The Japanese Fighting Arts

At a glance..

This ebook discusses the Japanese Fighting Arts -- Karate, Aikido, Kendo, Judo.

The details..

The Japanese Fighting Arts is an authoritative guide to karate edited by John Goodbody. It traces the origins of karate back to the arrival in China of Bodhidharma or Daruma Taishi in AD 520. This fierce Indian monk was also known as the First Patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China.

Bodhidharma imposed severe discipline on his students at Shaolin Monastery which led them becoming famous for their physical prowess as well as their mental discipline. Shaolin boxing was introduced into Okinawa during either 15th or 16th century when possession of weapons were prohibited among civilians.

Karate only recently came to be openly taught firstly in Okinawa then later Japan where Gichin Funakoshi demonstrated his powers between 1917 - 1922 before going on to become Supreme Instructor for Karate Association with clubs established at leading universities across Japan.

Karate should ultimately consist in mental control over opponents while meditation (mokuso) serves a practical purpose such as clearing thoughts before training so that one can cultivate sixth sense enabling mediaeval samurai's fight effectively even without light.