Okinawan White Crane

By Renshi Graham Moughton

Okinawan White Crane ia a system of self-defence which combines foot techniques, hand techniques, seizing and controlling, and is renowned for its rapid hand techniques and strikes executed in conjunction with devastatingly effective pressure point attacks, with quick footwork, rapid arm movements, combined with precise soft and hard techniques, all used to defeat superior strength or size. Consequently, attacking the human body’s pressure points with specialised hand strikes became a trademark of Okinawan White Crane.

Several years ago around (1996) I met Martin Watts who walked into our dojo with a very interesting mind set. It was a Friday evening and that week end we there was an open forms competition being held at the Tworiversmeet Leisure Centre sponsored by Andy Lee the local Lau Gar teacher. Well Martin was interested in learning and asked me about the karate kata Tensho. When talking to him I misunderstood him when he was telling me about his Uechi ryu training in Okinawa as white crane was mentioned in the conversation, and as from that day we know and Love him as white crane Martin, which has stuck with him ever since. After class that evening he showed me some Okinawan forms, and I showed him Tensho and Sanchin no Kata. Over a pint we persuaded Martin to come and enter the open forms competition on that Sunday. Martin was leading the competition with a very strong Chinese crane type form, and I was last onto the mat. I performed a traditional Okinawan karate kata called Sepai, and was fortunate enough to win the competition, our trophies stand side by side in my display cabinet. At the time I was trying to discover older kata and was researching Uchinadi old style, and Martin suggested I look at Uechi ryu. A little known traditional Okinawan Karate ryu developed by Kanbun Uechi and was originally called Pangi Noon a Southern Chinese art from Fukien Province. (see Ni Kawa Kai Technical Bulletin Vol 3 No.1). Very similar to White Crane, and Although rare in the western world, White Crane is a famous fighting system in Southeast Asia.

Kanbun Uechi wrote that Wu Xiangui (Go Kenki in Japanese)
taught....White Crane....gungfa every evening in Naha.
Patrick McCarthy The Bible of Karate Bubishi

Kenwa Mabuni was also exposed and influenced by White Crane through Wu Xiangui (Go Kenki), who taught him Fujian White Crane techniques in the form of Hakutsuru the form I am now practising. I discovered this interesting kata by an accident of fate, I purchased two video’s discussing Okinawa Kobudo Sai, Bo, Nunti Sai and Nunchuku, taught by Shinpo Matayoshi. Throughout the video there are short excerpts of Okinawan karate master Shinpo Matayoshi practising ‘Hakutsuru' on the beach. At the end of the video master Shinpo Matayoshi demonstrates the whole form. However throughout the clips it has become apparent that there may several variants of this form. There is a mention of Hakutsru in Patrick McCarthy’s book Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts Koryu Uchinada.

Historical information associated with White Crane

White Crane itself can be divided into numerous schools, each with its own special characteristics and emphasis in training. However, the root of all White Crane styles remains the same.

The founder of white Crane was a woman the ‘Fang Chi-Niang’, who was inspired by the tenacious fighting spirit of crane, which seemed to block with its wings and hit with its beak, Impressed with this fragile creature, she decides to mimic the crane until she mastered its movements. Developing quick foot work and rapid hand movements. Fang Chi-Niang was borne and lived in the Fukien province, where Pangi Noon was developed.

Fang Chi-Niang was already a master of traditional Chinese martial arts and combined these with movements she witnessed while observing the behaviour of cranes in the river near her home. This was the beginning of the Southern White Crane system, which now includes four major divisions: Ancestral Crane, Eating Crane, Shouting Crane and Flying Crane, however Such stories are best understood in modern terms as metaphors or illustrations of the basic principles of a given martial style, and due to this proliferation of romanticised stories, it is very difficult to establish true fact from folk lore. Such names as Sleeping Crane or Jumping Crane relate to certain characteristics surrounding the movements of the system,. 'Sleeping' may refer to the idea that the Crane practitioner is motionless until the opponent moves, at which time s/he physically explodes into defence while maintaining mental and spiritual calm. 'Jumping' refers to the jumping movements used in strategic footwork and escape.

Another story or metaphor regarding the birth of White crane follows official research carried out in China has traced the origins and history of the White Crane style of Kung Fu to Fang Chi-Niang daughter of a Wushu Master. They moved to Fujian province after the death of her mother, and In the best tradition of kung fu stories her father died defending her honour from unwelcome suitors. Only seventeen at the time . she vowed revenge.

It is said that during this time she dreamt that she was fighting a white crane but it evaded her attacks easily, using its powerful wings to strike back at her . After the third night of this dream she realised that she should adapt her fighting style to incorporate the crane’s agility and grace. It’s ability to strike quickly and accurately.

Also White Crane is also believed to be one of the original five animal systems, which also found its way into Tibet which over the years developed into La Ma.

Almost all hand to hand combat methods include grabs, holds and locks, in China these techniques are known as Quin Na. ‘Quin’ means to ‘seize or catch’, and ‘Na’ means to ‘hold and control’. White Crane is especially famous for ‘Quin Na’.

Okinawan White Crane is said to have been passed down through the lineage of Bushi Matsumura Okinawan martial arts master and Royal bodyguard, and Gokenki a Chinese tea merchant who taught the Crane system on Okinawa at the turn of the 19th century. There are presently three Okinawan White Crane kata with the prefix of Hakutsuru, and one of Chinese origin:-

i) Hakutsuru Sho
ii) Hakutsuru Dai
iii) Hakutsuru San He
iv) GoGyo Hakutsuru

Okinawan White Crane is primarily a defensive system which specialises in close combat. Kicks are low and hands are used extensively in techniques which derive from the shape and movements of the Crane's wings or beak. The Crane is known for its dignity and calm appearance but also for the viciousness with which it defends itself. White crane is a combination of long and short-hand techniques. It employ’s both internal and external methods of training, utilising a wide range of hand and leg manoeuvres. As a rule the techniques apply methods of hitting nerves and pressure point striking, and is said to utilise the foot work of the Ape in combination with the movements of the crane.

The development of Okinawan martial arts has been heavily influenced by both internal and external aspects of the Chinese fighting systems, and training within the Okinawan White Crane demands a conditioned body in order to withstand the great power which can be generated. Without proper and progressive body conditioning and total control over our technique, it is easy to damage joints and internal organs in practice. Also, in order to reach the higher levels the pupil must study and practice White Crane qigong (cultivation of internal energy). For these reasons, only the most elementary of White Crane techniques and forms are taught in the first few years of a students progress.

Kobudo or weapons training, including staff, double sticks, sai, sabre, double dagger, spear and numerous other long and short weapons is also part of Okinawan White crane.

Okinawan White Crane is taught slowly and solidly, with heavy emphasis on stance and footwork. The art is taught hard and fast. Heavy emphasis is placed on discipline, building a strong healthy body and developing the confidence to be both polite and humble. Students are taught to fight properly so that they can appreciate the value of life and the sanctity of each person's body, also moral discipline is pressed upon students from the very beginning.

Okinawan White Crane was considered secret and was never taught to non-Orientals, however today more non-Orientals are now practising.
Okinawan White Crane continued:-

The kata Hakutsuru is rarely seen outside of the far East, and imitates the delicate movements of the white crane. This kata, has been secretly guarded, and was brought to Kumemura Village Okinawa by Chinese immigrants known as Sanjuroku Seito or the thirty-six families. Shrouded in mystery, this kata is perhaps the most beautiful in the karate kata repertoire.

Hakutsuru was practised and taught by Bushi Mtsumura, Kenwa Mbuni, Shinko Matayoshi, Gokenki, and Hohan Soken. It’s graceful and sweeping movements are intricate, and should be performed to the haunting melody of the shakuhachi or Japanese bamboo flute.

Bibliography

Books
G.Mattson Uechi Ryu Karate-do Classical Chinese Okinawan Self Defence Peabody Publishing Company 6th Edition 1993 Brockton M.A
Patrick McCarthy Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts Koryu Uchinadi Vol’s 1 & 2 Tuttle Publishing Boston U.S.A 1999
Patric McCarthy The Bible of Karate Bubishi Tuttle Publishing Boston U.S.A 1995
Michael Rosenbaum Okinawa’s Complete Karate System Isshin Ryu YMAA Publication Center Boston 1961

Web Sites
www.kungfu-taichi.com/styles/hard.html
http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000101.html
http://www.cranekarate.com/whitecrane.html
http://www.videoflicks.com/titles/1123/1123934.htm?SHOW=1&TYPE=3&ASSN=20482
All sites visited August 2004