The Fujian district is the geographical root of most karate-styles due to its proximity to Okinawa. Concerning Goju-Ryu, it was especially Monk Fist (Luohan Quan), Crane Boxing (He Quan) and Tiger Boxing (Hu Quan) that determined the image of Goju-Ryu as it became gradually formed by Kanryo Higaonna and Chojun Miyagi.

The starting point is qinna, meaning 'grappling' or 'seizing' and forms the heart of the Chinese self-defence methods. This qinna is crystallized in ritual form (= kata), whereby every move refers to applications or bunkai in simple (basic) or more complicated and free forms (oyo bunkai). Inclusive of the knowledge of self-defence techniques, kata is also the foundation of energetic qualities such as grounding, rooting, generating power, tension and relaxation, centreing, etc. In short,all those qualities which are necessary for moving in general and self-defence in particular. It is clear that the origin of Okinawan karate and Chinese martial arts -with kata as an example- was, next to self-defence, also of holistic nature because of the great interest in Chinese medicine and the philosophical and spiritual traditions. Partnered exercises (gyaku-te in Goju-Ryu) with qinna, are the basis of kakie'('kokie' in the Fujian dialect), one of the strongholds of Goju-Ryu.( kakie' means "pushing hands)

Goju-Ryu is characterized by emphasizing close-combat fighting. In basic kakie the karate-ka learns the go-aspects such as rooting, absorbing power, using muchimi and ki-expansion. Aspects that are also emphasized in sanchin kata. In fighting-technical refrence the karate-ka learns to use pushing- and pulling-techniques in this phase in order to out-balance his opponent (kuzushi waza) to make the fighting distance suitable to himself. Connected to this, different methods to lock arms (or legs) of the opponent and 'opening up' the vital points (energetic) of the body, follow (kyushu-jutsu).After learning these basics, the applications of the kata are integrated in kakie. The fighting techniques trained in kakie, like so many bunkai kumite, are known as 'gyaku-te' and are divided in categories like e.g. kansetsu waza (manipulations of the joints), nage waza (throwing techniques), shime waza (strangulations) and kyusho waza (manipulations of the vital points). The kakie training is integrated in the total curriculum. As soon as a good foundation is laid in terms of basic techniques and -abilities, kakie training shifts to more free exercising-forms ending in jiyu kakie kumite and iri kumi, the free-fight exercise and competition-form of Goju-Ryu. Many techniques used in kakie and in the bunkai can be traced back to an old Chinese text about fighting arts, the Bubishi.

Because of the knowledge of gyaku-te with kakie as a practical exercise-form, and the energetic qualities of moving, the traditional kata of Goju-Ryu form alpha and omega of karate-do. The influence of modern competition karate (WKF) and the longing for international reputation and recognition, has resulted in many karate styles abandoned their original martial and spiritual orientation. As a result of this, kihon, kata and kumite of these 'modern' styles have degenerated and have developed in the direction of what counts and is allowed in competition.

The loss of knowledge of genuine fighting methods and the spiritual vacuum that occurred during the last decades in these modern styles, has resulted in many karate-ka turning toward the profound fighting traditions of Fujian and Okinawa. (Back to History)