time JMAS fell quietly dormant from a lack of interest, in 1991 the annual seminars of martial arts culture began to grow in popularity, especially for we foreigners residing in Japan.
Sponsored by the Nippon Budokan Foundation and hosted by Japan’s Budo University in Chiba, the International Seminars of Budo Culture project was launched in 1989. Developed to improve one’s understanding of the historical, philosophical, and scientific aspects of Budo, the annual seminars attracted foreigners from both in and out of Japan. This wonderful forum not only provided the opportunity to deepen one’s understanding of all aspects of the fighting arts in general, it also focused on traditional Japanese culture, and offered fabulous networking opportunities from which many new friendships came.
The Society
Collectively, these events, and a growing desire for some kind of separate Kenkyukai (study group) through which to specifically study the original fighting arts of Okinawa’s old Ryukyu Kingdom, compelled me to consider taking the lead by establishing just such a group. Mentoring and guiding others was important to me not just because it played such an important role in my own progression, but because I also saw it as a bridge-building opportunity. In 1989, with more than ample encouragement, and the support of both my Okinawan teacher, Kinjo Hiroshi—fourth generation grandmaster of the Okinawan fighting arts, noted author and historian—and wife Yuriko, I established the Ryukyu Karate Kokusai Kenkyu Kai (International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, IRKRS).
Responsible for the translation and publication of some valuable historical documents—Matsumura’s 1882 Seven Precepts of Bu, and his 1885 Zaiyunomei; Itosu’s 1908 Ten Lessons; Miyagi Chojun’s 1934 Outline of Karatedo; the minutes of the famous 1936 Meeting of the Okinawan Masters; Motobu Choki’s Watashi no Karate-jutsu, Taira Shinken’s 1964 Encyclopedia of Kobudo; Funakoshi Gichin’s early (1914 thru 1934) writings, and Nagamine Shoshin’s Biographies of Karate & Tegumi Masters—the Society developed a reputation as a reliable and credible source of learning. With no other Japan-based non-political study group reaching out to a foreign karate-based audience at the time, the IRKRS was able to attract an international membership.
Unexpected Opportunity
Amidst our strongest supporters during the early 1990s was John Halpin. A practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the president of the Australian Karate Federation, and an executive committee member of the WKF, John was a forward thinker who had closely followed my work, and hosted me twice in his country, where I lectured on the Bubishi and taught application-based seminars. Seeking to establish the country’s first under-graduate accreditation program in the fighting arts, Mr. Halpin made an offer “I couldn’t refuse.” Chronologically speaking, the idea of using an early nineteenth century text as the principal source from which to deliver the core curriculum of a late twentieth century undergraduate program may have seemed anachronistic, but it was my opinion its wealth and richness could very well start a renaissance resurrecting the splendor of the old-ways.
In 1995 my family and I migrated to Australia where I succeeded in developing the first undergraduate program of its kind using the Bubishi and related materials. Hosted by the Australian College of Natural Medicine, the country’s leading institute of TCM, the original idea was to introduce the two-year program at its principal campus in Brisbane and later throughout its branches in Melbourne, Perth, and the Gold Coast. While the pilot program did set a precedence, and attract both domestic and overseas students for more than five years, the college ultimately brought it to an end, citing “challenges in its profit margin”(!). Obviously, such a concept was ahead of its time and not anywhere near as profitable as the more trendy gladiatorial-style disciplines, then reaching the apex of international popularity.
Yet, to say that the Bubishi provides something about the fighting arts that is simply not available elsewhere would be to grossly under-state its value. In spite of Australia’s turn-of-the-century martial arts industry not being ready to support an academic-based program of this nature, I remain hopeful that it may serve as something more than just a source referencing the old fighting arts. An age-old tradition, the Bubishi remains a classic in the annals of the fighting arts and hopefully the republication of this work might serve to inspire a new generation to reconsider its application. I would be pleased to learn that this work opens as many doors of learning for you as it has for me.
Conclusion
This small but powerful document on the fighting arts provides a window through which the reader is better able to perceive the cultural landscape and social mindset of those people who shaped its practice. One mistake many make when trying to grasp the historical and technical ambiguities of the early art of karate, is to depend too much upon contemporary assumption. The truth is, how we “do it” today is not how it we did it originally. One’s inability to understand such a thing will most definitely condemn them to remain forever in the dark. Einstein once said, You cannot solve the problem with the same kind of thinking that created it. Knowing something about the culture and local thinking of the time and place in which karate unfolded as a practice provides a huge advantage to those interested in understanding what forces affected its growth and direction. Moreover, delving into the evolution of this wonderful tradition allows us to learn more about the interesting personalities who shaped its practice. In doing so, a message of more important proportions unfolds. By studying the history and philosophy of the fighting arts, and by vigorously embracing its austere physical practice we not only honor the heritage passed on by its pioneers, we form a link with the past and help keep alive its culture and spirit. What could possibly improve our overall understanding of this art more than by walking in the footsteps of those people most responsible for pioneering it? Great people should never be forgotten, if only to remind us of the potential latent in ourselves. By studying the evolution of this tradition it becomes evident that many of its pioneers established a symbiosis with it, so that their lives became as much a product of the art as was the art a product of their lives.
With learning the art comes a responsibility to keep this knowledge alive, a responsibility that extends beyond karate and into society as a whole. Pioneers maintained that karate conditions the body, cultivates the mind, and nurtures the spirit. However, an even more important message reveals that the source of human weakness lies within, and it is there where all of our battles must be first fought and won before this art can ever improve the quality of our daily lives. In the provocative words of Krishnamurti, All of us are working together in the spirit of real co-operation in which there is no single authority: it is our interest in the teachings which brings us together and helps us to work in harmony. I am absolutely certain that this message is far more in line with the spirit and aims of the pioneers of karate than it is with today’s commercial-based propaganda and conceit associated with one’s “style” being the “THE ONE & ONLY CORRECT WAY!”
In 1995 I wrote, The Bubishi is like reading a translation of Musashi’s Go Rin No Sho (Book of Five Rings) or Sun Zi’s Art of War; the more it’s read, the more one gets from it. More than a decade later, I am pleased to say that this wonderful old work continues to provide and inspire as much now as it did then. Always the constant learner and never one to rest on “knowing enough,” this latest work is a better reflection of my current thinking. If nothing else, I sincerely hope that the Bubishi makes you realize that by going outside your art you’re really going deeper inside it. I wonder what there is to discover when we’re able to finally let go of those pre-conceived notions that style-based indoctrination has forced upon us?
What’s New in the Revised Edition?
In addition to this preface to the revised edition, you will find thought-provoking words from several colleagues of mine who I invited to comment on the Bubishi. I am certain their remarks will provide interesting food for thought and help open a few new doors of consideration. I am including some of the most reproducible Chinese script from the original Mabuni Bubishi, wherever possible, several photographs of Bubishi-related research sources, the only known image of Itosu Ankoh in existence—discovered in 2007 by my teacher, Kinjo Hiroshi, and Itosu’s “Ten lesson,” written in October 1908. I have also made a handful of grammatical corrections that were missed in the original edition.
Appreciation
I need to thank my friends and colleagues, Roland Haberzetser, Joe Swift, Harry Cook, and Victor Smith, for taking the time to support this revised edition with their important comments. These gentlemen are noted experts in the fighting arts, along with the first three also being authors of important publications. Thanks to Bruce Miller, Rand Cardwell, and Hokama Tetsuhiro for their additional commentary. I am also most grateful to my American-based attorney, Mr. Jim Goss, who was instrumental in making this revision happen. As I bring the introduction of the revision to an end I am reminded of just how much time and sacrifice went into this labor-of-love and I hope it reflects favorably upon everyone.
Patrick McCarthy
Brisbane
The only known photo of Itosu Ankoh. He is seated in the second row,
second from the left, in this 1910 photograph taken at
Okinawa’s First Prefectural Middle School.
Patrick McCarthy and Hokama Tetsuhiro visiting the daughter of Yabu Kentsu.
by Hokama Tetsuhiro
PhD, Hanshi, 10th Dan, Goju-ryu Okinawa, Japan
It is known to martial artists across the world that the Bubishi is an extremely important book for all who study the fighting traditions (Karate, Toudi, Kobujutsu). If there is anything else to be added to this understanding, it is that the Bubishi was, for the people alive during the time it was written, a book that contained the deepest secrets of both medical and martial arts.
The reason this can be said is that the contents of the Bubishi consist of many facets, including medicines, resuscitation techniques, energy flow meridians, acupuncture, vital points, and much more. Regarding the empty-hand martial arts techniques, the Bubishi details how to use methods of pliability when attacked by someone utilizing external physical strength, in both written form and through specific illustrations. Also included are explanations of strategies such as Sen no Sen and Go no Sen, which are important even before the physical portion of a violent confrontation even begins. In other words, the contents of the Bubishi are very practical from a martial arts point of view.
The longer one studies Karate-jutsu, the more important a martial arts text the Bubishi should become. In this regard, it is rightly considered the “Bible of Karate.”
By studying the Bubishi and learning to read between the lines, I also believe that the practitioner will come to the realization that, generally speaking, Karate-jutsu uses attacks to the trunk of the body; Kyushojutsu utilizes attacks to the nerve centers; and Kobujutsu techniques are aimed at the nearest part of the opponent to the defender, such as the forward hand.
Hand techniques, leg-based grappling techniques and the use of the hips are all detailed. The fact that this tome represents the use of the hands, legs, hips, and Ki, along with 45 degree angles of impact and circular movement to defeat an opponent, shows that the Bubishi indeed does disclose ancient secrets that are just as important today as they were when the Bubishi was first penned.
by Roland Habersetzer
Hanshi, Soke Tengu-no-michi (Budo Kenkyukai–Tengu Gakuin),
www.tengu.fr Chemnitz, France
I think it is rather presumptuous to believe that mere contemporary assumption is the key to deciphering the ancient knowledge left to us by the pioneers of books such as the Bubishi. By studying the cultural landscape and social mindset of nineteenth century Fujian-China and Okinawa-Japan, along with cross-comparative analyses of traditional Fujian-based quanfa and classical Okinawan-Japanese fighting arts, does it then become possible to penetrate more deeply the historical and technical ambiguities of this important writing. In doing so, not only are we linking the past to the present, we are also keeping alive an important piece of cultural heritage while honoring the spirit of those responsible for passing it on.
In spite of its rather innocuous fighting diagrams, prescribed application practices, philosophical lessons and TCM-based remedies, this invaluable hand-drawn record is a classic example of old-school Chinese learning linking all traditional Karate styles to an identifiable source. Based predominately upon Yongchun Crane and Monk Fist Boxing, two principal southern quanfa styles, this knowledge gradually found its way from Fujian to Okinawa and ultimately to the mainland of Japan through an underground network of dedicated enthusiasts, some of whom we are familiar with. Thanks only to such conscientious effort has this illustrated manuscript been preserved and is now available to anyone who chooses to study the art of the empty-hand. The Bubishi may not be the definitive text of the empty-handed fighting arts but it undisputedly represents the source from which karate comes.
Patrick McCarthy is an authority on the Bubishi and his organization, The International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, is known throughout the world by serious researchers concerned with the history, evolution and application of authentic Okinawan fighting arts. Simply put, his unique experience, long-standing studies, and published work make him an authority in this field. Having researched and studied this ancient manual myself for many years, it was my teacher, Otsuka Tadahiko, Karatedo Hanshi, founder of Gojukensha, and lineage-based inheritor of this manual, who asked me to publish my French translation of his Bubishi in 1995. It was Otsuka Hanshi who brought McCarthy Sensei and I together prior to the publication of my work. I was pleased to learn that both he and I had been influenced in similar ways. The Bubishi had provided a clearer path to enlightenment and it was evident we were both moving in the same direction.
That said, I believe such a journey is not an easy task these days especially in a tradition so distorted by sport, commercial exploitation, and misunderstanding. Such things reflect poorly upon the technical and holistic richness of these fighting arts. I am, however, confident that Mr. McCarthy’s revised publication of the Bubishi is timely and will certainly help the many passionate followers of traditional martial arts culture.
I applaud Mr. McCarthy’s continued efforts and hope that it receives the attention it deserves.
by Harry Cook
Sunderland, England
When Robert W. Smith and Donn F. Draeger wrote their iconic work Asian Fighting Arts in 1970 they observed that Chinese boxing literature “is uneven, full of gaps, and smothered in places by ambiguities.” While that is true of Chinese methods of fighting, it is even more so when applied to the combat arts of Okinawa. The tradition of secrecy meant that little was written down by Okinawan masters, and all we really have before the first karate books written in the 1920s are brief collections of aphorisms written by famous teachers, such as Matsumura and Itosu.
While the various codes and maxims are very valuable in helping us to understand the morals and values of Okinawan karate, they do not help us to grasp the technical aspects of the various forms of attack and defense or the tactics used by traditional Okinawan karateka. The various traditional kata transmitted by the schools of Okinawan karate can be a record of how techniques were performed, but when we try to grasp the applications or sense of the kata, problems of interpretation can arise.
Fortunately a number of Okinawan masters preserved and transmitted the Bubishi, a collection of articles on southern Chinese boxing systems, principally from Fukien, which help us immensely in gaining a realistic understanding of the techniques and rationale of traditional Okinawan karate. This work is the only known manual of what we might loosely call classical Okinawan karate and as such it is a unique window into the past. Traditionally it was hand copied by senior practitioners from versions owned by their own teachers and was highly valued by Okinawan karate masters; both Gichin Funakoshi and Kenwa Mabuni included sections of the Bubishi in their works and the Japanese master of Goju Ryu Gogen Yamaguchi wrote that the Bubishi “is the author’s treasured book.”
While the Bubishi is unique in Okinawan martial arts, in the wider context it is very similar to many hand-written martial arts manuals produced by Chinese martial arts teachers. The earliest hand-written Chinese works date from the beginning of the eighteenth century, although there are earlier wood block-printed military manuals such as general Chi Chi Kuang’s Chi Hsiao Hsin Shu (1584). Although many of these works were considered to be secret, by the end of the nineteenth century printed versions were available, a process which gained momentum in the early years of the twentieth century, when books illustrated with photographs instead of drawings began to appear.
Information very similar to that found in the Bubishi can be found in Chin I Ming’s Wu Tang Ch’uan Shu Mi Chueh (Secrets of Wu Tang Boxing, 1928) especially with reference to the vital points. In 1929 Li Tsai Luan wrote Fukien Hou Ch’uan Mi Yao (Secrets of Fukien Crane Boxing), which uses terminology very similar to expressions found in the Bubishi. The techniques and self-defense applications are very similar to the 48 self-defense techniques shown in the Bubishi. As more and more southern Chinese boxing manuals become available, I believe the place of the Bubishi in the wider context of the history of the spread of Chinese methods to Okinawa and other parts of Southeast Asia will become clearer.
In the same way that the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone opened up the world of Egyptology, grasping the ideas and concepts preserved in the Bubishi can open the doors of Okinawan karate. Close study of the 48 self-defense techniques will prove to be of great assistance to the reader who is trying to uncover the applications of the kata, and the principles that underpin the applications. Even a cursory analysis of the winning techniques shows that 39% are strikes or grabs with the hands, 29% are throws or escapes, and 17% are locks or immobilizations. This in turn points to the fact that the methods shown are derived from a close range system based on hand techniques; only 4% of the winning techniques feature kicking methods.
In an article I wrote many years ago I referred to the Bubishi as the “secret treasure” of Okinawan karate. Well it is a secret no longer. Patrick McCarthy’s masterful translation of the text makes it fully accessible to anyone genuinely interested in understanding the history and background of traditional Okinawan karate, and the inclusion of related Chinese material defines the background and context from which the Bubishi developed. I congratulate Mr. McCarthy for producing this translation and commentary of the Bubishi, which I believe will be a great help to karateka for many years to come.
by Victor Smith
Derry, NH
In your hands lies a contemporary translation of the Bubishi by Patrick McCarthy. Just a short 100 years ago, when even the wildest speculation could barely imagine karate becoming public, let alone being exported past the tiny shores of Okinawa, who would have ever considered their copy of the Bubishi becoming a public commodity sold at local bookshops?
The karate of that era was passed from instructor to student through oral and physical transmission. There were no karate texts and even the unique terminology used by instructors made it difficult for outsiders to understand the inner-workings of what was being imparted. Entrusted to senior instructors, to what extent the role of the Bubishi actually played remains obscure.
In 1922, Funakoshi Gichin let the cat out of the bag when he included several articles from the Bubishi in his first publication, Ryukyu Kenpo Karate-jutsu. Again, in 1925 with his book, Karate-jutsu, and Karatedo Kyohan, in 1934, Funakoshi continued to highlight the importance the Bubishi by republishing several of its articles. So, too, did Mabuni Kenwa see fit to publish Bubishi-related material in his 1934 book, Seipai No Kata. As Karate found its way to the four corners of the world, the content of these unique publications became sought after. So it was that the Bubishi first came to be known beyond the tiny shores of Okinawa.
When, why, and who actually composed the Bubishi remains unknown. However, the application of Occam’s Razor is one approach that might offer us the simplest explanation. It seems conceivable that the 32 articles found within the covers of this hand-written document, could simply be the private notes of a Chinese student of the fighting arts. After all, it contains information about the use of medicinal herbs, some history of crane-based quanfa, a description of vital point striking timed to the hour, healing techniques to counter all of those vital point strikes, and a description of prescribed responses in defense of various attack scenarios, etc.
Written in an older style Chinese script, it must have been a difficult task to translate without having access to the original writer or direct lineage-based students to help decipher code-like phrases. Without accompanying commentary or side notes on how the Bubishi articles were meant to be used, I am left wondering if the document remained on a shelf where it may have never become such a vital key in the research of the fighting arts.
Making this information widely available to the general public today has been a very long and difficult journey. Hokama Tetsuhiro, Tokashiki Iken, and Otsuka Tadahiko represent the three principal sources from which various Japanese analyses and commentaries have been rendered. Tokitsu Kenji and Roland Habersetzer are responsible for different works in French, with the latter also publishing his comprehensive work in German. Of course, thanks to the independent efforts of researchers Ken Penland and Patrick McCarthy, their separate interpretations of the Bubishi have been widely distributed throughout the English-speaking world. Mr. McCarthy’s work has also been translated into several other languages including Italian, Spanish, Czech, and Russian, making the rare document even more widely known.
Along with these several translations we get a mixed blessing of sorts as the various works present the Bubishi material differently. As I compared the different translations several questions become evident:
1. The separate English translations produced by Patrick McCarthy and Ken Penland seem to be the only ones that present the complete Bubishi text. The French and Japanese translations appear to focus only on the fighting sections of the work.
2. Comparing the translations it often seems as if they are entirely different works altogether.
a. The text contains different material and in different order.
b. The 48 two-person drawings are vastly different from that produced in Mabuni Kenwa’s 1934 publication, Seipai no Kenkyu. The drawings that appear in Ken Penland’s work are the closest to Mabuni’s version, but are less detailed. The remaining drawings are clearly from different Bubishi texts or are different because of the efforts of the individual preparing them. By different I mean that the anatomical structures being attacked are not the same. This causes some confusion with regards to the original intention of the attack being portrayed.
3. The translations of the medical-related arts is also very different with the two translations, raising questions about how similar or different the original texts used for the translation are, or even the differences between the research methods employed by the authors.
4. Both the McCarthy and Penland translations contain additional material not in the original Bubishi.
a. The McCarthy text contains a great amount of historical information as well as additional material on the Chinese meridians and Chi.
b. The Penland text contains additional material on the Chinese meridians and Chi.
c. While the actual Bubishi text discusses vital point striking, including the times to strike on a 24-hour cycle, there was no direct material on the meridians in the text.
5. The Habersetzer translation contains an extensive commentary on how he interprets the 48 two-person self-defense techniques. He also presents the Happoren Kata.
6. The Otsuka work I observed compares the 48 two-person drawings with another earlier Chinese work.
For me, differing translations, the lack of original commentary on its actual role in the development of the Okinawan arts, and questions about which were the original drawings, present a conflicting picture. Such mysteries are almost never-ending. Our challenge seems to be as great as those facing the Okinawan instructors who study this work; do we leave it on the shelf because it’s too difficult to understand, or do we make an effort to discover its true value.
Tradition tells us that Chinese documents like the Bubishi were handwritten by brush and reproduced in two ways. The most common way was through senior students entrusted to copy the original for themselves. The other way was by engaging a professional copyist to perform the task. I suppose this is the likely source from which some of variations previously mentioned come. The translator also plays a role in this passage of information; it hardly seems possible to translate from one language into another without one’s own experience bearing some influence upon the final version of any work.
From the various translations I am familiar with I believe that Mc-Carthy’s work best represents the entire Bubishi. He also did a wonderful job in presenting the entire Okinawan context that really helps those of us seeking to better understand the cultural landscape in which it was produced. But what does this picture give us except challenges?
As if looking back through a time portal the Bubishi reveals an earlier fighting art, which placed as much emphasis upon healing as it did developing defensive and destructive capabilities. Did it actually convey the secrets of defending against or applying kyusho-jutsu, and which herbal remedies best cured its damage? In turn, do we interpret this text as a call to study the healing arts as part of our own karate?
Do we try and find the self-defense applications within kata and techniques? Do we seek out the older Chinese methods, as some of these researchers have done? Ernest Rothrock, a specialist in Eagle Claw quanfa with more than forty years experience, clearly demonstrates that Bubishi-like techniques are, in fact, core techniques in many Chinese Arts. Does this knowledge then enhance our studies, or should we seek out new information?
In addition to borrowing liberally from Bubishi-based philosophical and tactical insights for his early publications, Funakoshi Gichin also reproduced a word-for-word account of no fewer than three articles from this old document; Eight Important Phrases, The Treatise on Ancient Law of Great Strength, and Methods of Escape. Is this yet another lesson of what we should be doing? The Bubishi material on tactical doctrine is of considerable value and goes far beyond the 48 two-person prescribed self-defense drawings.
It is very possible the Bubishi and its focus on tactical strategy also influenced Okinawan karate pioneer Kyan Chotoku. Published in Miki Nisaburo and Mutsu Mizuho’s 1930 book entitled, Kempo Gaisetsu, Kyan’s advice on the fighting arts rings a bell of Bubishi familiarity. Even more so, is the collection of sayings used by Okinawan fighting arts legend, Motobu Choki, which appear with the English presentation of his book My Art of Karate.
While much of Okinawa’s karate history remains undocumented, the tactical commentary of these pioneers reveals important information about basic training in the fighting arts of that era. Most importantly, the influence of the Bubishi is clearly obvious through their comments.
Still another example I identified was through the work of the late karate expert, Sherman Harrill of Carson City, Iowa. Harrill studied the Isshin Ryu Karate of Shimabuku Tatsuo for more than forty years of his life, and spent considerable time focusing on unravelling the mysteries of kata through using the Bubishi. His effort resulted in deepening and broadening our understanding of the tactical strategies used in Isshin Ryu.
I have only briefly touched on the questions and opportunity the Bubishi presents to us. It’s easiest to place it on your bookshelf to show others you posses a copy. It’s much more work, however, to dig in, find your own values, participate in the larger discussions and make its existence add texture and depth to your own studies. I hope you will not simply place it on your shelf.
I specifically want to thank Mr. McCarthy for his great efforts to make this work available for our continued studies. The martial arts world has gained considerable resources from his hard work.
by Joe Swift
Tokyo, Japan
It is safe to say that there are very few practitioners of the classical Okinawan self-defense traditions that have never at least heard of the Bubishi, even outside of Japan and Okinawa. Private studies and smaller-scale publications notwithstanding, this is due in large part to the efforts of four individuals: Otsuka Tadahiko of Japan; Tokashiki Iken of Okinawa; Roland Habersetzer of France; and the author of the presentation before you, Patrick McCarthy, who was the first to bring the existence of the Bubishi to the attention of the English-speaking karate community. Their analyses and translations of this once obscure document have allowed an entire generation of karate enthusiasts throughout the world reevaluate their understanding of the art.
Its sheer rarity shrouded the document, much like the art of karate itself, in a veil of mystery. Detailing the history, philosophy, and application of the Fujian-based Chinese martial arts that directly influenced the development of Okinawan karate, the Bubishi remains an indispensable tome for the serious karate enthusiast.
Oral tradition tells us that in Okinawa, the most trusted disciple(s) of the old masters who were in possession of it painstakingly copied the Bubishi by hand. Of course, one of the reasons for this was the lack of modern photocopying technology, but the act of carefully copying the passages, illustrations, and diagrams by hand brings a deeply personal attachment to the lessons contained therein.
At the time of writing, I am in the process of creating my own handwritten copy of the Bubishi, based on several sources. From this experience, I can personally attest to a somewhat surreal connection to the pioneers who have gone before that comes from throwing oneself self-lessly into such a project.
In the decade and a half that I have been residing in Japan, I have had the opportunity to come into contact with senior authorities in the karate world and read the original writings of the early pioneers, all of which have served to greatly enhance my understanding of the Okinawan martial arts. However, time and again, I find myself returning to the wisdom contained in the pages of the Bubishi for personal insight and inspiration.
Living in Japan for this long has also instilled in me an appreciation for the old maxims: Bunbu Ryodo (a maxim representing the twin paths of the sword and the pen) and Onko Chishin (a saying representing the appreciation of the old in order to understand the new). In an era of no-holds-barred competitions, MMA, and blatant commercialism, the timeless teachings contained in the Bubishi can offer the modern practitioner some sanctuary in the inward journey, the battle with the Self that the study of traditional martial arts represents.
Or, in the words of Patrick McCarthy: The path not paved by physical conditioning, moral philosophy and methodical introspection leads nowhere.
When I heard that Tuttle was planning on publishing a revision of McCarthy Sensei’s Bubishi, I was excited. Excited at the prospect that at least one person who has not read this immensely important work may come into contact with this time capsule of martial wisdom. Excited that perhaps it will encourage at least one person who has already read it to reread it, and gain an even deeper insight into the depths of the wonderful tradition of karate-do.
It is my sincere belief that this revised edition of McCarthy Sensei’s groundbreaking work will help us all move another step closer to understanding that which the ancient masters had also pursued.
by Li Yiduan
Deputy Secretary General, All-China Athletic Federation,
Fuzhou Branch Vice Chairman, Fuzhou Martial Arts Association
With a breadth of unbelievable proportions and a history of unfathomable depth, the cultural heritage of China had for centuries profoundly influenced those societies with which it once traded. Among those cultures most affected by the “Middle Kingdom” was the Ryukyu archipelago, and in particular, the people of Okinawa.
Based upon the remnants of an ancient grappling discipline cultivated in Okinawa during the time of Tametomo (1139–70), and combined with the principles of Chinese gongfu, which had been continuously introduced to the Ryukyu archipelago from before recorded history, a number of indigenous self-defense methods gradually developed. Affected by the foreign cultures it once traded with, political reformation, and military subjugation, Okinawa’s self-defense disciplines continued to be fostered in an iron-clad ritual of secrecy up to and during the Meiji era (1868–1912).
With the period of secrecy over, after Japan made the transition from feudalism into democracy, Okinawa’s mainstream self-defense traditions were brought together so that they could be modernized and publicly introduced into the school system. As a result, Ryukyu kempo toudi-jutsu (as the Chinese and Okinawan self-defense traditions came to be called before the advent of modern karate-do) took on both new characteristics and direction.
Molded by inflexible social ideologies and radically changed for group instruction and the competitive phenomenon in the school system, the original history, philosophy, and application of “karate-do” became over-shadowed by commercial exploitation, which resulted in the myriad of eclectic interpretations we find today.
In recognizing the immense value of tracing historical lineages and establishing contact with original sources, foreign enthusiasts of karate-do from all over the world are now appearing in Fuzhou to research, study, and compare their art forms. Gaining new insights while discovering a deeper understanding of Okinawa’s civil fighting traditions, karate-do’s history, philosophy, and applications are only now being unraveled.
One such man who made the distant journey in order to bridge the gap of obscurity is Mr. Patrick McCarthy. Although not the first, and surely not the last, his intense study and literary contributions are testimony to his dedication toward gaining the deepest understanding of karate-do and its non-utilitarian value. Hopefully, like those who have come before him, Mr. McCarthy’s research will serve to bring students closer to finding that which is not always seen by the naked eye. In doing so, enthusiasts may well come to gain more than just a physical understanding of the discipline and its heritage.
Having hosted him in Fuzhou and traveled with him to Shanghai and the legendary Shaolin Temple, I have known Mr. McCarthy for many years and I can say without reservation that it is a pleasure to write this letter of introduction for his edition. The Bubishi is an important cultural discovery and one that highlights the significance of Fuzhou’s native fighting traditions. I sincerely hope that others may feel equally impelled to make similar journeys to experience the wonderful cultural heritage that has been preserved in the ancient Chinese fighting traditions.
by Richard Kim
Hanshi, 9th Dan
From an early age, Patrick McCarthy has been a devout student of karate and kobudo. Maturing under my direction, he acquired a creative approach to learning, and came to realize the importance of balancing his physical training with metaphysical exploration.
Moreover, through the precepts of karate-do, Mr. McCarthy has learned that empirical research and introspection are absolute necessities for one to discover that which lies beyond the immediate results of physical training.
Formerly one of Canada’s most prominent karate teachers, Patrick McCarthy is second to none physically, which made him unparalleled in his reign as a competitive champion. Relocating to Japan where he became my personal representative, Patrick McCarthy’s star is now shining on a new horizon. Of all the thousands of students that I have had over the years, Patrick McCarthy is by far the most talented.
The extensive research that he has undertaken over the years while studying the doctrines and history of karate-do makes him uniquely qualified to present this translation. Whatever he does, he does exceedingly well, and this book is a testament to his dedication and understanding of karate-do.
I highly recommend this translation of the Bubishi and hope that it will benefit those who seek the true essence of karate-do.
by Nagamine Shoshin
Hanshi, 10th Dan World Shorin-ryu Karate-do Federation
Brought to Okinawa from Fuzhou long ago, the Bubishi is a secret Chinese book about kempo (quanfa). Describing the intricacies of Shaolin Temple Monk Fist Boxing and the principles of Fujian White Crane gongfu, the Bubishi is a historically important document whose secrets, until only just recently, have remained closely guarded by karate-do masters in Okinawa.
In addition to the copious amount of intriguing information contained within the pages of this profound document, the Bubishi also reveals the original application of orthodox kata and the moral precepts that govern the behavior of those who understand these secrets. Disclosing the principles of tuidi and kyusho-jutsu (art of attacking vulnerable points on the human body), the reader will come to understand that which has been kept secret for generations.
The Bubishi must be considered mandatory reading for all serious enthusiasts of true karate-do and is therefore an essential addition to one’s personal library, a work to be deeply studied by both teacher and student alike. In so doing, the torch of true karate-do will continue to burn long into the future, lighting the arduous path upon which others may follow.
Responsible for the very first English translation of this remarkable text is a Canadian named Patrick McCarthy. A representative of the Kyoto Butokukai, Mr. McCarthy is one of the very few foreign experts of martial arts teaching karate-do here in Japan. A longtime resident of Japan and a regular visitor to Okinawa, Mr. McCarthy’s karate research and literary contributions are known worldwide. Having first met him during the mid-1980s, I have come to know Mr. McCarthy as both a friendly and responsible person dedicated to the very principles upon which orthodox karate-do rests.
It was a pleasure to have been of some assistance to Mr. McCarthy during his lengthy research and meticulous analysis of the Bubishi, and I can think of no one better suited to introduce this important work to the Western world.
by Otsuka Tadahiko
Hanshi, 9th Dan Gojukensha Karate-do Renmei
Thanks to my collaborations with Yang Mingshi Shifu, Shimizu Mie Sensei, and Tokashiki Iken Sensei, I was able to research and publish, in Japanese, the Bubishi, a document that has been handed down from master to disciple in Okinawa for generations.
Patrick McCarthy with Otsuka Tadahiko in his home.
Now, after his own extensive research, Patrick McCarthy has translated the Bubishi into English. Thanks to his efforts, one of karate’s most important historical documents is now available to people in English. In this edition, Mr. McCarthy introduces some very provocative historical information, and has also taken the time to fully translate those articles pertaining to herbal remedies, a feat that I was unable to accomplish myself. I am delighted that this knowledge is being introduced, as it is of enormous value.
Originally brushed in classical Chinese, using the Fujian dialect, this document was compiled more than two centuries ago. Passed down from master to disciple, the tradition of copying it by hand has, unfortunately, resulted in grammatical inaccuracies, making its analysis all the more burdensome. As such, the impact of this knowledge will vary depending entirely upon how it is assimilated.
I know exactly how much research went into making this translation possible, and I deeply respect Mr. McCarthy’s dedication. I sincerely hope that many people will read and benefit from this publication.
by Konishi Takehiro
Hanshi,
9th Dan Shindo Jinen-ryu Japan
Karate-do Ryobukai
My father, Konishi Yasuhiro, was the only man to have ever learned from Motobu Choki, Funakoshi Gichin, Mabuni Kenwa, and Miyagi Chojun, the Okinawan masters who first pioneered karate on Japan’s mainland during the 1920s and 1930s. He also enjoyed a close friendship with these men and was fortunate enough to receive a number of their original writings.
Patrick McCarthy with Konishi Takehiro in his home.
Lying dormant in my library, many of these original works have remained untouched for more than a half century. However, Mr. Patrick McCarthy, a Kyoshi of karate-do from the Dai Nippon Butokukai and a leading martial historian with impeccable credentials, has visited my home on many occasions to translate, analyze, and publish the unknown works of these men.
While translating the 1934 Outline of Karate-do, a handwritten manuscript left to my father by Miyagi Chojun, Mr. McCarthy also spent considerable time cross-referencing his analysis of the Fujian Bubishi with the original Okinawan version that was given to my father more than fifty years ago by Mabuni Kenwa, who had himself copied it directly from Itosu Anko’s version.
Patrick McCarthy with Konishi Takehiro in Tokyo.
I was delighted to have been able to be of some assistance to Mr. McCarthy’s lengthy research. I am deeply impressed by his character and commitment to those values upon which true karate-do rests. I know of no one else who has dedicated as much time and effort to studying the Bubishi as Patrick McCarthy and I hope that his thorough analysis and remarkable translation are met with equal enthusiasm. Regarded as the bible of karate-do, Mr. McCarthy’s English translation of the Bubishi must be considered essential reading for every serious follower of karate-do.
by Kinjo Hiroshi
Hanshi,
9th Dan Zen Nihon Karate-do Rengokai
The publication of the Bubishi by the Charles E. Tuttle Company is truly a milestone in the history of modern karate-do. Culminating years of meticulous research, this presentation by Mr. Patrick McCarthy, one of the art’s foremost authorities, represents an immeasurable addition towards understanding the magnitude of karate-do.
Patrick McCarthy with his master Kinjo Hiroshi in Hiratsuka, Japan.
Mr. McCarthy was the very first person to present an English translation of this once-secret text. Even today, among the most experienced of karate enthusiasts, the Bubishi and its priceless contents remain virtually unknown.
With Mr. McCarthy’s hallmark research and publication of the Bubishi, Western enthusiasts of karate-do the world over will finally be able to evaluate the gravity of the Oriental self-defense phenomenon. Methodically guiding its readers through the essential, but all too often unknown, requirements of learning the genuine art form, this text must be considered mandatory reading by all enthusiasts of karate-do. The cultural heritage that this ancient text represents also serves as a unique bridge connecting Oriental thought to the Western mind.
Mr. Patrick McCarthy is one of the very few budo historians who have come to understand the true essence, history, and culture of karate-do. The groundbreaking research of this remarkable man has made him a trailblazer in the annals of modern karate-do. Like the Kurofune (black ships) that first introduced genuine Japanese culture to the outside world, so too is Patrick McCarthy the “Black Ship” of karate-do. I look forward to Mr. McCarthy’s next publication, his further undertakings, and continued success.
by Hokama Tetsuhiro
PhD, Hanshi, 10th Dan International Karate-do Organization
As a colleague of Mr. Patrick McCarthy, I am delighted to be able to write this letter of congratulations for his splendid translation of the very perplexing and old document, the Bubishi.
There are many theories surrounding the origins of this mysterious but remarkable manual; however, all we can be really sure of is that the Bubishi is a document describing some unique fighting traditions of China and its associated principles. Consisting of thirty-two articles, the contents of the Bubishi are often quite difficult to understand. Until now there have been several people, including myself, who have conducted separate studies into various parts of the Bubishi but, because of its paradoxical nature, the analysis has remained incomplete.
While resolving the mysteries contained within the Bubishi, Mr. McCarthy has frequently visited both Okinawa and China. In addition to spending much time with me at the Okinawa Prefectural Karate-do Historical Material Museum, he vigorously researched a wide variety of plausible sources that brought us both into contact with many of the most respected authorities in karate-do and kobudo. Mr. McCarthy is well known in Okinawa, and all those who know him can tell you that his penchant for karate and kobudo is far beyond average. As a karateka, I am fascinated by Mr. McCarthy’s physical prowess, scholarly pursuits, and friendly character. He is one of Japan’s most senior-ranked foreign karate and kobudo teachers, and his extensive research has afforded him an international reputation. Mr. McCarthy’s analysis of the Bubishi is by far his best work yet, and I hope that everyone will continue to support his ongoing efforts.