is a

kata ''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practis ...

of apparent Southern Chinese (

Fujian Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its c ...

ese) origin that is considered to be the core of several styles, the most well-known being the Okinawan

Karate (; ; Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fuj ...

styles of Uechi-Ryū and Gōjū-Ryū, as well as the

Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

of Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, Pangai-noon and the Tiger-Crane Combination style associated with Ang Lian-Huat. Tam Hon taught a style that was called simply "Saam Jin" (

Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...

for "Sanchin"). The name ''Sanchin'', meaning "three battles/conflicts/wars" is usually interpreted as the battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit; however, there are other interpretations. Uechi-Ryū practices a form of ''Sanchin'' with "open spear hand" strikes, while the version used by many other styles such as Gōjū-Ryū and Chitō-ryū use a closed fist.

General information

''Sanchin'' uses the "''sanchin'' stance" named for the ''kata''. Practice of ''Sanchin'' seeks to develop the muscles and bones of the body to help the practitioner withstand blows from an opponent, while drilling the basic mechanics of a strike that depends on a stable base. ''Sanchin'' is the first ''kata'' learned in Uechi-Ryū, while other styles may introduce it later. In Gōjū-Ryu, there are two ''Sanchin kata.'' The first, "Miyagi's ''Sanchin''" or ''sanchin dai ichi'', was created by Chōjun Miyagi. The second, "Higashionna's ''sanchin''" or ''sanchin dai ni'' was taught with open hands, as in Uechi-Ryū, but later it was also revised to closed fists by Miyagi's co-student Juhatsu Kyoda, founder of Tōon-Ryū, and adopted by Chōjun Miyagi as well. This ''kata'' was adopted by other styles such as the later Okinawan style

Isshin-Ryū is a style of Okinawan karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku (島袋龍夫) in 1956. Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means, literally, "one heart method" (as in "whol ...

and

Kyokushin is a style of karate originating in Japan. It is a style of stand-up fighting and is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Kyokushin Kaikan is the martial arts organization founded in 1964 by Korean-Jap ...

Some styles use a method of checking strength, posture, hand concentration during the performance of the ''kata'' called . This involves a range of techniques from hard strikes to check the tone of the student's muscles and overall strength to very soft and slow pushes and pulls to test the student's ability to react in order to maintain their position.

References

{{Karate Karate kata

General information

See also

References