Chinese Kenpo, to try to define it.
First, before I even get into the topic/title, I want to add that to simply say that what I teach is Karate, really shortchanges exactly what I present. To the general public overall, Karate is a more known word than Kenpo or even Jeet Kune Do, etc. So, for a marketing sense, we’re called Karate by the Sea Dojos. But, we are so much more. Upon beginning my martial arts with Karate in 1978, I throughout the 80’s especially, turned my attention to other systems additionally, most especially Kenpo and Jeet Kune Do (JKD). I have found myself coming back to Kenpo and JKD now presently in both my personal training and teaching. Okinawan Karate and other systems like Okinawan Karate, Aikido, Kenjutsu and Taijijuan in the middle of the timeline. I am not saying that sandwiched in the middle I wasted my time, well, OK no I'm not, if for one thing it showed me now where I want to and should be at with regards to me and my students.
So, to the title, Chinese Kenpo is not Chinese Kung Fu, no there’s a name for that, I just said it< Chinese Kung Fu (or more appropriately Chuan Fa) Chinese Kenpo are systems outside of China, and there are not a lot of them, that are still heavily influenced and based on Chinese sourced martial arts. A few in Okinawa (:Like Shorin Kenpo we present), some in Korea, and some around parts of the world like in Hawaii as an example.
So, what's the reason for this? Well Japan's influence over the last couple of centuries especially in the late 18th and throughout the 19th century. You have to remember Karate is a Japanese name for the Okinawan martial arts and Okinawan martial arts were in the beginning influenced by China primarily. I'm not going to get into that deep sink hole but generally speaking Okinawan martial arts are considered to be sourced from China overall but not completely. So, Karate (meaning Empty Hand in English) before it was called Karate was called Kenpo, now I know some people say it was called Tote (Meaning Chinese Hand in English) and it was too. One of my most respected teachers was Hanshisei Fusei Kise and he always referenced the old Karate pre-Japanese influence as Kenpo and the reason for that is well that was his way, and I never heard him call it Tote. Though again, it is agreeable to say that Tote also applies. Kenpo means in English Fist Law the Chinese word for martial arts Chuan Fa in English means Fist Law, see the connection? A further quick note, Fist Law in Japanese can be spelt either Kenpo or Kempo. When the "n" is used (Kenpo) it refers to the Chinese influenced systems, and when using the "m" (Kempo) it most often, if not always refers to the Japanese influenced systems. When Japan took full control of Okinawa in the late 19th century, that's when it took a turn. Because Japan and China never really were friends and during the time period of Japan annexing Okinawa, Japan and China were pretty much, at war. So, Japan really demanded that the Chinese fingerprint and influence be flushed out of this new system they had just been introduced to in 1920 by Gichin Funakoshi and renamed it Karate. See where I'm going?
I have had years of training in Chinese, Okinawan, and Japanese systems. The Kenpo I learned was primarily Okinawan (Shorin) with Chinese Kenpo. I must be honest, from my own observations and training, that most if not all Okinawan Kenpo systems are no more than the standard issued Karate influenced by Japan> Linear rigid movement, chambered punching, forms all the same really in their structured movement> look I am not going to offend or critique. If you are doing a Japanese/Okinawan system great, go for it, because the best system is the one you enjoy doing. However that is not for me. Like I am conveying. his to his own. I have now assimilated into all my Kenpo, especially the Okinawan, with Chinese methodologies. I am now cored based in Chinese/Okinawan Kenpo and Jeet Kune Do. They both work so well together, as I have found. My students are now benefiting from this core system.
Hanshi/Sifu C
So, to the title, Chinese Kenpo is not Chinese Kung Fu, no there’s a name for that, I just said it< Chinese Kung Fu (or more appropriately Chuan Fa) Chinese Kenpo are systems outside of China, and there are not a lot of them, that are still heavily influenced and based on Chinese sourced martial arts. A few in Okinawa (:Like Shorin Kenpo we present), some in Korea, and some around parts of the world like in Hawaii as an example.
So, what's the reason for this? Well Japan's influence over the last couple of centuries especially in the late 18th and throughout the 19th century. You have to remember Karate is a Japanese name for the Okinawan martial arts and Okinawan martial arts were in the beginning influenced by China primarily. I'm not going to get into that deep sink hole but generally speaking Okinawan martial arts are considered to be sourced from China overall but not completely. So, Karate (meaning Empty Hand in English) before it was called Karate was called Kenpo, now I know some people say it was called Tote (Meaning Chinese Hand in English) and it was too. One of my most respected teachers was Hanshisei Fusei Kise and he always referenced the old Karate pre-Japanese influence as Kenpo and the reason for that is well that was his way, and I never heard him call it Tote. Though again, it is agreeable to say that Tote also applies. Kenpo means in English Fist Law the Chinese word for martial arts Chuan Fa in English means Fist Law, see the connection? A further quick note, Fist Law in Japanese can be spelt either Kenpo or Kempo. When the "n" is used (Kenpo) it refers to the Chinese influenced systems, and when using the "m" (Kempo) it most often, if not always refers to the Japanese influenced systems. When Japan took full control of Okinawa in the late 19th century, that's when it took a turn. Because Japan and China never really were friends and during the time period of Japan annexing Okinawa, Japan and China were pretty much, at war. So, Japan really demanded that the Chinese fingerprint and influence be flushed out of this new system they had just been introduced to in 1920 by Gichin Funakoshi and renamed it Karate. See where I'm going?
I have had years of training in Chinese, Okinawan, and Japanese systems. The Kenpo I learned was primarily Okinawan (Shorin) with Chinese Kenpo. I must be honest, from my own observations and training, that most if not all Okinawan Kenpo systems are no more than the standard issued Karate influenced by Japan> Linear rigid movement, chambered punching, forms all the same really in their structured movement> look I am not going to offend or critique. If you are doing a Japanese/Okinawan system great, go for it, because the best system is the one you enjoy doing. However that is not for me. Like I am conveying. his to his own. I have now assimilated into all my Kenpo, especially the Okinawan, with Chinese methodologies. I am now cored based in Chinese/Okinawan Kenpo and Jeet Kune Do. They both work so well together, as I have found. My students are now benefiting from this core system.
Hanshi/Sifu C