is a traditional style of Okinawan karate. Uechi-Ryū means "Style of Uechi" or "School of Uechi". Originally called Pangai-noon, which translates to English as "half-hard, half-soft", the style was renamed Uechi-Ryū after the founder of the style, Kanbun Uechi,Rymaruk, Ihor. Karate: A Master's Secrets of Uechi-Ryu. p. 19 an Okinawan who went to Fuzhou in Fujian Province, China to study martial arts and Chinese medicine when he was 19 years old.Uechi, Kanei: Seisetsu Okinawa Karate-do: Sono Rekishi to Giho [Skill and Theory of Okinawa Karate. Its History and Techniques]. Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Kyokai, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan 1977.
After his death, in 1948,Mattson, George E., The Way of Karate, Tuttle Publishing, 1963 the style was refined, expanded, and popularized by his son, Kanei Uechi.Mattson, George E., Uechi-Ryu Karate Dō (Classical Chinese Okinawan Self Defense), Peabody Publishing Company, 1998, p. 13
Early history
Kanbun Uechi studied Southern Chinese kung fu and later would refer to the style as Pangai-noon (traditional Chinese characters: )Character Meaning pangai-noon.net meaning "half-hard, half-soft".Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 28. In the late 19th century and early 20th century Kanbun Uechi trained under a teacher and Chinese medicine hawker known in Japanese as Shū Shiwa (Chinese: Zhou Zihe 1874–1926).Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. pp. 19. Shū Shiwa/Zhou Zihe's life is not well documented. Some have suspected without conclusive evidence that he had connection with the secret societies which worked for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the restoration of Ming dynasty.Bishop, Mark (1999). Okinawan Karate. pp. 38–41. Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 31. Research by the Fuzhou Wushu Association reported in 1984 revealed that he was born in the Zhitian Village (直田村) in 1874 to family wealthy enough to have him educated in letters and fighting arts which included weapons and Tiger Fist Kung FuFujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 19. or Huzunquan (虎尊拳, Fujian Tiger Boxing).
The exact provenance of the romanization "Pangai-noon" is not clear, and it may be from the lesser-known Min Chinese language. It is not a Japanese, Okinawan, nor Mandarin Chinese pronunciation of the original characters. The standard Japanese pronunciation of the three characters is han kō nan (はんこうなん), while the standard Mandarin pronunciation is bàn yìng ruǎn. The Cantonese language pronunciation is bun ngaang yun. In modern times, the katakana version of pangainoon (パンガイヌーン・pangainūn) has been used in Japanese writing rather than the kanji (半硬軟). While the Fuzhou Wushu Association confirmed the meaning of "half-hard, half-soft" in interviews in 2012, in 1934, Kanbun Uechi explained to Kenwa Mabuni when asked about the meaning of "Pangai-noon" that it referred to the rapid speed of the kata.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. pp. 30, 74-75: the book reprints parts of that article, 80.
After studying about 10 yearsMattson, George; The Way of Karate. The Way of Karate, Tuttle Publishing, 1963, p. 24.Uechi, Kanei; Seisetsu Okinawa Karate-Dō: Sono Rekishi to Gihō. Seisetsu Okinawa Karate-Dō: Sono Rekishi to Gihō, Uechi-Ryū Karate-Dō Kyōkai, Ginowan 1977, p. 33.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 43. under Shū Shiwa/Zhou Zihe, Kanbun Uechi opened his own school in Nanjing in 1906, and he continued periodic training under Zhou Zihe for a total of 13 years. Three years later, Kanbun Uechi returned to Okinawa, determined never to teach again because reportedly one of his Chinese students had killed a neighbor with an open-hand technique in a dispute over land irrigation.
While in Okinawa, Kanbun Uechi did not teach his martial art. In 1912, a tea merchant and White Crane Kung Fu master Go Kenki (Wú Xiánguì) who knew him settled in Okinawa.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 54. As word spread from Go Kenki that Kanbun Uechi was a skilled martial arts teacher, he received requests to teach but refused.
Due to the economic situation in Okinawa, in 1924, at the age of 47, Kanbun Uechi left for Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to find employment.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 59. While he was working as a security guard for a local cotton spinning mill,Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 64. he was persuaded by a co-worker, Ryuyu Tomoyose, to teach him privately.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 71. After two years of private lessons, Ryuyu Tomoyose and about 30 other men interested in learning convinced Kanbun Uechi to resume teaching. He taught in small rooms in the company dormitory before work, during lunchtime, and after work until 1932 when he opened a general store and the "Pangai-noon Ryu Karate Academy" (半硬軟流唐手術) to the general public.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 72-75. In 1940, he and his students, including his son Kanei, renamed the system "Uechi-Ryū Karate-Jutsu" (上地流空手術) in his honor.Fujimoto, Keisuke (2017). The Untold Story of Kanbun Uechi. p. 80.
Kanbun Uechi's son, Kanei Uechi, taught the style at the Futenma City Dojo, Okinawa, and was considered the first Okinawan to sanction teaching foreigners. One of Kanei's students, Ryuko Tomoyose, son of Ryuyu Tomoyose, taught a young American serviceman named George Mattson who authored several books on the subject and is largely responsible for popularizing the style in America. Uechi-Ryū emphasizes toughness of body with quick blows and kicks. Some of the more distinctive weapons of Uechi practitioners are the one-knuckle punch , spearhand , and the front kick delivered with the first toe (sokusen geri). On account of this emphasis on simplicity, stability, and a combination of linear and circular movements, proponents claim the style is more practical for self-defense than most other martial arts.
In contrast to the more linear styles of karate based on Okinawan Shuri te or Tomari-te, Uechi-Ryū's connection with Chinese Shorin-ken means the former shares a similar foundation with Naha-te (and thus with Gōjū-Ryū) despite their separate development. Thus, Uechi-Ryū is also heavily influenced by the circular motions which belong to the kung fu from Fujian province. Uechi-Ryū is principally based on the movements of three animals: the Tiger, the Dragon, and the Crane.
Kata There are eight empty-hand katas in Uechi-Ryū.Mattson, George E., Uechiryu Karate Do : Classical Chinese Okinawan Self Defense, Peabody Publishing, 1974 Only Sanchin, Seisan, and Sanseiryū come from Pangai-noon; the others were designed and added to the style by Kanei Uechi and other senior students of Kanbun. Many of the names of the newer kata were formed from the names of prominent figures in the art, e.g. Kanshiwa from Kanbun and Zhou Zihe's Japanese pronunciation of his name: Shu Shiwa. The kata are:
: Literally translated as "three fights/conflicts". From the kanji and . Usually interpreted as three Modes/Conflicts: "Mind, Body and Spirit". Sanchin is deceptively simple in appearance. It teaches the foundation of the style, including stances and breathing. Kanbun Uechi was quoted as saying, "All is in Sanchin." : A combination of the first kanji in Kanbun's name, and the last two kanji written in Chinese order of Shu Shiwa's name in Japanese pronunciation. Originally known as "Kanshabu" based on earlier mistranslation of Zhou Zihe's name into Japanese as "Shu Shabu". Created by Saburo Uehara in 1956. : A combination of the first kanji in Kanbun's name, and the kanji for Shu Shiwa's family name (Shu) [see previous note on pronunciation]. Originally known as or "Second Seisan", it was created by Seiki Itokazu in 1956. : Literally translated: "10 fights/conflicts", or a combination of the names of Seisan and Sanchin. Created by Saburo Uehara in the 1950s. : Literally translated: "13". Usually interpreted as "Thirteen modes of attack and defense" or "13 positions to attack/defend from". : Literally translated: "16". Created by Kanei Uechi in 1950. : A combination of Kanbun's first kanji 完 and "fight" 戦. Created by Kanei Uechi in the 1950s. : The kanji was originally pronounced "Sandairyū", literally translated as "36". Sometimes interpreted as "thirty-six modes of attack and defense" or "36 positions to attack/defend from". While apocryphal, the 1977 Uechi-Ryū Kihon (Techniques Book) claims Shu Shiwa was also known as "The 36th Room Priest" to suggest the interpretation of the name as the "36th Room Kata" made from techniques taught individually in the previous 35 rooms.Mattson, George E., The Way of Uechi-ryu Karate, Peabody Publishing, 2010
Ranks These are the ten beginner or Kyū ranks, which in traditional practice count down from 10 to 1. The white, green, and brown belts are standard. Different schools in the same organization may have different designations of the intermediate ranks, such as different belt colors and stripes:
10º Jukyū (White Belt) 9º Kyukyū (White Belt w/1 Green Stripe; Yellow Belt) 8º Hachikyū (White Belt w/2 Green Stripes; Gold Belt) 7º Shichikyū (White Belt w/3 Green Stripes; Blue Belt) 6º Rokkyū (White Belt w/Solid Green Bar; Green Belt) 5º Gokyū (Green Belt w/no stripe; Green Belt w/1 Stripe) 4º Yonkyū (Green Belt w/1 Brown Stripe; Green Belt w/2 Stripes) 3º Sankyū (Brown Belt w/1 Black Stripe) 2º Nikyū (Brown Belt w/2 Black Stripes) 1º Ikkyū (Brown Belt w/3 Black Stripes)
These are the ten black belt or Dan grades:
Shodan (1st degree | Regular Black belt) Nidan (2nd degree) Sandan (3rd degree) Yondan (4th degree) Godan (5th degree) Rokudan (6th degree) (Master's title: Renshi; Black belt w/1 Gold stripe) Nanadan (7th degree) (Master's title: Kyōshi; Black belt w/2 Gold stripes) Hachidan (8th degree) (Master's title: Kyōshi; Black belt w/3 Gold stripes) Kyūdan (9th degree) (Master's title: Hanshi; Black belt w/4 Gold stripes) Jūdan (10th degree) (Master's title: Hanshi; Black belt w/5 Gold stripes)
Originally, Okinawan styles use the gold bars on black belts to denote the various masters titles rather than ranks after fifth dan. Thus one gold stripe designated , two designated , and three designated . In the early 2000s, different Okinawan styles started using the stripes to designate dan grades above godan. Others, including many Uechi organizations, have followed suit, while others have not.
Additional training elements Kanei Uechi, besides adding kata, also introduced a sequence of exercises to the Uechi-Ryū training regimen. The are warm-up and stretching exercises based on Asian school training exercises. The are standardized exercises that incorporate elements of all of the katas of the system as well as additional techniques.
The junbi undō exercises are:Drills in the Technical Fundamentals of Okinawa Kerate-[sic]Dō, English-Japanese poster list displayed in the Okinawa Karate-Do Association Headquarters
(heel pivot) (heel lift) (foot and ankle rotation) (knee circular bend) (leg lift and turn) (straight leg lift) (waist scoop and twisting) (trunk stretch) (double arm strikes) (neck rotation)
The hojo undō exercises are:
(Front kick) (Side kick) (Closed Fist Punch) (Hook Punch) (Snap Block and Flat Fist Strike’)Also called hiraken uke hiraken zuki (平拳受け平拳突き). (Chop, Back-fist, One-knuckle punch) (Elbow strikes) (Turn-Block-Front Kick-Forward Leg) (Turn-Block-Front Kick-Back Leg) (Turn-Block-One Knuckle Punch) (fingertip strikes), also called (front fingertip strikes) (wrist blocks/strikes in four directions) (Fish-tail wrist blocks/strikes) (Deep breathing)