Zhou Zihe
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Bill Glasheen
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- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Pieces and parts of it exist in other books. Some of the beautiful photographs subsequently were used in other Okinawan publications (I have a few...), although the prints are smaller because the book sizes are smaller. Some of the text is translated in Alan Dollar's book.
It is my understanding that Takamiyagi Sensei actually did most of the writing here. At the time, he was Uechi Kanei's secretary, and he's been a professor of English.
It's also worth noting that the text is not exactly written in mainland Japanese. I've done some translation of text here and there as needed back when my Japanese was better, and I had my Japanese language instructor (born in Japan) look at it now and then (latter 1970s). This book would be very difficult to translate at best. If you had 3 qualified academics independently translating to English and putting all the footnotes and sidebars in that you would need to develop the proper context, you'd end up with 3 somewhat different documents.
Takamiyagi sensei himself would find it difficult to translate. For example, I worked with him for a week on Thompson Island. Although he knows the book like the back of his hand and he teaches English, some things are difficult to translate. For example, I remember Takamiyagi Sensei explaining to a student that the word "mushin" meant "absent mind." I knew what he meant, but something definitely got lost in the translation of just that one word.
This is a project for academia.
- Bill
It is my understanding that Takamiyagi Sensei actually did most of the writing here. At the time, he was Uechi Kanei's secretary, and he's been a professor of English.
It's also worth noting that the text is not exactly written in mainland Japanese. I've done some translation of text here and there as needed back when my Japanese was better, and I had my Japanese language instructor (born in Japan) look at it now and then (latter 1970s). This book would be very difficult to translate at best. If you had 3 qualified academics independently translating to English and putting all the footnotes and sidebars in that you would need to develop the proper context, you'd end up with 3 somewhat different documents.
Takamiyagi sensei himself would find it difficult to translate. For example, I worked with him for a week on Thompson Island. Although he knows the book like the back of his hand and he teaches English, some things are difficult to translate. For example, I remember Takamiyagi Sensei explaining to a student that the word "mushin" meant "absent mind." I knew what he meant, but something definitely got lost in the translation of just that one word.
This is a project for academia.
- Bill
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maxwell ainley
- Posts: 1690
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2001 6:01 am
- Location: england
Current rates are roughly 1 pound = $2. An online calculator came up with 28 pounds = a little over $53. But again, that is at current exchange rates. No clue what it would have been in 1978.maxwell ainley wrote:The uechi-ryu asso G.B. were sent I think twelve in 1978 from Kanei sensei , I was very fortunate to obtain one of the twelve ,I paid 28 pounds ,whats that in dollars? .
Max.
Glenn
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maxwell ainley
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
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Mark Brelsford
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Mon May 20, 2002 6:01 am
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island USA
- Contact:
FYI
Just a quick updaye for all...
Spoke with Tomoyose sensei last night. I told him of the topic here and he at first laughed. He went on to explain that while Shushiwa was not fighting, outright, the then newly self appointed government he was not working for or with them either. He went on to explain that Shushiwa had at times worked for various government types in the past (as a body guard), as did many of the people he surrounded himself with, the new leaders had killed and hunted down many of his previous employers as well as friends. One must remember this was the time in China of much political unrest. Shushiwa had nothing to do with the boxer rebellion, underground connections and the like. With this said Tomoyose almost dropped the phone, he was laughing so hard, when I asked him if he new if Kanbun was ever into any of this anti-government activity. Once he regained himself he explained that Kanbun was in China strictly to
study martial arts, and ihe basically stuck out like a sore thumb at the time, the authorities kept a watchful eye on all foriegners at the time and were well aware of Kanbun and where he stayed (Kanbun lived at what was called the Ryukyu House, kind of a flop house for Okinawans living in that area, a type of Okinawan culture/travelers aid center). Anything Kanbun did was surely known about, the authorities did not view him or Shushiwa as any threat. The main transition of power had taken place years earlier and the witchhunt, if you will, for past government supporters was well over.
Also, Tomoyose sensei sends his best, and hopes all have a safe and Happy New Year.
Mark
Spoke with Tomoyose sensei last night. I told him of the topic here and he at first laughed. He went on to explain that while Shushiwa was not fighting, outright, the then newly self appointed government he was not working for or with them either. He went on to explain that Shushiwa had at times worked for various government types in the past (as a body guard), as did many of the people he surrounded himself with, the new leaders had killed and hunted down many of his previous employers as well as friends. One must remember this was the time in China of much political unrest. Shushiwa had nothing to do with the boxer rebellion, underground connections and the like. With this said Tomoyose almost dropped the phone, he was laughing so hard, when I asked him if he new if Kanbun was ever into any of this anti-government activity. Once he regained himself he explained that Kanbun was in China strictly to
study martial arts, and ihe basically stuck out like a sore thumb at the time, the authorities kept a watchful eye on all foriegners at the time and were well aware of Kanbun and where he stayed (Kanbun lived at what was called the Ryukyu House, kind of a flop house for Okinawans living in that area, a type of Okinawan culture/travelers aid center). Anything Kanbun did was surely known about, the authorities did not view him or Shushiwa as any threat. The main transition of power had taken place years earlier and the witchhunt, if you will, for past government supporters was well over.
Also, Tomoyose sensei sends his best, and hopes all have a safe and Happy New Year.
Mark
"Language was invented to ask questions. Answers may be given by grunts and gestures, but questions must be spoken. People came of age when man asked the first question. Learning stagnation results not from a lack of answers but from the absence of questions."
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
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Stryke
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Rick Wilson
I wonder if there is any footage left (or if it was taken) of the descendent students of Shushiwa doing their Sanchin, Seisan and Sanseirui?
The three major Kata it took Uechi Kanbun Sensei ten years or so to learn should still have had some version around if this was where he learned his martial art.
The three major Kata it took Uechi Kanbun Sensei ten years or so to learn should still have had some version around if this was where he learned his martial art.
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Dana Sheets
- Posts: 2715
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Mark Brelsford
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- Location: Providence, Rhode Island USA
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Tomoyose Old Book
Dana,
I have talked to Tomoyose sensei about this book in the past. Tomoyose Ryuko wrote the book for his Dad, Ryuryu, as Ryuko said that his father was not very literate also, back then the emphisis was on training and little if any thought was ever given to writting things down. This attitude remains today as well, in the very senior teachers of the style. Ryuko had said that the book initally went to Kanei. Ryuko believes that Kanmei now has the book although this is not for sure since he has not seen the book in years.
For an interesting bit of Uechi trivia... When I was at the Futenma dojo in the early 80's often the folks would sit around on friday night and ask Kanei questions, at that time there were several foriegn students there both American and from South America, anyway one evening the subject of history came up. Kanei went on to say that he had gotten from Kanbun a written manuscript of the teachers of what his dad had studied in China. This book contained a lineage of the style, explanation of kata, some kyusho as well as herbal medicine. He then told us that during the invasion of Okinawa when hiis family and he were forced to seek protection from the US onslaught that he like many Okinawans at the time buried there families treasured items.
Well Kanei buried this "book" and sadly after the invasion/occupation when he went looking for these items he could not find them. His thoughts were that the place where he buried them was so torn up that they were either destroyed of still buried since he could not find the right place. I can still remember Kanei laughing about it.
Mark
I have talked to Tomoyose sensei about this book in the past. Tomoyose Ryuko wrote the book for his Dad, Ryuryu, as Ryuko said that his father was not very literate also, back then the emphisis was on training and little if any thought was ever given to writting things down. This attitude remains today as well, in the very senior teachers of the style. Ryuko had said that the book initally went to Kanei. Ryuko believes that Kanmei now has the book although this is not for sure since he has not seen the book in years.
For an interesting bit of Uechi trivia... When I was at the Futenma dojo in the early 80's often the folks would sit around on friday night and ask Kanei questions, at that time there were several foriegn students there both American and from South America, anyway one evening the subject of history came up. Kanei went on to say that he had gotten from Kanbun a written manuscript of the teachers of what his dad had studied in China. This book contained a lineage of the style, explanation of kata, some kyusho as well as herbal medicine. He then told us that during the invasion of Okinawa when hiis family and he were forced to seek protection from the US onslaught that he like many Okinawans at the time buried there families treasured items.
Well Kanei buried this "book" and sadly after the invasion/occupation when he went looking for these items he could not find them. His thoughts were that the place where he buried them was so torn up that they were either destroyed of still buried since he could not find the right place. I can still remember Kanei laughing about it.
Mark
"Language was invented to ask questions. Answers may be given by grunts and gestures, but questions must be spoken. People came of age when man asked the first question. Learning stagnation results not from a lack of answers but from the absence of questions."
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
-
Stryke
