Karate

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Karate (空手, karate) or Karate-do (空手道, karate-do) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa-Ken, Japan from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese kenpo. It is primarily a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands. Grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes are also taught in some styles.

A karate practitioner is called a (空手家, karate-ka).

Popular meaning[edit]

Kara (空) could be translated as "empty" and Te (手) could be translated as "hand". In its full meaning, it is called Karate-do (空手道), which in its most simple and most popular translation could mean The way of the empty hand, meaning that karate is performed without weapons in hand. Alternatively Karate-do (空手道) could also indicate an understanding by the practicioner in such a depth, that karate is not simply practiced as a sport but a life style or a way of life with everything and every aspect of it in its entirety in all aspects of life.

Alternative meaning[edit]

Another meaning/reading of Karate (空手) could be split into the kanji Kara (空), which also translates to or can be read as air, the universe, void or empty space. In this regard it could refer to the spriritual part of karate (budhism) such as described in the art of meditation, where the practicioner of karate would empty his mind from thoughts in an attempt to become one with the universe. The meaning of Te (手) would either way simply be translated as hand as explained earlier.

Original meaning[edit]

Originally, karate meant "Chinese art" (唐手, karate or Tang-te). In Japanese the Chinese character Tang was read as Kara. However, in 1937 the meaning of karate was changed and it was read in Japanese as empty hand. If you want to see the "original" meaning and the reasoning for changing the Japanese characters of Karate-do, you may want to see the book Karate-do Kyohan by Gichin Funakoshi where he explains the reasoning for the change of the Chinese/Japanese characters.

History[edit]

Karate can trace its roots all the way back to China, but karate is regarded as having its origin in Japan, especially located to the island of Okinawa. Many of the old Japanese masters travelled to China, some to study the art of writing (Chinese characters), others simply stranded there with their ships (fishermen) and others visited China with the specific goal to study martial arts. There are also indications of Chinese practitioners of martial arts stranding on Okinawa and there teaching their knowledge to the islanders. A well know account of such a Chinese is Kusanku, who is considered the original source of the kata later named Kusanku. At the end of the period of stay, these Japanese nationals returned to their homes, many of them to Okinawa, where they handed down their knowledge to a select few students. One of these are the founder of Goju-ryu. Karate as well as those who taught and those who received training was held a very deep secret until the beginning of the 20th century (1920s or there about). It was not until the early 1920s that karate was made more or less available to the masses. Especially the time after the second world war saw the beginning of karate spreading to the entire world.

Styles[edit]

There are many different styles within karate. The four 'main styles' (Yondai Ryuha) recognized by the Japan Karate-do Federation (JKF) are Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Goju-ryu and Shito-ryu. The following is a list in alphabetical order of (almost) all styles within the karate world. If your style is not mentioned, please add your style to the list.

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