Soeishi no Kon […] was handed down by the Soeishi family who held the post of the martial arts instructor of the king of Ryūkyū. It was a secret tradition that was treasured and never shown in public (mongai fushutsu) and only taught to the king and the eldest son of the Soeishi family. It is said to be a secret tradition left by an investiture envoy (sappōshi) to train the mind and body of successive kings.
The name of Soeishi is found in several Okinawa lineages, but the style itself doesn’t exist anymore. There is also no successor. It seems that either the famous name was used ad lib, or some fragementary techniques were grabbed and built into a kata.
This being said, there is a “Soeishi no Kon” in Taira lineage. This kata is well known in Japan, where there is a “Sho” and a “Dai” version. In Okinawa, it found entry in Isshin-ryu, where it is still practiced, and this version is an original version taught by Taira Shinken. Else, in Okinawan Taira lineage, the kata has been vacant for half a century now.
The video below is my interpretation of the Okinawan Taira lineage version. It corresponds to the “Dai” as taught in mainland, but has a number of differences. Also note that the way I perform it does not follow any of the basic body and weapon manipulation (kihon) taught in Okinawa, but rather is rather a “fusion” version.
I straightened the enbusen completely and added a little seasoning here and there. Overall, however, it is exactly “Soeishi no Kon” from the Okinawan Taira lineage. I have been practicing this kata for more than 10 years now in great detail so I guess it is ok to share it in the hope Okinawans will revive this rare kata and provide a CV of where and when it was learned and handed down. It is important, because if it is really from Soeishi, than it might be an intangible cultural asset.
Kabira, Ishigaki City. The lion “wakes up” at the start of the practice for the festival for requests and expressions of thanks to the gods (Keigan Festival) held in the 8th month of the lunisolar calendar.
This lion dance is performed only between the Keigan Festival and the Season’s Festival (shichi matsuri), when people give thanks to the gods for a good harvest and the good health of the people. After the Season’s Festival, the lions “go to sleep.”
The lions are male and female and are performed in pairs called tsukasa.
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The video at the end is a remake taken from an Okinawan Mēkata-bō. In particular, this Mēkata-bō was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset on June 27, 1990.
Mēkata-bō is the opening dance for purification on stage or at festivals, and is meant to drive away epidemics, disasters, and evil spirits through powerful bō dances.
First of all the four directions remind of Ufugusuku no Kon, but the Mēkata-bō is much older.
Second, there are fragments of the original Chikin-bō (Tsuken-bō) in it, which was the origin if this kata shown here in excerpt. Particularly, there is the technique called sunakake (flinging sand) originally done with a paddel (uēku). So the kata was probably originally designed to be used with a paddle (uēku).
Third, beginning and ending of this Mēkata-bō are done in the traditional way as seen in most bō dances and village bōjutsu. It is the same as shown by Miki Nisaburō in his 1930 work (see illustrations below). So old bō dances, village bōjutsu, and Mēkata-bō had this in common with older bōjutsu from kobujutsu.
Opening and ending of the Mekata-bo is done in the traditional way, such as can also be seen in old forms of Okinawa bojutsu. Illustration shows the opeing of “Shushi no kon” from Miki 1930.
Mēkata-bō is performed in traditional costumes, with all movements shortened, merely hinted, so it doesn’t look like overly martial. And it is performed to music, so the moves are slow, rhythmic, and off-beat when considered from a combative perspective.
However, when stripped off of all the decorum and done intentionally as a martial technique, they can easily be performed as a kobudo, which in fact they are.
Note that this is an excerpt from the latter part of the original Mēkata-bō. Also, note that I don’t perform it in the original rythm nor in their style of gestures.
One of the performing arts of Taketomi Town is the “Arm stick” (udibō), a dance that includes the use of arms and forearms like a bō, i.e., a weapon. It is performed by women of Nakasuji hamlet. The performing arts of Taketomi have been handed down for more than 600 years, a history that is proven with certainty, and they have been designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan on May 17, 1977.
While these performing arts are used as prayers for a bountiful growth of crops, the origin of some of its dance elements might be jūjutsu-like self-defense techniques. In the performance, accompanied by shouts of encouragement (yagui), both the attacking and defending part are performed twice by each person A and person B. There is an interesting move where persons A and B place their two palms on the ground. This could indicate a method used in wrestling in which the fighters rub their hands with sand to achieve a better grip while wrestling. You see this still today in the wrestling of Senegal, which is done on sand. In between the techniques, there is also a posture and gesture that might indicate running away.
It is easy to imagine that even within a close island community of historical Taketomi, it might have been important for women to know a trick or two to get rid of an overly intrusive admirer. However, the techniques might as well be an embodiment of fighting misfortune related to agriculture and fishing.
As regards their attire, they are wearing a white headband (hachimaki) tied in the rear, a traditional kimono made of banana-fibre cloth (bashofu), a tasuki cord to tuck up the sleeves and a waistband both made of straw, and go barefoot.
Full description of Arm stick” (udibō)
Entrance
To the rhythm of gong and drums, ten female dancers enter the venue in a single-file column, raising their front knee with every step, their left fist at their left hip, and their right first raised.
With the rhythm of gong and drums getting faster, they trot to the end of the venue turn 180°, trot toward the entrance, and turn 180° again while splitting into two files of five dancers each.
They assume a right posture and gesture with the right arm stretch forward high, and the left arm stretch backward low, and shout “Hyō!”, switch to left posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”, switch to right posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”
On the signal of the trumpet shell, they turn towards each other, thus establishing five pairs.
They assume a wrestler’s stance, with both fists positioned at the waists, and twice drop their stance and shout “Hyō!”
Then they start to perform the first technique.
Technique 1
Both A and B stand with the left foot forward.
Person A steps forward with the right foot and makes an uppercut, Person B steps forward with the right foot and deflects and controls it with the front hand.
Person A steps forward with the left foot and makes an uppercut, Person B steps backward with the right foot and deflects and controls it with the front hand.
They switch roles, and do the same again, with B as the attacker and A as the defender.
Both A and B disengage and jump back.
Both A and B raise both hands then bend forward and down and place their two palms on the ground.
Technique 2
Both A and B assume position and raise their right fist, with their left fist at the left hip.
Person A steps forward with the right foot, Person B steps forward with the right foot. They slam their raised forearms against each other’s. With the forearms interlocked, they take two large steps circling around each other, then push and pull each other’s forearms back and forth, open their hands and grip each other’s arm with a hooking motion and throw each other away to disangage.
Both A and B assume a right posture and gesture with the right arm stretch forward high, and the left arm stretch backward low, and shout “Hyō!”, switch to left posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”, switch to right posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”
On the signal of the trumpet shell, they turn towards one another again.
They assume a wrestler’s stance, with both fists positioned at the waists, and twice drop their stance and shout “Hyō!”
Technique 3
Person A jumps forward with the right foot and tries to grab or strike or bear hug B with both arms on the middle level. Person B jumps forward with the right foot and deflects with a double outward sweep with both forearms. Both disengage and jump back, positioning both fists at the waists again.
Person A jumps forward again with the right foot and tries to grab or strike or bear hug B with both arms on the middle level. Person B jumps forward with the right foot and deflects with a double outward sweep with both forearms. Both disengage and jump back, positioning both fists at the waists again.
They switch roles, and do the same again, with B as the attacker and A as the defender.
Both A and B disengage and jump back.
Both A and B raise both hands then bend forward and down and place their two palms on the ground.
Technique 4
It is the same as technique 2.
Interlude
On the signal of gong and drum, all jump to center, forming a single-file column again, with the right fist raised and the left fist positioned at the left waist.
To the rhythm of gong, drums, and trumpet shell, the dancers start trotting a single-file column, raising their front knee with every step, forming a counterclockwise circle. After one full rotation, the dancers split at the front to the left and right, turn 180°, trot toward the entrance in two files, turn 180° again and trot toward the end of the venue again, and position themselves in two files of five dancers each again.
They assume a right posture and gesture with the right arm stretch forward high, and the left arm stretch backward low, and shout “Hyō!”, switch to left posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”, switch to right posture and gesture and shout “Hyō!”
On the signal of the trumpet shell, they turn towards each other, thus establishing five pairs again.
They assume a wrestler’s stance, with both fists positioned at the waists, and twice drop their stance and shout “Hyō!”
Techniques 1 to 4
Then they start to perform the same techniques in the same order as previously.
Exit
On the signal of gong and drum, all jump to center, forming a single-file column again, with the right fist raised and the left fist positioned at the left waist.
To the rhythm of gong, drums, and trumpet shell, the dancers start trotting a single-file column, raising their front knee with every step, turn 180° counterclockwise, trot toward the entrance, and exit the venue.
Manuscript Cod.Ms.3227a of around 1390 is the first book that documented Johannes Liechtenauer’s fencing theory. Folio 78r contains the possibly oldest extant written instruction on “fencing with the staff.”
[78r] Fencing with the staff
Anyone aspiring to learn fencing with a staff should first know and observe that a right staff should be twelve spans long. And fencing with the staff derives from fencing with the sword. And as one fights with the sword, so shall he also fight with the staff. And the principles that belong to the sword, such as boldness, speed, cunning, cleverness, etc., also belong to the staff.
Using the “small span,” twelve spans would be 1.80 m.
Using the “great span,” twelve span would be between 2.64 and 3.36 m.
To use the staff in a similar way as the sword, 1.80 m would be much better.
Seated fencing master, presumably intended to represent Liechtenauer, in Cod. 44 A 8, 2v (from 1452). From Wikipedia.
Note: The following is is from a 1988 paper that recorded the early exchange between Okinawa and Fuzhou.
Recent Contacts of Martial Arts Between Fuzhou And Okinawa (1988)
To promote the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Japan, the Wushu circles of Fuzhou and Okinawa have been in frequent contact in recent years. Both of them have made efforts to develop and popularize Wushu. In 1981, an Okinawan Wushu delegation came to Fuzhou to seek the origin. They brought with them a friendly letter by the mayor of Ginowan, Mr. Ashitomi Seishin (1930-2011). After that, the Wushu circles in Fuzhou and Okinawa have been in closer contact. In March 1981, headed by Mr. Tomoyose Ryūkō, Mr. Higa Toshio, and Mr. Uechi Kanmei, a Wushu delegation from Japan Okinawa Uechi-ryū Karate Association came to pay a friendly visit to Fuzhou. The delegation leader Mr. Tomoyose Ryūkō said,
“We have come on purpose to visit our relatives and friends. Fuzhou is the place of origin of our Karate. Mr. Zhou Chihuo was our originator. When Uechi-ryū Karate takes part in the Japanese national Wushu contests, we always tell others that we are disciples of Mr. Zhou Chihuo.”
He expressed the wish to find the evidence of Mr. Zhou Chihuo [Zhou Zhihe]. In searching for it, the school later sent its members to pay friendly visit to Fuzhou and made some performances. In order to sing high praise for the traditional Sino-Japanese friendship, Fuzhou sent the ascertained materials about Mr. Zhou Chihuo to the Japanese friends. After that, Uechi-ryū Karate Association came once again all the way to Fuzhou. Before coming, president of the association Mr. Uechi Kanei, wrote a letter, in which he said,
“I’m glad to learn that you have accertained the life and deeds of my Chinese grandfather, and the master of Uechi Kanbun. We are more assured that Fuzhou is the birthplace of our Uechi-ryū Karate. We will go once again to pay homage to your city. Fuzhou is the second hometown of my father, so on this trip I will bring with me not only my wife, my brothers and sisters and my sons, but my disciple Tomoyose Ryūkō, and his disciples as well.”
How emotional his words are! Fuzhou, Okinawa! Okinawa, Fuzhou! At the same time, North American Uechi-ryū Karate Association in the U.S.A. also received a notice from its headquarter in Japan and came to Fuzhou, too. One leader of our municipal Wushu Association presented a picture of Mr. Zhou Chihuo to Mr. Uechi Kanei. Mr. Tomoyose Ryūkō composed a poem impromtu. And George Mattson sent a copy of the “The Tang Hand“ (Karate)” written by himself to the Fuzhou Wushu Association. Mr. Tomoyose Ryūkō even suggested exchanging Wushu delegations among the cities of Fuzhou, Naha, and Boston, which aroused great interest.
I have previously noted about Yakā no Sai, explaining the meaning of the word yāka and so forth. In the meantime, I stumbled upon the oldest reference I could find so far explaining the meaning of yāka (guardian) as a royal bodyguard.
Yara Chatan of Shuri during the reign of child-King Shō Sei (r. 1802–1803) learned Shōrin-ryū kenpō in China and returned home. Later he came to be known as a master of sai and served as the prince’s bodyguard, or yāka (also known as a “guardian”).
Once, in the dark of night, a thug approached the prince with murderous intent, but [Chatan Yara] defeated the thug while carrying the prince on his back.
Later, [Chatan Yara] incorporated the technique of detecting enemies even in the dark called yāka-furi in Yakā nu Sai.
Now, at that time, the author assumes that a person Chatan Yara not only created Chatan Yara no Sai, but also Yakā no Sai. The origin of this story is unclear and I wonder if it was handed down from Taira Shinken, or if it is barbershop talk. In any case, while the story constructed around it here might be lore, it is the first instance in Oknawa martial arts literature I came across that equates yāka with a bodyguard. Usually, a yāka is a “guardian” or private tutor for royalty and princes and the like. However, they might also have been teaching martial arts to children of nobility, such as can be seen in case of Itosu Ankō, who taught at the Motobu Udun.
Now, how were choreographies of sai kata created in the first place? Where they really created hundreds of years ago and handed down to today?
I have previously noted on a performance of Yakā no Sai (see video at the end of the article) recorded and published by Ageshio Japan, a tourist company that organizes karate and kobudō travels, dōjō visits, BBQ, sightseeing and the like on Okinawa. At that time, Ageshio brought a handful of Okinawa-based teachers to a tournament held in Tokyo to demonstrate kata, filmed them and published them on Youtube.
In my evaluation of the video I noted a number of things as regards the technical content of Yakā no Sai. Since I did so in the German language, which I guess most people do not understand well, I will reapet the points in English below.
Namely, first, it is the highest sai kata practiced in the Taira lineage kobudō on Okinawa. Second, and you will only notice this once you’ve reached the 7th or 8th dan, that is, after a very long time strolling through the ranks, Yakā no Sai largely shares the same enbusen with Hama Higa no Sai, in fact, more than half of the enbusen is the same. Third, Yakā no Sai also features a unique combination of Chatan Yara no Sai, followed again by an almost complete lane from Hama Higa no Sai again. Then there are a few combinations that are typical for saijutsu, and not really unique to Yakā no Sai. In fact, the only technique unique to Yakā no Sai is what is called yakā no furi, or the “Yakā swing.” This is simply a left-right sweep on the middle level (chūdan-renzoku-barai).
It should further be noted that another Taira-lineage kata named Hanta-gwa no Sai is also based on the same enbusen as Hama Higa no Sai and Yakā no Sai. However, since Hanta-gwa no Sai is not practiced in Okinawan Taira-lineage – it is said there were too many kata and it was lost –, the majority of Okinawan and affiliated kobudō practitioners do not seem to be aware of this fact (Note 1).
These facts are important to understand how some of the choreographies of sai kata were probably created. That is, sai kata choreographies where probably designed around a common enbusen, while integrating a few or individual techniques that are unique, such as the yakā no furi, and which then provided the name of the kata. In short, Yakā no Sai as a whole was probably not created by an ancient yakā (guardian, bodyguard), but rather created or enhanced by a modern era kobudōka who built a specific technique into an elaborated enbusen.
Certainly, this raises many follow-up questions which I cannot answer at this point, so this subject needs more and continued study.
Dell Hamby of Shimbukan Ryukyu Kobudo
BTW, as regards repetitions of the same techniques within kata, when using the counting of Inoue Motokatsu, Tawada no Sai as an example has 111 techniques in total. One longer 12-technique combination in the kata appears four times, amounting for a total of 48 out of the total of 111 techniques, or 43,24324 % of the kata. In Akamine Eisuke’s counts, more than 50% of the kata is a repetition of the same combination.
Note 1: You can still find and compare Hanta-gwa no Sai in the Taira-Inoue lineage (See: Ryūkyū Kobudō, Chūkan, 1972, pp. 429–474).
In a similar line of thought as in the previous article, I continue the search for hints to the spread and characteristics of Tsuken-bō.
This time it is about Zakimi bōjutsu, sometimes simply called Zakimi-bō as handed down in Zakimi in Yomitan. It is preserved by the Zakimi Bō Preservation Society (Zakimi-bōHozonkai), established in 1975, and usually performed during the Yomitan Festival and similar events.
Just as in case of the Namihira-bō previously described, Zakimi-bō as well uses 3-foot staffs and 6-foot-staffs as well as spear (yari) against 6-foot-staff in what is called Sī no Bō.
There are a total of eleven kata, namely
1. Ichiban-bō,
2. Niban-bō,
3. Sanban-bō,
4. Fui-uchi-bō (“sudden bō strikes”),
5. Keiryū-bō,
6. 3-foot-staff,
7. 3-foot-staff and 6-foot-staff,
8. Sanbō-bō (three directions or persons bō),
9. Three-person 3-foot-staff,
10. Three-person 6-foot-staff, and
11. Ushiwaka-bō.
A characteristic feature are fierce swings of the bō.
It is said to have been handed down for about 500 years. Although it was interrupted for some reason in the early Meiji period, Zakimi bōjutsu was revived under the direction of Yamashiro Heizō (nickname: Uehara) as “combat kata” based on Tsuken-te (Chikin-dī).
With the above it is possible that this is an original old version of Tsuken-bō as described by Majikina Ankō 100 years ago as follows.
“ There was also a staff method handed down by Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku as Tsuken-bō, which was very similar to the swordsmanship of the Jigen-ryū.
Bōjutsu in Okinawa used the 6-foot-staff and 3-foot-staff. The first represents the spear, the latter represents the sword.”
In short, while long ago Tsuken-bō might have originated on Tsuken Island, it spread out variously long ago to places such as to Zakimi in Yomitan and other places.
As part of my ongoing research into village staff fencing (mura-bō), I stumbled upon this this performance, which took place in Hawaii. I posted about it on Facebook in January 2104.
Back then, the following information came to light.
It is a village bōjutsu of Yomitan called Namihira-bō. According to tradition it was handed down by a servant coming from Tsuken Island. Namely, 250 years ago there was a brave and skilled man named Tsuken Akanā who taught bōjutsu to the youth of Namihira. This was referred to as Tsuken-te (Chikin-dī), or otherwise Tsuken-bō.(*1)
As weapons, Namihira-bō uses 3-foot-staff (sanshaku-bō) vs 6-foot-staff (rokushaku-bō) as well as 6-foot-staff vs 6-foot-staff.
From the place of origin, name of the person as Tsuken Akanā, and the name of the technique as Tsuken-te (Chikin-dī) or otherwise Tsuken-bō, it is possible that this is an original old version of Tsuken-bō as described by Majikina Ankō 100 years ago as follows.
“ There was also a staff method handed down by Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku as Tsuken-bō, which was very similar to the swordsmanship of the Jigen-ryū.
Bōjutsu in Okinawa used the 6-foot-staff and 3-foot-staff. The first represents the spear, the latter represents the sword.”
Using both 3-foot-staff vs 6-foot-staff, with the first possibly still resembling the swordmanship of Jigen-ryū after so many generations, Namihira-bō might actually be among the most original survivals of an original Tsuken-bō.
In short, while long ago Tsuken-bō might have originated on Tsuken Island, it spread out variously long ago to places such as to Namihira in Yomitan and other places.
Namihira-bō uses a characteristic way of looking at each other called mijichi, and a special way of shouting called yagui.
What is clearly visible here is that this village bōjutsu uses a different timing than the yakusoku kumite of the kobudō schools. In village bōjutsu many strikes are actually “pulled through” and would penetrate. For this reason, the defending part must signal his defense as being ready before an attack is launched. Other techniques like thrusts (tsuki) are simply shortened while maintaining actual combat distance. In conjunction with performing to the rhythm of musical pieces, these precautions results in a sort of off-beat. However, it is real striking simply adjusted in timing, directions, and extent for safety reasons.
So what about the question raised in the title, “Is Namihira-bō the original Tsuken-bō?”
Well, it can be, or not.
*1: This shows that te (dī) as a suffix refers to techniques, or a martial art skill, irrelevant of it being an armed or unarmed martial art.
It is said that Master Tsuken was defeated during the internal squabble over headship rights under King Shō Gen (r. 1556–1572), and with a stone weighing more than 150 kg attached to him was sunk at Tsuken current, the place with the strongest currents between Tsuken and the main island.
In reality, however, it is said that he hid in Tsuken Pēku Cave in the north of Tsuken Island and taught martial arts to Tsuken Akan’chū. Therefore, [to protect his master from being found,] it is said that Akan’chū never mentioned the name of his master throughout his life, and instead called his style the style of the people of God.
This story is based on the tradition of Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku, who is said to have taught bōjutsu to a certain Tsuken Akan’chū. The oldesst variant says that the technique was called Tsuken-bō, of which there are several versions. More recently, the technique called Tsuken no Kon is also associated with it. Moreover, from the name of the persons, it appears obvious that the technique called Tsuken Akan’chū no Uēku-dī is a direct transmission of this old tradition.
From the above entry of 1981, it is obvious that the technique called Tsuken Sunakake no Uēku-dī is also being associated with the tradition of Tsuken Akan’chū.
All of the techniques are decidedly different kata. Also, researchers concluded that it is impossible that Tsuken Akan’chū received direct personal instruction from Tsuken Uēkata.
Because of these facts, and because the Okinawan schools developed plenty of methods in the post-war period without precisely documenting who did what and when, it is not possible to further break down how the individual techniques came about or whether they are an actual tradition of Tsuken Island or not, or whether they may have been derived from a village bōjutsu, or when exactly they were developed and by whom, or whether the name Tsuken was simply chosen because it provided historical reference without any actual connection being demonstrable. Also, since different Okinawan accounts are often contradictory, there is little hope that they will help in solving anything.
In any case, and while this is an opinion seldom if ever heard these days, it can be that Tsuken Sunakake no Uēku-dī of the Taira lineage is actually associated with the tradition of Tsuken Akan’chū in particular, or with bōjutsu of Tsuken Island in general.
Sources:
Karate-dō Kobudō Enbu Taikai. Uechi-ryū Karate-dō Koza Shūbukan 20 Anniversary Commemoration. Okinawa City, Central Town Hall, May 31. 1981.
