OTHER THEORIES ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE STYLE GOJU-RYU
Although " Go " it means " hard ", and " Ju " it means " soft "(and this is a fact that transmits the idea of a style that harmonizes the hard thing with the soft thing), it is important to know that Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953) - creator of Goju Ryu Style - established this name inspired by the third verse of the Eight Poems of the " Law of the Fist " (Kenpo Hakku) of the Bubishi Okinawense.
However the meaning of Goju is an universal principle of Chinese Quan Fa, and all the Masters - and all the texts - of Quan Fa insist in the fact that this Chinese principle is nonexistent in the Japanese Karate, and in many styles of the Okinawa's Karate too. This statement can be clearly seen in the Bubishi, and in several other texts, mainly of South-China.
Miyagi (who was expert in Chinese Quan Fa) knew this principle very well, and he introduced it to correct the too hard Style ("Go") used by his Master Kanryo Higaonna (1853-1917). This principle (called " Pangainoon " in China), it was known by Miyagi, and by the students of Mabuni, with the Japanese name" Hanko-ryu " (or " Hango-ryu "), that it means " half-hard Style ". The Chinese name " Pangainoon " - used by Kankun Uechi in order to define his Style (Uechi Ryu) - it means "half-hard" too.
In fact, at the beginning, the Style of Miyagi, and the Style of Mabuni, both were informally known as " Hanko-ryu ". When Miyagi changed the name to " Goju-ryu ", probably he wanted to give a deeper sense.
In the Bubishi - as in other classic texts about Quan Fa - " Go " it means " to expel " (Tu), and " Ju " it means " swallow " (Tun). These principles are completed through other two called " to float " (Pu) and " to collapse " (Tim), what it is observed in the techniques of deviation of the attacks, in order to unbalance the rival, driving him toward the floor.
" To float " (or to rise) it means that the Ki should arise suddenly, in order to be transferred to the blow.
" Swallow " it means that the Ki should be concentrated on the Tan Tien, in order of being better emitted.
According to the conception of Miyagi, the basic principle of the kata " Sanchin " is to aspire in order " of concentrating ", and to exhale " when emitting ". To these two principles, should be added that it is necessary "to be tightened " in the moment when the blow is achieved, and to relax later, in order of concentrating the energy on the tanden again, and then to reorganize the movements.
Then, it would seem to be that the election of the name " Goju " shows a knowledge that goes beyond the poem of the Okinawan Bubishi.
In his Karate-do Gaisetsu's pamphlets of the year 1938, Miyagi doesn't refer to his Master Kanryo Higaonna as the creator of Goju-ryu, but to a Chinese School of Kenpo that, around 1928, was settled down in Naha. Some of the most known, and most important, Masters of this School were: Sakiyama; Aragaki Seisho; Kojo Taitei; Nakaima and Higaonna.
It is possible that the mysterious Ryu Ryu Ko (or Torin Ryu Ko), could have been one of the consultants of this school, same as Iwah; Wai Shin Zan, and some other ones.
Then, Higaonna would not be the source of all the katas of Goju-ryu, but the school of Quan Fa of Naha where Miyagi investigated, and gathered, most of Goju's katas.
Kyoda Juhatsu, direct pupil of Higaonna, said that this Master only taught Sanchin, Seisan, Sanseiryu, and Peechurrin.
Other katas of this old school of Naha-te (not included by Miyagi in his style Goju-ryu), are: Niseishi (trained by Bugei-Kan and Ryuei-ryu); Sochin; Unsu; Wanduan, and some other one.
In 1936, in the famous meeting of Okinawa's Karate Masters, Ota Chofu said: "We have heard that the local Masters have not studied in China". And Miyagi answered: "I have heard that Matsumura studied in China."
These words seem to be very eloquent. As Miyagi doesn't mention his Master Higaonna, it is possible to think that this last Master didn't learn karate in China, but in Naha.
Some historians sustain that probably the trip of Higanonna to South-China it was a work trip (or a business trip), and not in order to study Quan Fa. These historians also sustain that Higaonna didn't stay in Fuzhou 10 years (as commonly it is said). They sustain he left China, approximately three years after his arrival, on September 18th, 1877. This is less time that the previously thought, and it is corroborated later with existent files in Naha. These files, show that the trip of Higaonna took approximately one month, and that his return to Naha is clearly remembered.
Finally, the testimony of Higaonna's grandson (Shinkumura Saburo) corroborates that the time that Higaonna was in China was not bigger than three years.
This information comes off from the Annual of Tokashiki Ikne Gohakukai, based on its investigation in Okinawa, and in Fuzhou.
In all ways, everything seems to indicate that (consciously, or unconsciously) Miyagi referred with the term " Go " to the hard katas transmitted by Higaonna (Sanchin; Seisan; Sanseiryu and Peechurrin), and with the term " Ju " to the Chinese katas that he gathered himself, where Tensho would be his form of Sanchin, and the others katas (Seiunchi; Seipai; Shisoochin and Kururunfa) would be their favorite soft forms.
Then, Goju-ryu became a mixture of two styles: Shoreiji-ryu Rakkan Ken of Higgaonna (" Go " Style), and Shoreiji-ryu Hakutsuru Ken of Miyagi (" Ju " Style).
Both styles had different conceptions, and they could be learned independently. The style of Miyagi (Tensho; Saifa; Seiunchi; Shisochin; Seipai and Kururunfa) it can also be trained as an only style, without necessity of Higaonna's katas.
Juhatsu Kyoda (To'on-ryu Style) conserved the original katas of Higaonna: Sanchin (that it was a " tetteiteki " exercise); Seisan; Sanseiryu, and Peechurrin (as Higaonna called Shuparunpei).
The fact that the versions of these To'on-ryu's katas are simpler than those of Goju-ryu; shows us that Miyagi revised, and it perfected, these forms.
Kyoda added others katas to complete the system of Higaonna, such as: Jion and Gojushiho (from Yabu Kentsu); Nepai (from Goken Ki), and Rokkishu (a similar form to Tensho, but with more complex movements of hands).
The kata Rokkishu (or Rokkushu) it was probably learned from the exercises of Higaonna - or from any other Chinese Master (in Naha), and it could be the same source in which Miyagi was inspired to create his kata Tensho.
We can conclude that Miyagi had a subtle intelligence, that allowed him to conserve the Chinese tradition of the Okinawa's Tode in its method of Goju, in a Japan with strong anti-Chinese feelings. He was also able to conserve the authentic style Tode, in a time where this tradition was radically modified in order to satisfy Japanese's Budo spirit.
Using his subtle mind, Miyagi followed the strategy of some English poets, who used similar phonetics, in order to hide profane names. This strategy is noticed very clearly in his election of the name " Tensho ", for a kata that is not another thing that the formalization of the Tui Shou (it is important to notice the similar phonetics).
Tui Shou was a Chinese exercise that today can be seen in Tai Chi Chuan; Wing Tsun, etc.
FERNANDO PRIETO
8th. DAN