Gōjū-ryū

History of the gōjū-ryū

The gōjū-ryū (ja 剛柔流: gō , “force”, jū , “flexibility” and ryū , “school” or “style”) is a form of Karaté. This style is with the Wado-ryu, the Shito-Ryu and the Shotokan, one of the four major styles of this Martial art. It was initiated by the Master Kanryo Higashionna (or Higaonna) (1853 - 1915).

The gōjū-ryū is resulting from drawn concepts of the combat:

of the To-to , one of the practices of the Naha-you ( is to Naha-you name under which the many styles suitable for Okinawa were taken again). To-with means in Japanese: “technical of Chinese hand”.
and of the Kempo Chinese (that Kanryo Higashionna studied in China 15 years with the Waishinzan Master). A practice also known with the Japan under the name of Ryuko Ryū

It was, nevertheless, Chojun Miyagi which gave to the style its noble letters and found the name of it.

First steps

In 1877, Kanryo Higashionna is 24 years old. This wire of a firewood merchant, impassioned martial arts, embarks for Fuzhou in the province of Fujian in China. It spends several years over there devoting most clearly of its time to study with several professors of Chinese martial arts.

One of its first professors was Ryoto, a professor of Kempo which will introduce it near the Master of this art Liu Liu KB (sometimes also called Ryu Ryuko, which could be in fact a nickname rather than a name). One knows little thing about Liu Liu KB if not that he was shoe-maker and that Higashionna it quoted like somebody of extremely extremely. This Master taught a form of Chinese Boxe called the “style of the white Grue”.

In 1885 (?), Kanryo Higashionna turns over to Okinawa and takes again the family business. It also starts to teach martial arts with Naha and in the neighborhoods. It was distinguished in its style by integration at the same time from techniques go-OJ (hard) and jū-No (flexible) in a single system. It became so impossible to circumvent that the name ends Naha-you up being comparable with its teaching.

Higashionna (or Higaonna) was known for its powerful kata Sanchin (see the Kata of the gōjū-ryū). The students told that the ground out of wooden became hot by the anchoring of its feet.

With its death, it will leave some rare disciples but one counts among those some of the most influential Masters of the Karaté: Chōjun Miyagi, Kyoda Shigehatsu, Koki Shiroma and Higa Seiko.

The arrival of the gōjū-ryū and the " karaté" in Japan

Chojun Miyagi is undoubtedly the Master who provided to the Japan the foundations of the gōjū-ryū and of the Karaté in general.

It opened its first dojo, Okinawa Karate Jutsu Kenkyukai. Its style differs from that of its Master by the introduction of respiratory techniques resulting from the Ch' year Chinese . This concept was developed with the Japan under the Buddhist name of Zen.

The first public demonstration of gōjū-ryū proceeded, little front time, in 1924 at the time of the visit of Jigorō Kanō (founder of the Judo) with Okinawa. Master Kano is allured by the practice of Chōjun Miyagi and will make several visits on the island of Okinawa.

Chōjun Miyagi was then put to want to establish the naha-you or To-with , " the hand of Naha " (since the name of gōjū-ryū appeared only later) with the Japan and to make it recognize as being a discipline “Budo” as well as the Judo or the Kendo. It joined the project then that Gichin Funakoshi cherished since 1922 without too much success.

In 1928, Chojun Miyagi thus went to Kyōto to study the possibility there of extending the “Karaté” in central area of the Japan. It carried out many demonstrations there, in particular in the universities. But in front of the very reserved reception of the public, it understood that the step of Gichin Funakoshi and his would not be extremely easy considering the hermetic character of the Japanese martial culture. The recognition of the Karate as being a discipline “bushido” did not depend, in fact, of the acceptance of Japanese Dai Butokukai, organization of Japanese State created with an aim of controlling all martial arts of the country. The Japanese militarist government had at the time brought together in this organization all the largest Masters of the various disciplines of the country. It awaited them it training of the practitioners to the only spirit “bushido”, and to this spirit only.

In 1929, Japanese Dai Butokukai organized a great demonstration of martial arts in order to celebrate the advent of the emperor Shōwa. Chōjun Miyagi charged one with its best pupils, Jinan Shinzato, to replace it. At the time of this event, the very interested Japanese Masters had asked Shinzato how named the name of its school. This last answered: anko-ryū , which means “the semi-hard school”. When it turned over to Okinawa, it told this history with Chōjun Miyagi which, extremely amused, decided to call its style the gōjū-ryū : the school ( ryū ) of hard ( go ) and of flexible ( jū ).

Rise

In 1935, Chojun Miyagi was presented for the official examination of Bushido Master in front of these same authorities of Japanese Dai Butokukai. It was the first time that a Master of karate made this step. It obtained the title of Kyōshi , the most title which will ever be given at the time with a Master of Karate presenting this examination.

All was ready for the arrival of the Master gōjū-ryū who was going to make take with this style an incredible rise: Gogen Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi is one of the most attractive characters of the history of the Karaté. Its fast and gracious movements but also its position of combat preferred, Neko Ashi Dachi were worth the nickname of “cat to him”.

The contributions of the Yamaguchi Master to the Goju system and the Karaté in general are considerable. Under its direction, International Karate-C Goju-Kai Association (I.K.G.A) was born. Yamaguchi, in the same way, introduced Kata Taikyoku with the Goju system in order to prepare its new students to approach more advanced katas. It also combined karate and spiritual practices by incorporating the Yoga and the Shinto in the gōjū-ryū . Master Gogen Yamaguchi, 10th daN, can be regarded as being a true legend of the Karaté.

Great characteristics

The gojū is thus a style of rather traditional Karaté which Marie of the techniques resulting from various Chinese schools (Kempo but also Pakua chan and white Grue) as well as the ancestral bases of Okinawa. Characterized by natural positions, it includes/understands modes of strike and often circular displacements, aiming at the vital points, the whole together with many techniques of projection and luxation.

The gōjū-ryū abounds of exercises influenced by the methods of the south of the China: same technical concepts, even importance given to the work of internal energy. The postures are stable and powerful ( sanchin dachi is most characteristic of the style), the kicks low only (primarily mae-geri and kansetsu-geri ), sound ventral breathing, short displacements and in half-circles. The respiratory exercises and work on energy interns result from the Buddhist traditions of the Karaté and the Yoga. The gōjū-ryū can for this reason constitute a remarkable work on oneself, combining physical exercise, and relieving.

Notes and references of the article

Random links: