Chōjun Miyagi
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Chōjun Miyagi (宮城 長順 Miyagi Chōjun?, April 25, 1888—October 8, 1953) was born in Naha, Okinawa as the son of a wealthy businessman. Miyagi began his study in karate at the age of nine (or eleven). He first learned martial arts from Ryuko Arakaki, who then introduced him to Master Kanryo Higashionna when Miyagi was 14. Under the tutelage of his Master, Miyagi underwent a very long and ardous period of training.
After the death of Master Kanryo Higashionna, Miyagi travelled to Fukien Province in China as his teacher had done before him. In China he studied the Shaolin and Pa Kua forms of Chinese boxing. From the blending of these systems, the hard linear/external form of Shaolin, the soft circular/internal form of Pa Kua, and his native Naha-Te, a new system emerged. However, it was not until 1929 that Chojun Miyagi named the system Goju-ryu, meaning hard-soft style.
After some years in China, Chōjun Miyagi returned to Naha where he opened a dojo (training hall). He taught for many years, and even though Miyagi's reputation as a karate man was enormous, his greatest achievements lie in the organization of karate teaching methods. He introduced karate into schools and other fields of society. He developed Kata Sanchin - the hard aspect of Goju, and created Kata Tensho - the soft aspect. These kata are considered to contain the essence of the Goju style. Tensho was influenced by the White Crane kata Ryokusku, which he learned from his long-time friend Gokenki. He also created Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni kata in 1940, taking techniques from higher forms (notably Suparempe) and encorporating them into a shorter form. It is said he created these kata to bridge the gap between Sanchin and Kata Saifa, which contains much more complex moves compared to Sanchin kata.
Chōjun Miyagi was a man of extremely mild temperament and it is said that he was a very humble man. He lived according to the principles of martial arts, that of non-violence. Master Miyagi died on Okinawa on October 8, 1953. Some of his more notable students were Seiko Higa (also a student of Kanryo Higaonna), Seikichi Toguchi, Ei'ichi Miyazato (founder of the Jundokan dojo), Meitoku Yagi (founder of the Meibukan dojo, he eventually accepted Master Miyagi's gi and obi from Miyagi's family), and in Japan, Gogen Yamaguchi (who, after meeting Miyagi, spent most of his time studying under Meitoku Yagi).
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