The Way of Least Resistance

Further to my article “ The origins of tensho ” I came across this video recently.  It shows Lee Kong Sifu demonstrating a white crane form of an unknown name.  The form is the closest I’ve ever seen to the goju kata tensho. The form is from Fujian white crane. What is most fascinating to me is that, like tensho, it proceeds with forward steps in sanchin/sanzhan, where the “up, down, side, side” action (which some call “rokkishu” or “fishtail exercise” ) is repeated - first with one hand, then with the other, then with both simultaneously . This is the only time I have ever seen this exact sequence in a Chinese system.  (You'll note from my previous article that the form bafen only performs the sequence with both hands simultaneously - never the hands individually.) The form then goes on to various finger thrusts that might be counterparts to similar thrusts at the end of tensho, some more palm/hand movements (which have no parallel in tensho), a double ha...

While I'm on the topic of tensho, I thought it might be useful to create a video list of partner drills relating to tensho. Here is one from Taira Masaji Sensei: Taira sensei's tensho drill Here are some videos from Patrick McCarthy Hanshi which he has called "Rokkishu Futari Geiko": Part 1 Part 2 And here's a drill from Paul Baumann in Switzerland: Paul Baumann and his wife demonstrating a two person tensho drill Here's my video of kakie from tensho again: Tensho kakie Finally, here's Nathan Johnson applying some tensho ("rokushu") movements in push hands: Nathan Johnson's push hands drills, based partly on "rokushu" Copyright © 2013 Dejan Djurdjevic

Tensho is a kata that is steeped in mystique.  In particular, there is a lingering "cultural memory" that it stems from an "older" Chinese form known as "rokkishu".  But what is the likely truth about the origins of tensho?  What do we really know about this enigmatic form? We know that Chojun Miyagi openly took credit for developing the kata, just as he did for his version of sanchin (known as "Miyagi sanchin" - where there is no turn), and as he did for the two beginner kata gekisai dai ichi (also known as "fukyugata ni") and geki sai dai ni. It seems Miyagi developed tensho after his trip to China in 1915 1  where, according to orthodox history 2 , he had been researching the origins of Okinawan martial arts, and that he developed this form as an advanced "breathing form" to complement or extend sanchin kata. So what does "tensho" mean? The kanji of are sometimes said to be  天 手  ("tenshu" me...

Kata assembly is of particular interest to me in relation not only to its ability to summarise technical information in an aesthetic, economical and balanced manner, but also in its ability to impart essential kinesthetic prinicples to the practitioner. In other words, kata should teach you how to move (taisabaki and tenshin), breathe, tense certain muscles, balance, focus, hold or shift centre of gravity etc. Often enough the technical information can only be effected with an understanding and mastery of the kinesthetics taught by a kata. In some respects the subtle "understanding" one derives about one's own body mechanics from practising a kata over and over again feed directly into an understanding and ability to apply bunkai from the kata. The real genius behind the design of the kata is that they can all impart this knowledge if practiced correctly and frequently. I get the feeling that those who designed the kata did so intuitively based on their own experience and...