Chōjun Miyagi
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Chōjun Miyagi (宮城 長順 Miyagi Chōjun?, April 25, 1888—October 8, 1953) was a Ryukyuan martial artist who founded the Goju-ryu school of karate. He was born in Naha, Okinawa and was the adopted 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 Aragaki, who then introduced him to Naha-te Master Kanryo Higashionna when Miyagi was 14. Under the tutelage of this Master, Miyagi underwent a very long and ardous period of training.
| Chojun Miyagi | |
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| Born | April 27, 1888 Naha, Okinawa |
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| Died | October 8, 1953 Okinawa |
| Martial art practiced | Goju-ryu |
| Teacher(s) | Kanryo Higashionna, Ryuko Aragaki |
| Rank | Sōke, Founder of Goju-ryu |
| Notable students | An'Ichi Miyagi, Gogen Yamaguchi, Seiko Higa, Seikichi Toguchi, So Nei Chu[1], Ei'ichi Miyazato, Meitoku Yagi |
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, and even Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo, came to Okinawa to learn specific karate takedowns, his greatest achievements lie in popularization and the organization of karate teaching methods. He introduced karate into Okinawa police work, high schools and other fields of society. He revised and further 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-ryu style. The highest kata, Suparimpei is said to contain the full syllabus of Goju-ryu kata. Shisochin was Miyagi's favorite kata at the end of his years. Tensho was influenced by the White Crane kata Ryokushu, which he learned from his long-time friend Gokenki. With a goal of unification of various karate styles which was in fashion at that time (see Funakoshi Gichin for his works in Japan), he also created more Shurite-like katas Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni in 1940, taking techniques from higher forms (notably Suparimpe also upper block was uncommon for Goju-ryu at that time) and incorporating them into a shorter forms. It is said he created these kata to bridge the gap between Sanchin-kata and Saifa kata, which contains much more complex moves compared to Sanchin kata. However, Gekisai katas are learned before Sanchin-kata now.
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 in Okinawa on October 8, 1953 from second heart-attack (first took place on 1951).
Some of his more notable students were Seko Higa (also a student of Kanryo Higaonna), Seikichi Toguchi (founder of the Shorei-Kan dojo), Miyazato Ei'ichi (founder of the Jundokan dojo), Meitoku Yagi (founder of the Meibukan dojo, he eventually accepted late master Miyagi's gi and obi from Miyagi's family), Tatsuo Shimabuku (founder of Isshin-ryū), and in Japan, Gogen Yamaguchi (founder of Goju-kai and who, after short training with Miyagi, spent later most of his time studying katas under Meitoku Yagi while being himself a representative of Goju-ryu in Japan).
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[edit] Successor
"Let me first say that I was not named the successor of goju-ryu by Miyagi, bot nor was anyone else. There are some goju-ryu teachers who claim to have been privately appointed successor by Miyagi. These claims are ludicrous and disrespectful of his memory. He never publicly named anyone as successor. Common sense would dictate that if he were to appoint someone, it would have been a longtime student and it would have to be of public record to have any value. Miyagi was not a man to do things in a haphazard manner - everything was very deliberate and precise.
It would also be logical to assume that since Miyagi would not grant dan ranking, how then would he be inclined to name a successor? I feel Miyagi would be rolling in his grave with the plethora of ridiculous claims about this manner." - Seikichi Toguchi [2]
[edit] Writings
- Miyagi, Chojun. "Karate-Do Gaisetsu. Outline of Karate-Do". March 23, 1934 (Showa 9). Reprint published in 1999 by Patrick McCarthy. Translated by Patrick and Yuriko McCarthy, 1993. Also in: Higaonna, Morio. "The History of Karate: Okinawan Goju-Ryu".
- Miyagi, Chojun. "Historical Outline of Karate-Do, Martial Arts Of Ryukyu". January 28, 1936. Translated by Sanzinsoo. In Japanese: "Ryukyu Kenpo Karatedo Enkaku Gaiyo", essay appeared in "Okinawano Karatedo" by Shoshin Nagamine (1975, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha) and "Okinawaden Gojuryu Karatedo" by Eiichi Miyazato (1979, Jitsugyono Sekaisha).
- Miyagi Chojun et al. "The Meeting of Okinawan Karate Masters" Fragment of the 1936 meeting records. Published as an Appendix of "Karatedo Dai Hokan", by Kanken Toyama. Pages 377-392 (Tsuru Shobo, 1960). (translated by Sanzinsoo)
- Miyagi Chojun. "Breathing In and Breathing Out in accordance with Go and Ju , a Miscellaneous Essay on Karate". First published in "Bunka Okinawa" Vol.3 No.6, August 15, 1942. Republished in "Chugoku Okinawa Karate Kobudo No Genryu" written by Masahiro Nakamoto, April 1, 1985 by Bunbukan. Translated by Sanzinsoo.
[edit] Sources
- Miyagi, Chojun: Toudijutsu Gaisetsu (Outline of Karatedo ) Chojun Miyagi, Original publication. Okinawa ©1933 - Japan. International Ryukyu Karate Research Society Yokohama Japan © 1934.
- Nakaima Genkai. "Memories of my Sensei, Chojun Miyagi". In: "Chojun Miyagi the Karate Master. His kindness is infinite. He preaches morality." in: local monthly magazine "Aoi Umi" No.70 February 1978 issue (pages 99-100) published by Aoi Umi Shuppansha. That special issue featured Okinawan karate masters. Fragment translated by Sanzinsoo.
- ^ The Karate Genealogy of Sosai Mas Oyama
- ^ Toguchi, Seikichi (2001). Okinawan Goju-Ryu II, Advanced Techniques of Shorei-Kan Karate, 26. ISBN 0-89750-140-3.
