Taiji Concept & Tensho Kata of Okinawan Karate-Do
– Is There a Connection?
Sensei Tony Smith 5th Dan - Goju Ryu Karate-Do
Is there a connection between Taijiquan and Tensho Kata? I think it might be productive to approach this subject from the direction of Taijiquan (an area within which I possess some knowledge) – and move toward the concept of Tensho – an area within which I have virtually no knowledge, but I have trained under Sensei Tony Smith 5th Dan (of Okinawan Goju Ryu), who is an expert on this subject (he has demonstrated Tensho Kata in my home in Sutton, South London). What follows are the notes I have written in communication with Tony Smith. Bear in mind there are hundreds of styles of Taijiquan (other than the five widely known in the West). I have even seen Taiji-Praying Mantis (Volley Boxing) gongfu - this combines Taiji-leg and foot-work of moderate to high-frame Yang style (lower-body) and the Northern Praying Mantis (upper-body) torso, arm, and hand technique. As you know, Taijiquan has long (low), medium (central), and short (high) frames - referring to how wide the stance is - and how open the arms. In our Hakka Longfist the saying is "Train low - fight high!" In essence, however, Taijiquan is a method applied to various styles. Taiji means "Grand Ridge-pole". Grand as in more than great - and ridge-pole which originally referred to a strong central pillar that held up the roof of a granary. Later, Chinese houses, particularly of the well-to-do, would be constructed around this central pillar - as would the fighting theories of many gongfu styles. From a practical point of view, the "Ji" represents the human-spine and the circulation of qi-ki around the body - up the Governing Vessel and down the Central Vessel (throughout the entire body - rooting the feet to the ground and allowing a calm mind to expand and embrace the environment). Grand Ridge-Pole is the correct (literal) translation of the two ideograms "太極" (Tai Ji) - with "拳" (Quan) referring to a "closed-fist" (or "Ken" in Japanese).
Although Chinese-language ideograms often possesses both a "semantic" (meaning-giving) and "phonetic" (sound-giving) particle (on occasion - there is only "one" particle which is used to achieve both objectives) - in my experience a meaning is contributed by both particles - which we may consider to be "primary" and "secondary" (or perhaps "surface" and "deep") depending upon context. When dissecting "particles" - these are broken-down into constituent "elements":
The ideogram "極" (ji2):
Left-hand particle (semantic) = a compressed version of "木" (mu2) - literally a "tree", "wood", and by extension "growth", "Stillness", and "emotionless". The essence of the stout, ever-present and yet indifferent "ridge-pole" (like a guard standing on sentry duty) - which may (or may not) be made out of wood.
Right-hand particle (phonetic) = "亟"(ji2) - literally meaning "urgent", "sudden", "required" and "extreme" in everyday Chinese-language usage. As we are examining ancient Chinese philosophical concepts - it might be more prudent to address the older version of this ideogram - which is "𠄹";
Left-hand central element = 勹 (bao1) - a conjunction of "包" - referring to the pre-natal foetus [巳] enwrapped within a womb [勹] - or a post-natal baby wrapped in swaddling clothes (this is symbolic of the Daoist concepts of "Pre-Natal" (pre-birth) and "Post-Natal" (post-birth) neidan and qigong concepts. However, within this context, " 勹" might be interpreted as a person "人" (ren2) bending or leaning forward - but again, this derives from the idea of a "placenta" wrapped around a baby (包). (The unborn baby does not breathe in the conventional sense - but absorbs endless and improving nourishment from the mother). Therefore, this "勹" element refers to both a human-being in the womb - and a fully-functioning human-being operating as an adult in the material world - with qi-ki flowing both within (and around) the body (After birth, a human-being must breathe in and out through their mouths - and take-in nourishment (food and liquid) from the external environment - as the inner force is depleted via endless worldly affairs).
Left-hand element = 口 (kou2), "mouth", "open-mouth", "eating", and "speaking".
Right-hand element = 又 (you4) - a right-hand "gripping", "grasping", and "acquiring" (originally written as "右" indicating to assist by using the right-hand - whilst talking, explaining and directing - or using the mouth in another way - possibly through a type of breathing).
Upper and lower element = 二 (er4) - literally "plural", number "2" and "2nd". In this context - referring to two (or more) people interacting. This can also be taken as representing the "top" and "bottom" of the "ridge-pole".
When taken together, we have two (二) people talking or shouting (口) at one another - whilst waving their hand(s) [又] to make their point - or perform some type of labour. (Does this refer to Form or Kata practice?)
The full ideogram "極" (ji2), however, whilst meaning all of the above, also carries the far-older meaning of "ridgepole", "ridgepiece" "highest and lowest position" (the polarity between two-extremes and including everything inbetween - such as the floor and ceiling of a granary or a house), and that which is "out-standing", "superb", or "supreme". In this instance, the "ridge-pole" refers to the divine-sky above, the broad-earth below, and humanity which inhabits the space inbetween (represented by the trigram "☰" and the hexagram "䷀" in the Book of Change).
As the ideogram for "極" (ji2) contains both the "人" (ren2) and "二" (er4) elements - a cogent case can be made that it contains the foundation of the Confucian concept of "Benevolence" (仁 - Ren2):
Left-hand particle = is "亻" which a conjunction of "人" (ren2). This derives from a side view of a man standing man facing to the left of the observer (that is - to his right) - so that an arm and a leg is visible in profile (I attach an ancient version of this ideogram - which looks like an elderly man bending forward from the waste). I suspect this denotes "wisdom" and the "compassion" that develops with age.
Right-hand particle = "二" (er4) - which is "一" added to "一", or "1" which is doubled - representing "二" (or the number 2). This refers to a quantity "more than one" - and to multiplies there of. In other words, this concept can mean just "2" of something - but can be used to refer to "unverified" but "large" amounts of something.
Within Confucian philosophy, the concept of "Benevolence" (仁 - Ren2) refers to a "wisdom" and "compassion" that although originates within the heart and mind of the individual (sometimes through isolated self-cultivation studying the Classics and practicing martial arts) - can only be put into practice when untold numbers of human-beings gather together to form a society and practice a common culture. Wisdom and compassion are only fully useful if they can be shared through a limitless and expansive perspective - multiplied as it traverses through the individuals that constitute a society. This is interesting as the concept of "Taiji" is often associated with Daoism, but I suspect that the martial art of Taijiquan might well have been used as a training mechanism (dropping the body-weight, aligning the bones, and opening the joints whilst breathing deeply and fully) to prepare Confucian scholars for the Imperial Archery Examination - whereby an individual was required to draw a bow and loose arrows with equal accuracy using both sides of the body - striking the centre of the target (中 - zhong1).
With regards to the Tensho Kata (practiced within Okinawan Goju Ryu and other Karate-Do styles) - the following research explains the etymology of the Chinese ideograms used to describe this (originally) Fujian gongfu form - which is pronounced within the Okinawan dialect-language as "Ten Sho" - with an obvious Japanese linguistic influence. Within Old China, it was considered disrespectful to ask direct questions to the Master - so although Okinawans were taken as students (Okinawa used to be a tributary State of China - and therefore Okinawans were considered "Overseas Chinese") - the authentic and complex gongfu techniques were referred in a direct and simplistic manner by the students. The Tensho Kata, despite appearing to be a condensed version of Taijiquan (designed to be practiced on-the-spot - in a compact fashion) - is referred to today by the description of "Turning-Hands - which is "Ten Sho" in Okinawan and "Zhuan Zhang" in Chinese". My view is that the only way this kata can be effectively used in self-defence - is if its inner structure is in fact that of the Taijiquan style. If this assumption is correct - then the knowledge of the Taijiquan Master would be identical to that knowledge possessed by a Karate-Do Master who has perfected the practice of the Tensho Kata:
Okinawan-Japanese - Ten Sho = Chinese - "转" (zhuan3) "掌" (zhang3)
a) "转" (Ten-Zhuan) = Turning, Winding, Encircling, Changing Direction and Entwining
b) "掌" (Sho-Zhang) = Palm, Open-Hand, Control, Hold, Deflect and Slap. "掌" (Sho-Zhang) can also refer to the sole of the foot and might refer to how the bare-foot freely moves (unhindered) across the floor surface - inbetween bouts of 'gripping' the ground.
Although Chinese-language ideograms often possesses both a "semantic" (meaning-giving) and "phonetic" (sound-giving) particle (on occasion - there is only "one" particle which is used to achieve both objectives) - in my experience a meaning is contributed by both particles - which we may consider to be "primary" and "secondary" (or perhaps "surface" and "deep") depending upon context. When dissecting "particles" - these are broken-down into constituent "elements":
The ideogram "極" (ji2):
Left-hand particle (semantic) = a compressed version of "木" (mu2) - literally a "tree", "wood", and by extension "growth", "Stillness", and "emotionless". The essence of the stout, ever-present and yet indifferent "ridge-pole" (like a guard standing on sentry duty) - which may (or may not) be made out of wood.
Right-hand particle (phonetic) = "亟"(ji2) - literally meaning "urgent", "sudden", "required" and "extreme" in everyday Chinese-language usage. As we are examining ancient Chinese philosophical concepts - it might be more prudent to address the older version of this ideogram - which is "𠄹";
Left-hand central element = 勹 (bao1) - a conjunction of "包" - referring to the pre-natal foetus [巳] enwrapped within a womb [勹] - or a post-natal baby wrapped in swaddling clothes (this is symbolic of the Daoist concepts of "Pre-Natal" (pre-birth) and "Post-Natal" (post-birth) neidan and qigong concepts. However, within this context, " 勹" might be interpreted as a person "人" (ren2) bending or leaning forward - but again, this derives from the idea of a "placenta" wrapped around a baby (包). (The unborn baby does not breathe in the conventional sense - but absorbs endless and improving nourishment from the mother). Therefore, this "勹" element refers to both a human-being in the womb - and a fully-functioning human-being operating as an adult in the material world - with qi-ki flowing both within (and around) the body (After birth, a human-being must breathe in and out through their mouths - and take-in nourishment (food and liquid) from the external environment - as the inner force is depleted via endless worldly affairs).
Left-hand element = 口 (kou2), "mouth", "open-mouth", "eating", and "speaking".
Right-hand element = 又 (you4) - a right-hand "gripping", "grasping", and "acquiring" (originally written as "右" indicating to assist by using the right-hand - whilst talking, explaining and directing - or using the mouth in another way - possibly through a type of breathing).
Upper and lower element = 二 (er4) - literally "plural", number "2" and "2nd". In this context - referring to two (or more) people interacting. This can also be taken as representing the "top" and "bottom" of the "ridge-pole".
When taken together, we have two (二) people talking or shouting (口) at one another - whilst waving their hand(s) [又] to make their point - or perform some type of labour. (Does this refer to Form or Kata practice?)
The full ideogram "極" (ji2), however, whilst meaning all of the above, also carries the far-older meaning of "ridgepole", "ridgepiece" "highest and lowest position" (the polarity between two-extremes and including everything inbetween - such as the floor and ceiling of a granary or a house), and that which is "out-standing", "superb", or "supreme". In this instance, the "ridge-pole" refers to the divine-sky above, the broad-earth below, and humanity which inhabits the space inbetween (represented by the trigram "☰" and the hexagram "䷀" in the Book of Change).
As the ideogram for "極" (ji2) contains both the "人" (ren2) and "二" (er4) elements - a cogent case can be made that it contains the foundation of the Confucian concept of "Benevolence" (仁 - Ren2):
Left-hand particle = is "亻" which a conjunction of "人" (ren2). This derives from a side view of a man standing man facing to the left of the observer (that is - to his right) - so that an arm and a leg is visible in profile (I attach an ancient version of this ideogram - which looks like an elderly man bending forward from the waste). I suspect this denotes "wisdom" and the "compassion" that develops with age.
Right-hand particle = "二" (er4) - which is "一" added to "一", or "1" which is doubled - representing "二" (or the number 2). This refers to a quantity "more than one" - and to multiplies there of. In other words, this concept can mean just "2" of something - but can be used to refer to "unverified" but "large" amounts of something.
Within Confucian philosophy, the concept of "Benevolence" (仁 - Ren2) refers to a "wisdom" and "compassion" that although originates within the heart and mind of the individual (sometimes through isolated self-cultivation studying the Classics and practicing martial arts) - can only be put into practice when untold numbers of human-beings gather together to form a society and practice a common culture. Wisdom and compassion are only fully useful if they can be shared through a limitless and expansive perspective - multiplied as it traverses through the individuals that constitute a society. This is interesting as the concept of "Taiji" is often associated with Daoism, but I suspect that the martial art of Taijiquan might well have been used as a training mechanism (dropping the body-weight, aligning the bones, and opening the joints whilst breathing deeply and fully) to prepare Confucian scholars for the Imperial Archery Examination - whereby an individual was required to draw a bow and loose arrows with equal accuracy using both sides of the body - striking the centre of the target (中 - zhong1).
With regards to the Tensho Kata (practiced within Okinawan Goju Ryu and other Karate-Do styles) - the following research explains the etymology of the Chinese ideograms used to describe this (originally) Fujian gongfu form - which is pronounced within the Okinawan dialect-language as "Ten Sho" - with an obvious Japanese linguistic influence. Within Old China, it was considered disrespectful to ask direct questions to the Master - so although Okinawans were taken as students (Okinawa used to be a tributary State of China - and therefore Okinawans were considered "Overseas Chinese") - the authentic and complex gongfu techniques were referred in a direct and simplistic manner by the students. The Tensho Kata, despite appearing to be a condensed version of Taijiquan (designed to be practiced on-the-spot - in a compact fashion) - is referred to today by the description of "Turning-Hands - which is "Ten Sho" in Okinawan and "Zhuan Zhang" in Chinese". My view is that the only way this kata can be effectively used in self-defence - is if its inner structure is in fact that of the Taijiquan style. If this assumption is correct - then the knowledge of the Taijiquan Master would be identical to that knowledge possessed by a Karate-Do Master who has perfected the practice of the Tensho Kata:
Okinawan-Japanese - Ten Sho = Chinese - "转" (zhuan3) "掌" (zhang3)
a) "转" (Ten-Zhuan) = Turning, Winding, Encircling, Changing Direction and Entwining
b) "掌" (Sho-Zhang) = Palm, Open-Hand, Control, Hold, Deflect and Slap. "掌" (Sho-Zhang) can also refer to the sole of the foot and might refer to how the bare-foot freely moves (unhindered) across the floor surface - inbetween bouts of 'gripping' the ground.
Note:
Email: How I Encountered the "Hard-Soft" of Goju Ryu! (28.4.2025)
Email: How I Encountered the "Hard-Soft" of Goju Ryu! (28.4.2025)
- Dear Tony
In answer to your question - "What is your opinion of the "Soft" aspect of Goju Ryu?"
Having given this much thought (overtime) - it occurred to me that as a student of Goju ryu training in a popular class (in Hereford) - I seldom carried-out any interactive drill with your good self - at least not between 1987-1989. After-all, why would I be partnered with the Instructor - particularly as the Sensei had a class to lead and was responsible for the education of each person in it. Furthermore, as I was young at the time, I doubt I would have possessed any insight beyond that of my youthful enthusiasm.
I would not train directly with you again - until the early months of 2005 - but by that time my life had changed dramatically and I was more mature. I had become a teacher myself (in a small family style - nothing like the immensity of Goju Ryu - and I possess no formal grade in the Okinawan-Japanese sense. However, I taught extensively in and around South London - and had many Honour Fights, etc. I had even been to Hong Kong to see the Old Masters to have my ability tested in 1999).
It was at this time (2005) that I did train "one-to-one" with you - and it is here that I first personally witnessed your ability to shift from external (yang) to internal (yin), or "hard" to "soft". This was during the arm-striking exercise - something we do all the time in the Hakka arm-conditioning (to test the character of the student). More than this, however, but whilst transitioning, you moved through an "integrated" section where "hard" (Waigong) and "soft" (Neigong) existed in perfect balance. This is known as "Zagong" - "Integrated Self-Cultivation". How this manifested was that our fore-arm bones struck with considerable force (hard) - with the force travelling down to the floor through the bones and rebounding back-up to the impact point. Then, at a certain point, you "switched" emphasis so that the impact-point transformed from "rejecting" - to "absorbing" - via a subtle balance-point shift where the impact-point was both "rejecting-absorbing" - and "not-rejecting-absorbing".
I had trained with hundreds by that time, from all over the world, and no-one had carried this transition whilst I was busy striking their bones with considerable force. Most simply tried to equal what was happening, or attempted to come to terms with what was happening - without giving-up or displaying weakness. This is how I experienced the "hard" and "soft" of Goju Ryu - with perhaps Sanchin representing hard on the outside - soft on the inside and Tensho representing soft on the outside - hard on the inside - with all the other Goju Ryu katas manifesting at some-point on this scale (hence my peripheral idea that Tensho might be a development of Taijiquan).
Best Wishes
Adrian
In answer to your question - "What is your opinion of the "Soft" aspect of Goju Ryu?"
Having given this much thought (overtime) - it occurred to me that as a student of Goju ryu training in a popular class (in Hereford) - I seldom carried-out any interactive drill with your good self - at least not between 1987-1989. After-all, why would I be partnered with the Instructor - particularly as the Sensei had a class to lead and was responsible for the education of each person in it. Furthermore, as I was young at the time, I doubt I would have possessed any insight beyond that of my youthful enthusiasm.
I would not train directly with you again - until the early months of 2005 - but by that time my life had changed dramatically and I was more mature. I had become a teacher myself (in a small family style - nothing like the immensity of Goju Ryu - and I possess no formal grade in the Okinawan-Japanese sense. However, I taught extensively in and around South London - and had many Honour Fights, etc. I had even been to Hong Kong to see the Old Masters to have my ability tested in 1999).
It was at this time (2005) that I did train "one-to-one" with you - and it is here that I first personally witnessed your ability to shift from external (yang) to internal (yin), or "hard" to "soft". This was during the arm-striking exercise - something we do all the time in the Hakka arm-conditioning (to test the character of the student). More than this, however, but whilst transitioning, you moved through an "integrated" section where "hard" (Waigong) and "soft" (Neigong) existed in perfect balance. This is known as "Zagong" - "Integrated Self-Cultivation". How this manifested was that our fore-arm bones struck with considerable force (hard) - with the force travelling down to the floor through the bones and rebounding back-up to the impact point. Then, at a certain point, you "switched" emphasis so that the impact-point transformed from "rejecting" - to "absorbing" - via a subtle balance-point shift where the impact-point was both "rejecting-absorbing" - and "not-rejecting-absorbing".
I had trained with hundreds by that time, from all over the world, and no-one had carried this transition whilst I was busy striking their bones with considerable force. Most simply tried to equal what was happening, or attempted to come to terms with what was happening - without giving-up or displaying weakness. This is how I experienced the "hard" and "soft" of Goju Ryu - with perhaps Sanchin representing hard on the outside - soft on the inside and Tensho representing soft on the outside - hard on the inside - with all the other Goju Ryu katas manifesting at some-point on this scale (hence my peripheral idea that Tensho might be a development of Taijiquan).
Best Wishes
Adrian
Email: External-Internal in Goju Ryu Kata! (18.9.2023)
Dear Tony
In answer to your question - "What do I think of a video-performance of Sanchin and Tensho Kata?"
Interesting. Forms (Katas) can (and do) include the deliberate use of muscular 'tension' and 'relaxation' - but in many different ways. Some Forms involve continuous muscular tension from start to finish - whilst other Forms utilise complete (and continuous) muscular relaxation in exactly the same way. Then, there are the Forms which advocate an 'interchange' of 'relaxation' (inward breath) and 'outward breath' (tension) - all of which I know you know! Here is the general designation in China in the first instance:
a) 'Tension' = Buddhist
b) 'Relaxation' = Daoist
For Buddhist martial arts - the 'internal' (relaxation) evolves around seated meditation - whilst the Daoists take a different 'esoteric' path that develops manifest strength through alchemical transformation - the development and blending of Jing (reproductive and retained energy), Qi (breath and virtue) and Shen (a broad, and all-decomposing 'empty' mind). Of course, the Daoist do partake in seated meditation - but the barrier between 'spirit' (consciousness) and 'physical' (matter) is not so clear-cut as it is in the Buddhist philosophy.
This is why many (both inside and outside China) fail to genuinely master the Daoist path - and the Way (Dao) is left open to all kinds of charlatans. The reality for Buddhists and Daoists (who are united through the teachings of 'Confucius') must be able to 'fight' properly and effectively in the final analysis - regardless of whatever interpretation their belief systems like to project onto the reality of the material world! Goju Ryu takes a 'scientific' and 'concise' view of all this Chinese philosophising - as is evident in the 'Sanchin' (tension) and 'Tensho' (relaxation) Katas!
Best Wishes
Adrian
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2025.
Dear Tony
In answer to your question - "What do I think of a video-performance of Sanchin and Tensho Kata?"
Interesting. Forms (Katas) can (and do) include the deliberate use of muscular 'tension' and 'relaxation' - but in many different ways. Some Forms involve continuous muscular tension from start to finish - whilst other Forms utilise complete (and continuous) muscular relaxation in exactly the same way. Then, there are the Forms which advocate an 'interchange' of 'relaxation' (inward breath) and 'outward breath' (tension) - all of which I know you know! Here is the general designation in China in the first instance:
a) 'Tension' = Buddhist
b) 'Relaxation' = Daoist
For Buddhist martial arts - the 'internal' (relaxation) evolves around seated meditation - whilst the Daoists take a different 'esoteric' path that develops manifest strength through alchemical transformation - the development and blending of Jing (reproductive and retained energy), Qi (breath and virtue) and Shen (a broad, and all-decomposing 'empty' mind). Of course, the Daoist do partake in seated meditation - but the barrier between 'spirit' (consciousness) and 'physical' (matter) is not so clear-cut as it is in the Buddhist philosophy.
This is why many (both inside and outside China) fail to genuinely master the Daoist path - and the Way (Dao) is left open to all kinds of charlatans. The reality for Buddhists and Daoists (who are united through the teachings of 'Confucius') must be able to 'fight' properly and effectively in the final analysis - regardless of whatever interpretation their belief systems like to project onto the reality of the material world! Goju Ryu takes a 'scientific' and 'concise' view of all this Chinese philosophising - as is evident in the 'Sanchin' (tension) and 'Tensho' (relaxation) Katas!
Best Wishes
Adrian
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2025.