pyung ahn forms terminoly

[Bertrand]

I will state several trivial thgings that everybody on this forum already know, but it will be to better frame my question.

At my studio, it was asked why the 5 pyung ahn forms are named "Cho, E, Sam, Sa, Oh" instead of the regular "Il, E, Sam, Sa, Oh". And when you look at other martial arts teaching these forms, it is the same : the Okinawan forms have names very closed phonetically. I know that most of you know them but I will write them down anyway

Pyung Ahn Cho Dan - Pinan Shodan
Pyung Ahn E Dan - Pinan Nidan
Pyung Ahn Sam Dan - Pinan Sandan
Pyung Ahn Sa Dan - Pinan Yodan
Pyung Ahn O Dam - Pinan Godan

And in Korean it goes like that:
First : Il
Second : E
Third : Sam
Fourth : Sa
Fifth : Oh

In Japanese it goes like that :
First : Ichi
Second : Ni
Third : San
Fourth : Shi, Yo
Fifth : Go

This is consistent with all the forms/kata except the first :

Why "Cho Dan/Shodan"? What Cho/Sho means? Where it comes from?

As a scientist, I am surounded by collegues from every continent. I am lucky to have japanese, chinese and korean collegues.
I asked all of them and none could answer me. I have to say that none of the japanese were from Okinawa and none could tell me about the Okinawan dialect. And we are teached that Anjo Itosu created these forms from one he learned from the chinese southern province of Hunan. And none of my chinese collegues were from there but mainly from Beijin or the North.

So now I would like to know if any of you knows why "Pyung Ahn Cho Dan/Pinan Shodan" and not "Pyung Ahn Il Dan/Pinan Ichidan"?

 

[MSUTKD]

Cho/Sho Dan (初段) means “beginning step”. The first character is the key, it is composed of “cloth” and “cut” and means cut from cloth or pattern. The pattern is the beginning of making something. Without the knowledge of Chinese characters many things are obscured in the martial arts.

ron

 

[Makalakumu]

Cho/Sho Dan (初段) means “beginning step”. The first character is the key, it is composed of “cloth” and “cut” and means cut from cloth or pattern. The pattern is the beginning of making something. Without the knowledge of Chinese characters many things are obscured in the martial arts.

ron

Ron, you beat me to it! I would like to add that by using the prefix "cho/sho" one is philisophically changing the meaning of the series. A beginning step implies a journey...

 

[IMP]

Ron, you beat me to it! I would like to add that by using the prefix "cho/sho" one is philisophically changing the meaning of the series. A beginning step implies a journey...

These metaphores are confusing me! Ee Dan would be the second part of the journey then??

 

[Makalakumu]

These metaphores are confusing me! Ee Dan would be the second part of the journey then??

That is correct. The forms were designed in order to give someone enough self defense skills to have a "peaceful mind."

 

[IMP]

That is correct. The forms were designed in order to give someone enough self defense skills to have a "peaceful mind."

Peaceful mind?

 

[Makalakumu]

Peaceful mind?

Pinan is the Okinawan name for our forms. It means peaceful mind. Pyung Ahn is the Korean name. It means peaceful confidence. The difference in meaning is subtle, but important. I think that my students need to know that both apply though.

 

[MSUTKD]

There is no difference in the meaning between the two languages. “Peaceful mind” is the canned translation. A more accurate one might be “Peace and Tranquility”, but the idea is to have peace in your head, hence maybe why some say peaceful mind.

ron

 

[Makalakumu]

Ron - according to some Okinawan Karate praticioners that I know, who also happen to be native speakers of the language, they claim that there is a difference in meaning. What is your read on that?

 

[IMP]

I think peaceful tranquility means your entire body is peaceful, while peaceful mind is just a peaceful mind.

Ian

 

[MarKos]

How do to call all techniques be (blocks, hitting etc.) in Pyung Ahn?