Tag Archives: Matsumura Sokon

Reasonable expectations

Previously, I wrote about “The Four Outer Forms of Postures Discovered by Matsumura” as described and taught by the late Kinjō Hiroshi sensei. These Four Outer Forms are the result of Kinjō’s inductive reasoning and empirical argumentation. Obviously, in Okinawa … Continue reading

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The Mice Athletic Meet – Reality Check on Okinawa Karate Anecdotes

This is about a story from Kinjo Sensei’s last book. It is a rich book with lots of great insights, theories, technical descriptions, thoughts, attempts at classification, personal experiences and so forth. I particularly liked a story from Kinjo’s youth … Continue reading

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The Four Outer Forms of Postures Discovered by Matsumura

(Note: The following is a partly abridged translation of a chapter from Kinjo Hiroshi’s last book. It is presented here for discussion und research purposes for those with ties to Okinawa Karate, particularly those of the Shurite genus.) The Four … Continue reading

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Genealogy of the Bu-family 武姓家譜, otherwise known as the Kayō-family 嘉陽家

This is about the family line where Matsumura Sōkon came from. Originally written in January 2006, and also published in my KARATE 1.0 (2013). In 1719, Matsumura Sokon’s ancestors handed in a petition for recognition of their genealogy by the … Continue reading

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Sakugawa, Matsumura, and the “Illustration of the Arm’s Minor Yin Heart Meridian”

A few years back Patrick McCarthy and Tuttle were planning to publish a new edition of the “Bubishi.” At that time, I had been asked if I’d like to contribute a little extra info, which I gladly did. My article … Continue reading

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Shirotaru no Kon (2) – Kudaka Island and Native Beliefs

In the legend of Shirotaru, it is said that the fruitful harvest from Kudaka Island was dedicated to the people of Tamagusuku district, who began to brew sacred wine from the crop and offered it to the lord Tamagusuku Aji, … Continue reading

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Kata Taught by Matsumura Sōkon (1)

Since I read about Matsumura Sōkon in social networks recently and about the kata he presumably taught, I thought it might be a good idea to remind Karate circles of an eyewitness account about the eminent master. In his 1941 autobiography, … Continue reading

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On the Persistence of Historical Distortions

Back in 2004 or so an old picture found its way onto the cover of a newly published Karate book. The seemingly irresistible narrative spun around it claimed that it showed Matsumura Sōkon and Itosu Ankō, as body guards of the … Continue reading

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How tradition really works

In my last post I raised a hypothetical question which placed Shuri-te in a somewhat unfavorable light. Of course, Shuri-te was meant in sense of Itosu Ankō’s school Karate syllabus. Today I would like to relativize and rectify this biased … Continue reading

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Matsumura Sokon: The Seven Virtues of Martial Arts

by Andreas Quast This is the true story of the seven virtues of martial arts as described by Matsumura Sokon. Considered the primary source-text of old-style Okinawan martial arts, the “Seven Virtues” are admired for their straightforward advice. Handwritten in … Continue reading

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