Tag Archives: Matsumura Sokon

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

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Andreas Quast

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”

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Andreas Quast

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

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Andreas Quast

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)

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Andreas Quast

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

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Andreas Quast

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

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Andreas Quast

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

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Andreas Quast

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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On the Matsumura scroll

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Andreas Quast

One of Matsumura’s disciples was the late Kuwae Ryōsei (1856–1926).[1] When after the war his eldest son Kuwae Ryōkei (1886–1966)[2] returned from Taiwan, Nagamine heard that he was in possession of a handwritten manuscript scroll (makimono) prepared by Matsumura himself. And … Continue reading →

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Kyan Chotoku’s wife, Kama

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Andreas Quast
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On the distinction between Shuri-te and Tomari-te

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Andreas Quast

Translator’s note: The Japanese language version of this article published on the Motobu-ryū website has sparked a lot of interest among the international karate and Ryūkyū bugei community. In addition, there was a request for a translation. For this reason I translated it here with … Continue reading →

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