Karate: What styles of Kung-Fu were responsible for creating it?

[Boxing]

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I know "kara" means HAND & "te" means EMPTY, and so together the two words are "empy-hand"

So please no-further explanations on that


What I am curious about is ancient "te"

I know that through cultural exchanges with China, Okinawa was influenced with Chinese Martial Arts, or Wushu, or Kung-Fu... whatever you want to call it.

I know that eventually these martial arts as they were practiced in Okinawa, became known as "te" (hand). It was also known as China/Chinese hand, then later as Okinawa-te (Okinawan hand), then later it broke off into the main separate areas which it was practiced...becoming Naha-te, Shuri-te, and Tomari-te. All being similar with stylistic and focus-specific differences.

What I am trying to figure out,... but have NOT been able to do... is figure out WHICH styles of Wushu/Kung-fu were responsible for the creation of "te."

I keep reading that a few different Chinese styles were combined, and amalgamated...but which one's???

I know for sure White Crane was involved, but the others are a mystery!!!

Some say "Tiger-style" had a heavy influence, specifically "Black Tiger Style"... Does ANYONE know if THAT is true???

What OTHER Chinese styles were key in influencing Karate???


I am MOST interested in Goju Karate's Chinese Martial art influences, and I KNOW one is White Crane, but what about Tiger style?

I am also VERY interested in Shotokan's influences, I want to know what LINEAR Chinese style influenced Shotokan's very "hard" linear straightforward strong style.


I GREATLY value any correct information you can provide!!!

I practiced both Goju Ryu and Shotokan, when I was little, and they're both like nostalgic passions of mine.

Later, I gravitated towards Western Boxing and Muay Thai, as I felt they were more practical, but I have a LOT of love for traditional Karate, and I'f REALLY like to know more about what Chinese styles were MOST significant in its creation!

I especially want to know if "Tiger style" or "Black Tiger Style" was involved!

Whatever relevant information you might have is GREATLY appreciated, and IF you happen to be able to cite sources that would be incredibly helpful!!!

 

[JamesY]

IMO, I think it's Tsing Yi Chuan. I believe Karate is highly influenced by the 5 element fist(Not this segment alone, but I think that's what's the bulk of the style is based off of).

Pounding/Pao Chuan(Fire) - A reverse punch, going strait through an opponent, or any strike with a thrusting moment, like front/side thrust kick)

Crushing/Beng Chuan(Wood) - Perhaps a vertical jab or front snap kick to the solar plexus, keikoken(Idk if I spelled it right,but in english, I think it's called a sun fist, it's striking with a closed fist with the index knuckle sticking out) to the CV-24 just underneath the bottom lip, or any weak strike with a quick recoil to the a sensitive area, or an ippon nukite(Single finger strike), to the throat or eye, just giving you ideas of what kind of strike fits the category of the Tsing Yi fist.

Splitting/Pi Chuan(Metal) - Shuto, ridge hand, hammer fist, axe kick, any strike that involves splitting down.

Drilling/Quan Chuan(Water) - Uppercut, rising punch(age zuki), strikes that are in a upward motion.

Crossing/Heng Chaun(Earth) - Hook punch, cross punch, back fist, any strike crossing the center.

Most of the movements in a lot of Karate styles go towards/through an opponent like some of the forms in Tsing Yi.

Or maybe the Undo Chi Kara(The Moving Forces), which was based of the system Chin Na.

Examples

1)Breath Control - Breathing through your movements, or even a kiai. Intense breathing that is in San Chin Kata and Ten Sho Kata. Meditation mokuso, gasho(pardon my spelling, but it involves a strong inhalation and swallowing the air, and when the Sensei says "Gasho Yamei!" you exhale slowly).

2)Applying Pressure - Disorienting your opponent by rubbing/pushing/poking through nerves or channels. Like in San Chin Kata where the simultaneous middle block comes in, you can use that against a two handed choke, by using the torquing motion of the blocks to push down near the lung 6(the meat of the forearem) on both arms, causing the Chi to move away from him with barely any strength to choke from that position. Or when an opponent does a lapel grab, a simple low block or even a downward elbow to strike down lung 5(Right at the end of the radius or the inside of his elbow), to drop the opponents Chi.

3)Joint bending - hyper-extending joint past the comfortable peak of flexibility. A morote(pardon my spelling)--- simultaneous middle block and low block could be used for an arm bar in two different ways: if an opponent were to throw a punch(I personally think the best way to get a lock off of a strike is to disorient an opponent with a strike after the block first), use can use the middle block underneath his TH-12(Slightly past his elbow) for the fulcrum, and the low block as the downward movement to bend/twist his arm(You don't want to keep the low block motion as a closed fist, use that hand to grab the wrist to twist to compliment the bending on his arm, just an application).

4) Striking vulnerable or paralyzing areas - Self explanatory

5) Choking or Rendering Unconscious - A Te Uke/Te Katana could be used for a guillotine.

6) Holding/Grappling - Catching a punch with a hooking block( It's hard to explain but you catch a punch by flexing your bicep. Lol) Or maybe an upward block towards an opponent punch closer to the opponent's shoulder and wrapping the arm around in form of a chamber.

7)Throwing/Sweeping - Here's a very excellent example: In Nai Han Chi Sho or Teki Shodan, the beginning of the form starts from the hook stance, stepping into horse stance or yoidachi(Depending on which style of Karate), with a haishu or back of hand block. An opponent steps through with a punch, you step off line blocking past his punch with a parry, pivot to a horse stance while facing behind him(make sure your waistline is underneath your opponent's waistline, you should be behind him, yet side to side with him), and use that parrying arm as a haishu near his neck to push the opponent back and down. If you can't reach the persons neck, use the elbow of the haishu block to push back his elbow. Your opponent should fall off of the top of your leg(Quadriceps).

8) Absorbing or controlling pain or punishment - conditioning, break falls, blocking, tension while taking strike.

9) Countering - Every form of defense/offense has a counter.

And obviously these styles are Chinese.

I hope this helps.

There are strikes within Karate systems that are animal influenced, but I can't speak for every style on that note.

 

[Shienaran]

I'm no expert and I'm sure the more experienced members like Shihan J, pugpaws, Aaron J and others can probably give a more detailed answer. But to my knowledge, the name Shorin from Shorin ryu karate is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Shaolin, so my guess is besides White crane, you can probably look to other kung fu styles that came from the Shaolin temple at that time as influences.

 

[AaronJ]

White Crane, Whooping Crane*, Hsing/Xing Yi, Shaolin Monk Fist*, are all 'known' influences of Okinawan martial arts. However it should be noted that there are over 1,000 years of contact between the Ryukyu islands and China starting in the late 600's*. So there are many, many possible influences of Okinawan martial arts.

Goju Ryu was heavily influenced by White Crane, namely because of Xie Zhongxiang (Ryuru Ko) who taught Higaonna Sensei his altered system of Whooping Crane Kung Fu.

Goju Ryu was also influenced by Shaolin Monk Fist, and Baguazhang, when Miyagi Sensei spent his time in China in the Fuzho Province (also Fujian).

The linear style that you are looking for comes from the Shaolin influence.

There's a great person to ask any questions on Goju Ryu on here. His sn is nwohioguy, and he is quite knowledgeable.

EDIT - To satisfy your hunger for the Tiger Style and it's involvement in Karate's development, I will offer this. Tiger was a style taught at the Shaolin Temple so it may have some influence. Even though many different styles have had influence throughout the years, the most notable are the White Crane of Shaolin and Hsing Yi.

Shotokan is of similar origins as Goju Ryu with Sokon/Bushi Matsumura studying White Crane as well in China, and Ankoh Itosu studying under him. Those two trained Gichin Funakoshi who formulated Shotokan from that while in Japan.