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The Okinawan Link cont... It was a regular occurrence that the occupational armies would prohibit all weapons to the Okinawans. As a result, the Okinawans developed a highly efficient unarmed combat system known as Te, hand. They also learned to adapt their traditional farming implements into effective and lethal weapons. They trained with these constantly and in secret, developing extraordinarily high levels of skill. This gave rise to the weapons that we now know today as nunchakas, sai, tonfa, bo, Jo, kamae, ekubo and so on. Eventually, a cautious peace developed between Okinawa and China and trading links were established. A Chinese general named Ku San Ku, a master of White Crane Kung Fu, settled on Okinawa. He taught his techniques to the local population who readily absorbed this new knowledge and added it into their own indigenous art of Te. It is probably around this time that the first use of the name karate was coined. Although at this time it meant 'China hand'. The Japanese, having a natural suspicion of all things Chinese, changed this word to the similar sounding Japanese word for empty, Kara, giving our modern interpretation of karate meaning empty hand. The Kanji for Kara can also mean all-encompassing. So it could be said that you use the whole power of the universe in your empty hand! Okinawa was divided into two main Prefectures, Shuri and Naha. Each of these regions developed their own recognisable forms of Te. Sometimes these are erroneously described as Shuri Te and Naha Te. Although these styles never actually existed as recognised Ryu., school. Gradually, Okinawa and Japan learned to live with each other. And in 1920, an Okinawan school teacher, named Gichin Funakoshi, a master of Okinawan Te, was invited to Japan to display his art. And so karate entered mainland Japan. Funakoshi formalised the training so that it could be taught in the universities.
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