KATA IS NOT A KARATE WORD

[isshinryuronin]

"Kata" is automatically associated with karate, especially in the West, but it's more than that. It's a Japanese term for structure, shape/form or guideline/template as best as I can understand it not being Japanese. It one of those Oriental concepts difficult to define in English. Anyway, it's in these terms I'll discuss it and its relationship to karate.

There is kata in Nature: Principles/"rules" of physics and biology that define their structure and allow their various processes to function. There is kata in society, social norms that help define the culture and promote harmony. Yet, there are many personalities. It is a behavioral template to work within. But within this structure, these guidelines, there are almost boundless possibilities. I think all this was the concept behind karate kata as well.

I don't know who associated this word with the sequenced movements of karate or when this happened. Since kata is a Japanese word, it was probably not used during karate's development in Okinawa in the 19th or at the turn of the 20th century. But was the concept used, perhaps with a different name, or no name at all? The old Okinawans were not big on terminology (It wasn't needed as knowledge was passed on by direct physical teaching). This is one reason there is so little written info on early karate.

We know little of how the old masters viewed kata, of how "katafied" (structured) the routines were and exactly how they were intended to be used as a way to practice the art. Certainly, they became more "katafied" (I like this term!) as karate moved into Japan, a very structured society that puts its mark on everything in the interest of harmony and organization. But even so, karate kata, structured as it is, is not meant to be set in stone. Just like the kata of insects imposes 6 limbs, 4 wings (even flies have a pair of "knobs" replacing the second pair of wings), 3 body parts, etc., there are said to be over 5,000,000 different species.

So, if the concept of kata is taken as described, yes, it is structured and to be done in a certain way, but it's just a template to ensure proper elements and principles are retained and still allows a lot of variations and personalities.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

"Kata" is a Japanese term for ...

I think it's not proper to use foreign terms and expect people to Goggle the true meaning.

I use the term "Chinese wrestling" instead of the Chinese term "Shuai Chiao" for the same reason. If I can save even just 1 person to Goggle the meaning, it will be worthwhile.

When I jointed in a Judo forum many years ago, I had to Google a lot of Japanese terms such as:

- Harai Goshi
- Kosoto Gari
- O Goshi
- Ouchi Gari
- ...

It was very painful for me. I don't mind learning a new foreign language. But to learn by my own well and to be forced to learn are 2 different things.

 

[_Simon_]

Very well said mate. Like you allude to, I see it as a template to explore movement and what principles it's communicating. It's not some rigid shape and superficial thing nor some dead ritual or tradition, but something that's very alive. Kata communicates and teaches something deeper than just rigid shape, and not only structure, biomechanics, alignment, posture, power generation etc, but to me also a far deeper connection with the body, its relationship to the mind and that whole interplay. Learning such control and intimacy with the moment and your physicality really improves your general awareness of how to  use everything consciously and with intention.

Kata is often literally translated as a shape cut into the ground/earth, but another term I heard used that it's helpful to see it as a mould. So beyond even bunkai/oyo, with enough practice it moulds us and teaches a type of body intelligence. With that instilled you then  use that in a myriad of ways. Often those who deeply misunderstand kata let alone our kihon/fundamentals training state our fighting looks nothing like our training. I often feel its as they're looking superficially and don't really know what they're looking at or looking for. Confusing the form for the expression and manifestation of principle. And in terms of training kata I find it's a patience thing as well, it takes great practice and experiential diving into it.

And also, it's just not for everyone. It's not a style of learning suited to all, and that's completely fine.

Like you say the word kata is a reference to a way of doing or approaching things that extends beyond just a "form in karate".

 

[BrendanF]

As someone who has never trained in karate, but who has studied several Japanese martial arts, it always strikes me as odd when I (commonly) encounter people using the term kata to refer to solo patterned movements a la karate kata.
In traditional JMA, the term is so much more frequently used to refer to partnered, two-person drills that the word kata immediately conjures that image for me. So when people start discussing the 'disadvantages of kata training' - by way of meaning the disadvantages of solo, 'shadowboxing' style training, it seems bizarre. ANY time someone shows you something, and has you repeat it - learn it - whether demonstrated/practiced 'against' someone else or not - one is doing kata.

 

[hoshin1600]

I agree with @BrendanF .
Kata is not necessarily solo practice. I would also not define kata strictly as a structure, shape or form. That is a description of the objective, which misses the underlying reason for its utility.
For me kata is a process.
Kata is a practice of repetitive action that uses self evaluation as a tool for improvement.
Kata uses three steps.
1. Perform the action.
2. Self evaluation.
3. Repeat the action with corrected intent.
The process must start with an ideal.(internal self goal or external demand) What is the perfect version or outcome? In Okinawan this is called shimejurusan kata. The person would then need to evaluate where they are today in relationship to that ideal and find the deviation. The person would implement corrective actions then Re-evaluate the results to see if there was improvement and if those corrective actions were effective. If not then another course of action is tried. Once satisfied with the measured improvement the next identified deviation from the ideal will be worked on.
Kata is all around us. Kata is life. Life itself demands it.
The virus tries to live while killing the host, the host modifies itself to live. the virus changes to correct for the change in the host.
Kata is change, growth and improvement. I find it humorous (and often annoying) when people scoff at the use of kata then go play a round of golf or go to the shooting range with their gun. MMA guys will spend hours working on their double leg take down or what ever then bash the very concept they have themselves been employing for years.
For me, kata is not dancing around by myself in white pajamas. It's a very defined process for measured improvement.

ADDED EDIT:
the reason people find fault with kata is not the process itself but because they don't agree with the chosen ideal.

 

[Hot Lunch]

It wouldn't surprise me if there's a similar term in Uchinaaguchi. For two reasons:

-If CMA has always called it taolu, then it stands to reason that when Okinawans learned forms from the Chinese, they either would have adopted the word taolu, or translated it into Uchinaaguchi.

-The word "kata" had been used outside of martial arts long before karate made its way to Japan. Most notably, in reference to the movements performed on stage by kabuki. Kabuki was well known in Okinawa; in fact, Japanese kabuki inspired Okinawans to create their own version, called kumi odori. This occurred in the early 1700's. Although this doesn't necessarily mean that Okinawans would apply the term to karate, the Okinawans would have been aware of the term - and would either have adopted it from the Japanese, or translated it into Uchinaaguchi.

 

[isshinryuronin]

It wouldn't surprise me if there's a similar term in Uchinaaguchi. For two reasons:

-If CMA has always called it taolu, then it stands to reason that when Okinawans learned forms from the Chinese, they either would have adopted the word taolu, or translated it into Uchinaaguchi.

-The word "kata" had been used outside of martial arts long before karate made its way to Japan. Most notably, in reference to the movements performed on stage by kabuki. Kabuki was well known in Okinawa; in fact, Japanese kabuki inspired Okinawans to create their own version, called kumi odori. This occurred in the early 1700's. Although this doesn't necessarily mean that Okinawans would apply the term to karate, the Okinawans would have been aware of the term - and would either have adopted it from the Japanese, or translated it into Uchinaaguchi.

But was the concept used, perhaps with a different name, or no name at all?

The more I think of this question I posed, the more I think they had no name for it at all. I think the idea of "kata" in the broad literal sense of the word (meaning structure or form), as well as it being applied specifically to karate, is purely a Japanese invention. I would go so far as to propose, not only "KATA IS NOT A KARATE WORD," it's not even an Okinawan karate concept!

The old masters referred to what we now call kata as "fighting systems." Kusanku kata was the fighting system/style master Kusanku used. Chinto kata was simply seen as being representative of the fighting system/style Chinto used. Seiuchin was a system of grabbing and controlling.

The very action of the Japanese naming them kata was itself an expression of kata (in the literal sense) in that it put guidelines, structure limitation and expectations on them, changing the essence of what they were. This is similar, I think, to quantum physics which says that observing an electron automatically changes its nature.

In other words, by the very action of naming these collections of sequenced combinations "kata" they changed their nature. The expectations of today's kata are different from what they once were. Exact stances, guard, posture, kiai which are so stressed in kata nowadays (conforming to the literal definition of kata) was not stressed as much in the past, before they were restricted by the term "kata" (beyond allowing effective fighting). If you look at the oldest videos of old Okinawan masters, their kata looks very un-kata-like, maybe appearing a little sloppy as they were less bound by the "structure/form" that is the Japanese definition of the concept of kata.

This, at least, is my hypothesis. Today, kata is what it is and is what we all learned as karate practitioners. But maybe something to keep in mind.

 

[Gyakuto]

(even flies have a pair of "knobs" replacing the second pair of wings), 3 body parts, etc., there are said to be over 5,000,000 different species.

‘Halteres’ and only in diptera or two winged insects like hover flies (bees have two pairs of wings). The halteres are vestigial structures from the missing set of wings and swing about 180 degrees out of phase with the wings providing added stability (A Level ‘entomology speciality module’ knowledge from 40 years ago!)

Please ignore me.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I'm not sure it matters.

 

[Gyakuto]

I'm not sure it matters.

I have to admit, that was my thought when reading the OP, but then this forum is all about navel gazing.

 

[Badhabits]

I've got a karate book around here somewhere, when talking about stances the author uses the term tachi-kata repeatedly. He seemed to attach the word kata to pretty much anything when it pertained to the form/demeanor of what he was talking about. Right on up to the mental state that goes with certain things.

 

[Hot Lunch]

I have to admit, that was my thought when reading the OP, but then this forum is all about navel gazing.

I reread the name of the thread. It looks like the premise of the OP is that kata is not a karate word, because it's Japanese. The problem with that is... the word "karate" itself isn't even a karate word by that logic.

It is claimed that the "唐" could also be pronounced "kara" in Uchinaaguchi (which I'm not able to verify, as there are very limited resources for Uchinaaguchi on the web), however "手" is pronounced "di" in Uchinaaguchi, and not "te." We all know it was called "tudi" in Uchinaaguchi, but if the claim that "唐" can also be pronounced "kara" is correct, then we get "karadi."

Like it or not, karate has "Japan" all over it and embedded into it - even the Okinawan styles. If that weren't the case, we wouldn't have the ability walk into a dojo down the street and sign up in the first place.

I understand there's a similar deal with Oktoberfest. Originally Bavarian, but Germany as whole is embedded into it. And get this - Oktoberfest is a German word. In Bavarian, it's "Oktobafest."

 

[_Simon_]

I agree with @BrendanF .
Kata is not necessarily solo practice. I would also not define kata strictly as a structure, shape or form. That is a description of the objective, which misses the underlying reason for its utility.
For me kata is a process.
Kata is a practice of repetitive action that uses self evaluation as a tool for improvement.
Kata uses three steps.
1. Perform the action.
2. Self evaluation.
3. Repeat the action with corrected intent.
The process must start with an ideal.(internal self goal or external demand) What is the perfect version or outcome? In Okinawan this is called shimejurusan kata. The person would then need to evaluate where they are today in relationship to that ideal and find the deviation. The person would implement corrective actions then Re-evaluate the results to see if there was improvement and if those corrective actions were effective. If not then another course of action is tried. Once satisfied with the measured improvement the next identified deviation from the ideal will be worked on.
Kata is all around us. Kata is life. Life itself demands it.
The virus tries to live while killing the host, the host modifies itself to live. the virus changes to correct for the change in the host.
Kata is change, growth and improvement. I find it humorous (and often annoying) when people scoff at the use of kata then go play a round of golf or go to the shooting range with their gun. MMA guys will spend hours working on their double leg take down or what ever then bash the very concept they have themselves been employing for years.
For me, kata is not dancing around by myself in white pajamas. It's a very defined process for measured improvement.

ADDED EDIT:
the reason people find fault with kata is not the process itself but because they don't agree with the chosen ideal.

Really great post, quite enjoy your perspective on kata. Kata as a process rather than a noun or "thing"...

 

[wab25]

"Kata" is part of the Shu-Ha-Ri method of transmission.

“Shu-ha-ri” literally means embracing the kata, diverging from the kata and discarding the kata. The pursuit of training in a classical Japanese endeavor almost always follows this educational process. This unique approach to learning has existed for centuries in Japan and has been instrumental in the survival of many older Japanese knowledge traditions. These include such diverse pursuits as martial arts, flower arranging, puppetry, theater, poetry, painting, sculpture and weaving. As successful as Shu-ha-ri has been into the modern era, new approaches to teaching and learning are altering this traditional Japanese method of knowledge transmission. Whether traditional Japanese arts and endeavors are successfully passed to the next generation of practitioners is up to the sensei (teachers) of today and their wisdom in confronting the inherent strengths and pitfalls of Shu-ha-ri. In this essay I will focus on Shu-ha-ri and its unique application in the honorable martial discipline of Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin ryu jujutsu.

Teaching and Shu Ha Ri

(THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE METHOD OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSMISSION.) This essay originally appears on the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu website By...

www.kimusubiaikido.com

I highly suggest reading the entire essay, to understand what Shu-Ha-Ri is. Kata is the very first part of the process. When talking about what kata is or is not.... it is important to understand that kata is a piece of something else... a piece of the Shu-Ha-Ri method. Too many people have taken only the kata piece, but not the entire method.... and we now see deficiencies in the piece, without realizing that we are only looking at one piece of the system.

It would be like studying boxing for a year... then moving away and thinking that jumping rope was the entire method of training boxing. You create your own school, and start teaching people "boxing" by making them jump rope. You could even have jump rope competitions. There would be two styles... traditional, where you jumped the rope exactly 10 times, then stopped, completely on balance, on the exact spot that you started on.... and then the modern extreme jump roping, where you do flips and tricks and have LED lighted jump ropes, all done to music. Then people would realize that when you got in the ring to box, you didn't jump ropes... in fact you don't jump at all... and you have to keep your hands up... everything is different. Now, we have a bunch of people saying that jumping rope is not good training for boxing, since it has no punches, no blocks, the stance is wrong.... Any boxing gym that teaches people to jump rope is now considered a Traditional Boxing Gym TBG.... which is fun to study, but now very effective in the ring. All this because the people that originally brought over boxing and started the schools didn't realize that jumping rope was only an exercise that was to be used together with the rest of the training system.... so our boxing schools are entirely based on one part taken away from the complete system.

If you want to understand kata.... understand the system it is a part of.

 

[Hot Lunch]

"Kata" is part of the Shu-Ha-Ri method of transmission.

Teaching and Shu Ha Ri

(THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE METHOD OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSMISSION.) This essay originally appears on the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu website By...

www.kimusubiaikido.com

I highly suggest reading the entire essay, to understand what Shu-Ha-Ri is. Kata is the very first part of the process. When talking about what kata is or is not.... it is important to understand that kata is a piece of something else... a piece of the Shu-Ha-Ri method. Too many people have taken only the kata piece, but not the entire method.... and we now see deficiencies in the piece, without realizing that we are only looking at one piece of the system.

It would be like studying boxing for a year... then moving away and thinking that jumping rope was the entire method of training boxing. You create your own school, and start teaching people "boxing" by making them jump rope. You could even have jump rope competitions. There would be two styles... traditional, where you jumped the rope exactly 10 times, then stopped, completely on balance, on the exact spot that you started on.... and then the modern extreme jump roping, where you do flips and tricks and have LED lighted jump ropes, all done to music. Then people would realize that when you got in the ring to box, you didn't jump ropes... in fact you don't jump at all... and you have to keep your hands up... everything is different. Now, we have a bunch of people saying that jumping rope is not good training for boxing, since it has no punches, no blocks, the stance is wrong.... Any boxing gym that teaches people to jump rope is now considered a Traditional Boxing Gym TBG.... which is fun to study, but now very effective in the ring. All this because the people that originally brought over boxing and started the schools didn't realize that jumping rope was only an exercise that was to be used together with the rest of the training system.... so our boxing schools are entirely based on one part taken away from the complete system.

If you want to understand kata.... understand the system it is a part of.

Shu Ha Ri is a Japanese concept, that didn't even originate in martial arts. It originated in tea ceremonies, and aikido was the first martial art to adopt it.

I think things like this help answer the question "do we make too much of kata."

 

[wab25]

Japan Karate Association discussing the importance of Shu-Ha-Ri in the study of Karate and all budo arts.

11: Shu-Ha-Ri【Kusahara Katsuhide, Chairman of JKA 】 - JKA 公益社団法人日本空手協会

www.jka.or.jp

 

[isshinryuronin]

I reread the name of the thread. It looks like the premise of the OP is that kata is not a karate word, because it's Japanese.

You have grossly misinterpreted the premise. It's not because it's a Japanese word, it's that the root literal meaning has nothing to do with karate. If there was no karate, the word "kata" would still exist. Its association with karate came only after it was introduced to Japan (or so I hypothesize).

The Japanese adopted the art from Okinawa and overlayed their own (Japanese) concepts of what it was and should be in their view. The idea of kata (structure, form, shape) describing the series of karate techniques was an example of their Japanization of the art. Before this time, I know they were sometimes referred to as "fighting systems" (per my post #7).

(the word "karate" itself isn't even a karate word by that logic.

It is claimed that the "唐" could also be pronounced "kara" in Uchinaaguchi (which I'm not able to verify, as there are very limited resources for Uchinaaguchi on the web), however "手" is pronounced "di" in Uchinaaguchi, and not "te." We all know it was called "tudi" in Uchinaaguchi, but if the claim that "唐" can also be pronounced "kara" is correct, then we get "karadi."

This is confusing. It seems you are connecting dots that shouldn't be connected. "Toudi/de" is indeed an Okinawan word, meaning "Chinese hands" describing their TMA. The original Japanese kanji for "karate" also meant Chinese (specifically a particular dynasty) hands. In 1936 the kanji was officially changed to reflect "empty" hands (but was in limited use as early as 1905 in Okinawa), although "toudi" was still widely used in Okinawa well into the 1940's.

Another note: I'm not sure if "toudi" was even written in Japanese kanji (although the Chinese kanji for "tou" can be pronounced as "kara" - in Japanese, not Uchinaaguchi as you state, I think). [note: I'll admit I'm no linguist and only getting in this deep as you brought up this subject.] More likely they used katagana to write it, as this writing system is reserved for foreign words. The original names of the Okinawan kata are still written in this script, for example.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Kata in haiku:

Antennae twitching
Sniffing Autumn air for love
A lonely moth yearns.

The structure is 5-7-5 syllables per line, the theme of nature and/or time, and often the expression of a specific moment. While kata imposes certain limitations, there are endless possibilities.

 

[Hot Lunch]

Another note: I'm not sure if "toudi" was even written in Japanese kanji (although the Chinese kanji for "tou" can be pronounced as "kara" - in Japanese, not Uchinaaguchi as you state, I think). [note: I'll admit I'm no linguist and only getting in this deep as you brought up this subject.] More likely they used katagana to write it, as this writing system is reserved for foreign words. The original names of the Okinawan kata are still written in this script, for example.

It was, for a time. In Japanese, the word translates to tote, and the word was even used in the title of a book by Funakoshi: To-te Jitsu.

 

[isshinryuronin]

It was, for a time. In Japanese, the word translates to tote, and the word was even used in the title of a book by Funakoshi: To-te Jitsu.

What was the kanji he used for tote? Where did you find it?