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Bunkai is the interpretation of the uses of the
movement of the techniques in the kata. Many operate from the angle of block,
kick and punch. This is operating the kata at the base or primary level. The
other extreme is that all the kata techniques are knockouts, both are correct
but that is not what Karate is about. Look at all the history of Karate and the
other pugilistic arts, the masters are all old and cannot operate from the angle
of power and speed. Karate is a complete art in itself if one knows how to
decipher the forms. Locks, throws, punches, kicks and pressure point techniques
are all present. Only with proper understanding of the whole picture can the art
be appreciated.
Most of the modern systems of Karate have in them the Heian/pinan Katas .These
were abridged from the Kata Kushanku, by Master Itosu .Techniques were toned
down and watered down for the elementary school system. What is not known by
many Karate people is that RoRoKu (Kushanku) and his top student taught many of
the Okinawan masters that came over to Fuchou province in China, White Crane (Hakusuru).
Not only White Crane but female White Crane, Ro Roku.
This was told to me by my colleague Charles Wee. We are all students of Master
Yek Sing Ong based in New Zealand. Master Yek's teacher for 30 years was Master
Huang Shyan Shen. He was the top student of Ro Roku and also the top student of
the famous Taichi master Cheng Man Ching. For years he kept the earlier part of
his life in check for reasons of his own. What does all this have to do with
Karate? I believe, from my understanding, that Karate is a "soft art". |
