Pressure point articles

Delayed Death Touch: Instructions to the Coroner of China Reveal Knowledge of Vital PointsBy Rick Clark

Among the joys of researching a topic in depth are the little gems of knowledge you often uncover. Several years back I came upon a reference to a manuscript that was translated by Herbert Giles. One of the reasons this caught my eye was his name, Herbert Giles. He was one of the men responsible for developing the Romanization of Chinese (one of the two most used methods of translating Chinese pronunciation to Western spelling known as Wade-Giles).

Then there was the title, “Instructions to the Coroner” or “Records of the Washing Away of Unjust Imputations”. With a Masters degree in Criminology I began to wonder what type of forensic information might be discussed in an old Chinese manuscript. The “His Yuan Lu” dates from the reign of Shun Yu (1241 – 1253) and was written by Sung Tzhu. Giles first came across this work while stationed at Ningpo in 1873 and subsequently translated this text. It was then published in the “China Review” in 1874 and later republished in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine” in 1924.

Once I acquired a copy of the translation I quickly scanned the text, and to my pleasure there were two charts showing vital points! Now here indeed was something to look at. A text that dated from the mid 1200’s, translated into English in 1874 that clearly addressed vital points. This may be the earliest text in the English language that mentions vital points. Consider the fact that the “His Yuan Lu” made available to us information on vital points forty eight years prior to the introduction of Karate into Japan by Gichin Funakoshi in 1922. Also, remember there are a number of books published in the early 1900’s that clearly discuss and demonstrate the use of vital point techniques.

With this in mind, the contents of this work become immediately provocative. The information given on vital points was limited, but clearly presented. There are two charts which show vital points on the front and back of the body. According to the text there are sixteen vital points on the front of the body (twenty two if you count them as bi-lateral) and six vital points on the back (twelve if counted as bi-lateral) for a total of thirty two vital points on the human body.

In addition there are thirty six non-vital spots listed on the front of the body and an additional twenty listed on the back. Although this was an early work, there are records of earlier books that have been lost describing the injuries that could be caused on another person by a trained fighter.

They are: “I Yu Chi” (Records of Doubtful Criminal cases) written in the 10th century by Ho Ning and Ho Meng, and the “Ming Yuan Shih Lu” (True Records of the Clarification of Wrongs) by Hsu Chih Tshai in the 6th century. Considering that the Shaolin monastery (to which many forms of Chinese martial arts trace their lineage) goes back to the 5th century, one could make a very tenuous assumption that Ho Ning, Ho Meng, and Hsu Chih Tshai could have had knowledge of the damage that trained individuals could inflict on one another without the use of weapons.

“His Yuan Lu” recognized two classes of vital

points: those that could be fatal on impact and those that could cause death at a later

date.”

In China there were two main sources of knowledge (or tradition) in the martial arts. The Shaolin temple is the one most people immediately associate with the fighting arts of China due to the television series “Kung-Fu”. However, there was another temple, Wudang, which followed the Taoist tradition. This temple has gained fame with the general public from the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”.

Because of its age the “His Yuan Lu” may be one of the oldest books on forensic medicine ever written. This book was carried by the high territorial official who had the duty to act as coroner

whenever they had to investigate a death. It is interesting to note that inquests were also held on the living if a person sustained a dangerous wound. This was done to establish a “death limit”. According to the “His Yuan Lu,” the wounded man in a brawl would be handed over to the accused to be nursed back to health. If the victim died as a result of the injuries suffered in the fight, the aggressor would be subject to a death penalty.

The author of the “His Yuan Lu” recognized two classes of vital points: those that could be fatal on impact and those that could cause death at a later date. The text notes that if a mortal wound is given to the top of the head, behind the ear, the throat, or the pit of the stomach death can take place quickly. Or, death can result in three days if a vital point located at the back of the head, the forehead, or the chest is struck. Then there are also “ordinary” vital points, which if struck can result in death within as long as 10 days.

From a practical point of view the vital points that result in immediate death would have been of the most interest to the warriors of those days, and even to the current day martial artist. In practical terms of self-defense, you would want to have an immediate reaction from strikes to vital points, rather than delayed effects. However, there may be some advantage to striking a person and having him die ten days hence: it might allow an

individual to escape notice as being the perpetrator of a fatality.

It is interesting to read that fatal wounds resulted from blows delivered by the hands to the upper part of the body, the back, chest, and upper ribs and rarely on the lower ribs. Kicks would have been delivered to the pit of the stomach and the ribs. The author of “His Yuan Lu” believed that certain blows to the head, face, chest, breast, etc. could have mortal consequences. The author noted that if a blow resulted in the death of an individual at a later date, Coroners should look for somewhat larger bruising and inflammation. If the blow resulted in immediate death, then there would be deeper and more severe bruising.

This may be where some of the lore on the delayed death touch could have first surfaced. From a purely western point of view it is possible to understand how death could occur at a time later than the original altercation. For example, if you rupture the spleen or liver, you would not be able to survive unless you were taken to the hospital and surgery performed. At the very least severe infection might occur that could cause death. So it seems that the Coroners of China were well aware of the use of vital points and how they could result in the death of an individual either at the time of the assault or at a later date.

The Case For Vital PointsBy Rick Clark

People join the martial arts for many reasons, and

learning self-defense is one of the most important. But, is that what people are getting?

With the development of martial arts, both as a sport and a martial way, there appears to be a decrease in the combative applications found in the arts. Emphasis seems to be placed on safety, protective equipment, rules of competition, limiting striking areas, physical conditioning, personal development, or sport applications of technique. And competitions divide contestants into divisions by age, sex, rank and weight.

While it is still possible to teach and learn self-defense techniques from martial arts that have a sports or spiritual focus, more often than not effective street self-defense has been lost somewhere in the process. In addition, competitive divisions often isolate the student from facing opponents that are much larger, heavier or stronger.

Artificial divisions will not occur in real life. If a woman is assaulted, it will probably be done by a male who is taller, stronger, and heavier. If a child is abducted, it will be by an adult. In most

situations, the attacker will attempt to have the advantage. Our job as martial arts instructors is to provide a tool for the smaller, younger, or weaker individual to use when faced with a determined attacker.

What will give the smaller person an advantage over the larger and stronger opponent? If you look at judo tournaments, you will see that the larger opponent has an advantage over the smaller judoka. Of course, the smaller judoka can throw and score on the larger opponent, but it requires a high degree of skill and ability to do so. This is one of the reasons you see weight divisions in judo tournaments. Weight does have an impact.

Skill level is another consideration in tournaments. You do not see black belts sparring against yellow or green belts. Can the lower ranks score points on a higher-ranked and experienced martial artist? Of course they can, but by and large the black belts should be able to beat the lower-ranked students. Do you see juniors competing against adults? Do you see senior students competing against juniors or younger adults? No, is it because the junior or senior could not win? Of course not, they could, but in the interest of being fair to the competitors, age divisions are set up to lay down a level playing field for them.

Therefore, we must train our students to defend themselves against older (or younger), stronger,

bigger, faster, or more skilled opponents. It is imperative that we offer a way to equalize the advantages the aggressor may possess against our students. Everyone knows there are places on the human body that are vulnerable to attack. It is common knowledge that a punch to the stomach can cause a person to lose their breath. Yet, with training, you can learn to take a strong punch to the stomach. If delivered to the testicles, throat, or eyes, that same punch could be quite destructive.

So at one level, we understand there are targets on the human body that are more vulnerable than others. If we understand and accept that there are places on the body that are more susceptible, then it would seem logical we should look for these weaker places. Once we know where these weak points are located, it then becomes a matter of developing the skill to make use of these points under stress.

For centuries, Sunzi's The Art of War has been one of the treasured books of the literate warriors of the Orient. Even today, in the West, we can find words of sound advice. For example, Sunzi said, "to be certain to take what you attack is to attack a place the enemy does not protect." You might stop and ask, "how does that affect my practice of self-defense?"

To answer this, I would like to lay a little foundation. If you look in chapter six of Funakoshi Gichin's Karate-

Do Kyohan, you will find a discussion of vital points (kyusho) and the results of strikes to various parts of the body.

In many cases, the places he describes to strike are quite obvious targets to attack. For example, some of the targets are ones that the man on the street would be aware of attacking. These are the eyes, nose, groin, and solar plexus. Yet, in this same section, he states that if you strike a specific point on the wrist, you will knock out your opponent. Funakoshi also details points on the arm, legs, back, chest, neck, and head that will cause an opponent to become unconscious or possibly fatal if struck.

It is not only Funakoshi or other Oriental authors that make such claims. In his Modern Judo series (1942), Charles Yerkow notes a number of points that would be used in self-defense, but not in practice, as they are very

dangerous. For instance, he notes one point at the bottom of the foot that can be deadly when struck. You can find examples of places to strike in Professor H.H. Hunter's Super Ju-Jitsu (1938), in which he locates points on the arm and leg that will create "partial paralysis" if struck.

I would like to go back to the Sunzi quote, "to be certain to take what you attack is to attack a place the enemy does not protect." If we look at the comments of Hunter, Yerkow, and Funakoshi, they all state there are places on the extremities that can be struck to cause partial paralysis, unconsciousness, or even death. If a person is being attacked, what does the individual have to do to make contact with you? They must put out their arm or leg to attack. Once they place a part of their body near you, they are in effect giving you a target to attack. I am confident that individuals would not be overly concerned with a person attacking the arm or leg. Yet, they would be protective of their eyes, noes, ears, throat, groin, or solar plexus.

So, if you are aware of the results of attacking vital points on your opponent's arms and legs, it is possible to have a relatively clear shot at those targets. Once you have successfully struck these points, it will be too late for your opponent to adequately defend against further attacks to vital points. The normally harder to access points may now be seen as targets of opportunity and

readily attacked.

A sound knowledge of the vital points located on the body's extremities can prove to be a valuable asset in any self-defense situation. This understanding offers you the door to enter should you wish to attack points on the head, neck, chest, or back, providing an equalizer for the serious student of self-defense.

The Thread That BindsBy Rick Clark

Contemporary martial arts such as judo, aikido and karate-do seem very different. However, if you look for those things that are held in common you might be surprised by their many similarities.

Let's look at some of the techniques taught today in a basic judo or jujutsu class. The new white belt is taught break falls, basic throws, and rudimentary ground fighting. As these skills become more developed, advanced techniques are introduced into the curriculum. With good instruction and some determined practice the student can reach a substantial degree of proficiency in his or her art. In most jujutsu systems punching and kicking is taught as part of the system's responses to various attacks or grabs.

In judo, punching and kicking skills, however, are considered ancillary to the primary art. And while these techniques are a

natural complement to throwing, joint locks, and grappling skills, today they are

only taught to the most senior students. This was not always the case. The 1924 book, "The Complete Kano Jui-Jitsu," did illustrate a variety of knee strikes, foot kicks and head pushes or strikes. But, as judo became more sports oriented, these techniques were no longer taught to most students.

In other arts such as karate, kempo, or tae kwon do, the foundation skills consist mainly of punching, kicking, and blocks. As in the example above, when the student advances in skill and ability, advanced techniques that are representative of judo or jujutsu may be incorporated into the training curriculum -- throws, takedowns, arm bars and other joint manipulations. These same techniques are also found within the more advanced kata.

In Gichen Funakoshi's early 20th century karate books, for

example, photos illustrate not only a variety of throws similar to those in judo, but jujutsu type joint techniques as well.

In aikido too, striking techniques were originally considered a critical element to help set up many techniques by distracting or momentarily stunning an opponent. In fact, aikido's founder, Morihei Useshiba, is credited with saying that striking is a critical part of setting up many techniques. In the 1933 first published account of aikido, "Budo Training In Aikido," there are many illustrations of these initial strikes (see first photo in this article). In later years, however, Ueshiba tended to stress movement and the flow of technique, especially in his films, and in recent years the initial striking aspect of the art disappeared from the curriculum of many schools.

As you may have noticed similar techniques are often taught as basic techniques in one system and advanced techniques in the second. It is a matter of the priority that each martial art puts on the techniques that determines at which point they are introduced. Each art has its own strategy of combat with different emphasis and priorities -- striking and kicking, throwing, grappling, joint manipulations, etc.

Judo, jujutsu and aikido tend to deal with attacks at a grappling or close range. Arts such as karate will best handle attacks from a

medium range. Tae Kwon Do, which is known for its kicking techniques, deals best with the longer range attacks. Of course each art can deal with attacks from other ranges, but it seems that they tend to emphasize particular ranges of techniques.

Prior to the modern era warriors, such as the samurai, needed to be well rounded in their combative techniques in order to survive in battle. Thus, they were skilled in the use of various weapons and un-armed combative techniques. Today many martial arts do not train with combat effectiveness in mind. Most teach with emphasis on sport, physical fitness, or mental development.

There is, however, a strategic relationship between the various arts. At the basic level of any martial art that is being used in a life or death struggle, the intent and purpose of the art is the rapid destruction of the opponent, or in the case of aikido, the neutralization of the opponent. Remember we are not talking about the sporting or the character building aspect of martial arts. I am talking about martial arts that are being practiced as self-defense methods. Here, most martial arts seek to cause injury, or at least incapacitate, the attacker -- by breaking, knocking out (by a punch, kick or strike), choking, or throwing.

While various arts, such as karate, judo, tae kwon do, jujutsu, silat, aikido, etc.,

each have their own strategies and priorities of techniques, each also shares deeper body of knowledge that bridges their art, style or country of origin.

What is it? Pick up just about any older martial arts book in English published in the 20th century and you can flip to the back and find diagrams showing the vital points on the body. Many older texts in Chinese and Japanese dating from the 1600's and before also include these vital point charts. These charts may vary in the number of points shown, the locations shown, or the amount of information given about them, but the vital points shown were incorporated in some form in each art. These points represent places on the body that can be attacked and manipulated within that system to cause varying degrees of damage.

The use of vital points has not been the exclusive domain of any particular art. Before the introduction of Karate into Japan in 1922 by Gichin Funakoshi, vital points were being written about in the English language. In 1913 Koyama and Minami published Jiu-Jitsu (jujutsu): The Effective Japanese Mode of Self Defense in which they state:

"There are some Jiu-jitsu (jujutsu) maneuvers that have never been explained to Europeans or Americans - and probably

they never will be. These death blows are remarkable. Some are delivered on the spine, others on the neck and head, and two on the face. There are almost numberless maneuvers that temporarily paralyze nerves and nerve centers, and others that stop the circulation of the blood in various parts of the body." (p. 5-6)

Jujutsu thus made use of percussive techniques to incapacitate their opponents. Textbooks on judo from that time also describe the location and use of vital points in that art.

An early work on Karate by Gichin Funakoshi has a chart of vital points and their reactions. Choi Hong Hi in his first work tae kwon do (1965) has a chart and list of points to attack. This list could go on and on, but to what purpose? Without question the use of vital points can be found to one degree or another in all martial arts whatever country of origin and is the thread that ties them together.

Here is a crudely hand drawn vital point chart from the Bubushi, a once secret text owned by many early 20th Century Okinawa and Japanese karate masters including Gichen Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan karate), his teacher, Anko Itosu, Gogen Yamaguchi (founder of Japanese Goju ryu karate) and Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito ryu karate).

Compare this with a similar, modern anatomical rendition printed in the 1924 judo text, "The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu."

Even though vital points have been shown in many older texts, however, there seems to be limited

knowledge among the martial arts community today on their use. Their use has also been the subject of controversy. The reason is that traditionally their study was reserved for only the most trusted students of an instructor. As far back as 1915 Yokoyama, Oshima, and Horiguchi stated in their book Judo (1915) that the use of striking vital points were considered secret techniques, something to be keep away from students.

Moreover this knowledge was never taught to the many foreign students who first studied various arts in Japan, Okinawa and elsewhere overseas following W.W.II. They returned home to teach their arts as they had learned them. Also, with the emergence of various martial arts as a sport, the combative nature of such arts as judo and karate has been relegated to a secondary position. In aikido and some karate systems emphasis has been on mental, spiritual and physical training.

Thus, the unique knowledge of vital points and how to strike them has been neglected, or forgotten. In most karate, kempo or tae kwon do classes, for example, if strikes are indicated, students are instructed only in the most general of terms -- hit the face, or side of the head, or neck. No specific information about exactly where to hit and from what angle is given.

In similar fashion all too

many aikido students neglect an initial atemi or strike as part of their techniques. They are also not aware of how vital points can be used as part of their standard techniques to maximize their effectiveness. And in judo only the most advanced judo students are taught knowledge about vital points and how to use them while performing techniques, or where to aim if punching or kicking.

The result is that teachers in many arts have never been trained in the use of vital points and do not have the skill or knowledge to teach that portion of the art to their students. It has taken only one or two generations of teachers for this unique information to be cleansed from the curriculum of most arts and schools.

Today we are seeing renewed interest in this esoteric aspect of the martial arts. All over the world students are researching their arts, studying anatomy, neurology and Chinese acupuncture points, theory of energy flow, and seeking out older, knowledgeable teachers in order to rediscover this knowledge.

I would like to make an observation: all of the martial arts recorded the vital points of the body to attack. Each martial art, and/or styles within various arts, place varying degrees of emphasis on vital point techniques as well as various methods of utilizing these points.

I find it very interesting that the use of vital points was considered so important that it is incorporated into every system of martial arts. To me this indicates how significant these techniques are to the martial arts, and how much respect they must command. Thus, I believe we should re-incorporate knowledge of vital points back into the study of various arts and systems to preserve this unique aspect of the martial arts.

The Wall of Silenceby Rick Clark, 8th dan AO Denkou Kai

An ongoing controversial question in the martial arts today is: How much knowledge and esoteric skills of various arts are taught openly to students outside of a select few seniors?

Furthermore, many contend that this knowledge is almost never imparted to any Westerner. The reason for this secrecy is, it is suggested, so those who are the most senior can maintain their positions of authority.

In their 1913 book "Jiu Jitsu: The Effective Japanese Mode ofSelf-Defense," Koyama and Minami described how secretive martial arts instructors kept knowledge of these points from the general public. They state "the knowledge of jiu jitus (jujutsu) has only recently been made general in Japan."(p.6) The "upper

classes, jealous lest their influence over the populace should wane, tried to keep it to themselves." (ibid p.6)

"History is replete with examples of those in power a

ttempting to maintain their position by restricting of weap

ons or knowledge."

History is replete with examples of those in power attempting to maintain their position by restricting of weapons or knowledge. For example, bronze, when it was first used for weapons, was vastly superior to other materials and its production became a state monopoly. Today, a similar analogy are the closely guarded state secrets of nuclear weapons, and "stealth technology" that render airplane and ships invisible to radar.

In feudal Japan only the warrior class (bushi) were allowed to carry two swords and practice the various forms of martial arts. Bujutsu (pre-1600 military arts) were considered to be the exclusive domain of the warrior class. Donn Draeger, the famous martial arts historian and author, commented that, "Commoners, while not totally without weapons, nevertheless were forbidden to possess the types used by the bushi and were refused permission to study the

bujutsu." (Draeger 1983 p.53)

Kendo (the modern competitive sword discipline, "do" form which evolved from ken jutsu, the warrior's art of the sword) can be used as an example of how Bujutsu techniques were changed in the early seventeenth century to a form of Budo (a generic term meaning martial way or path that refers to modern martial disciplines that stress spiritual and personal development).

With this change, Dreager states, "the essence of kendo was stated at that time to be a more spiritual discipline for the improvement of personal character than an activity directly concerned with combat." (Draeger 1975, p.68) The sword disciplines and techniques that were used by the warrior in conflicts of life and death had been changed into a new discipline, kendo, that looked to the spiritual perfection of the individual.

With this shift in emphasis to the non-combative aspect, it was "the first time that swordsmanship in any form had been openly offered as available to all classes of people."(ibid p.68) Thus, the techniques of combat which had been restricted to the warrior class were now being openly taught to the general public.

The modern Budo forms of aikido and judo were being taught not as a form of combat, but for spiritual and physical development in these early years. Aikido and judo came from similar

backgrounds, i.e. Jujitsu. The older of the two styles, judo, was systematized in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Later aikido was or organized by Morihei Uyeshiba, redefined from the daito- ryu aiki-jujutsu he had practiced.. (Draeger 1973 p.l39). Both men, Kano and Uyeshiba, modified older systems of jujitsu to create newer styles which "in the main [are] unrelated to real combat" (Draeger 1973 p. 138).

"Kano was quite open in his acknowledgment

that he removed the dangerous techniques from the syllabus

of judo."

Kano was quite open in his acknowledgment that he removed the dangerous techniques from the syllabus of judo. G. Koizumi in his 1967 book, "My study of Judo: The Principles and the Technical Fundamentals," states that judo relegated the practice of kyusho (striking vital points of the body) to kata (pre-arranged series of movements) so it was not necessary to strike these points on an opponent.

It was during the Taisho era (1912-26) that Gichin Funakoshi (the man who first publicly demonstrated his Okinawan art on the mainland of Japan) introduced karate to the mainland of Japan. Yet, it is likely that Funakoshi did not widely teach Kyusho-jitsu (the art of striking vital points) to the general population. It is also not clear if he taught Kyosho-jitsu to his senior students. (1)

Funakoshi in the English translation of his book, "Karate-Do: My Way Of Life," stated that he "set about revising the kata so as to make them as simple as possible."(p.36) The simplification of kata, however, can be first credited to one of Funakoshi's teachers, Anko Itosu. In the early 1900's Itosu developed the five

Pinan kata (heian) which were taught in the Okinawan school system to what we would know as junior high students. These kata are known for their closed hand techniques (many contend that open-hand techniques were modified). The most obvious dangerous techniques, many believe, were either eliminated or hidden. (2)

This was the time of growing militarism in Japan and the physical benefits of karate came to the attention of authorities on Okinawa. An alert military doctor noticed the physical condition of Okinawan conscript, which was attributed to the practice of Te (an old term for karate). Karate was then included in the physical education curriculum of Okinawa in 1903. (Draeger 1973 p.59) This was of course prior to the introduction of karate into Japan in 1922.

Just as Kano developed judo so that the dangerous techniques were removed, allowing Judo to be taught in the school system of Japan, it appears that Funakoshi when in Japan also taught karate in such a way as to be appropriate for the school system.

Funakoshi states, "Hoping to see karate included in the universal physical education taught in our public schools (in Japan), I set about revising the kata so as to make them as simple as possible."(ibid. p.36) Funakoshi even states that karate as taught in Japan is "not the same karate that was practiced even as recently

as ten years ago, and it is a long way indeed from the karate that I learned when I was a child in Okinawa." (ibid p.36)

While kata was still the mainstay of the art, many historians suggest that the self-defense and fighting applications of kata (which included vital point striking) were no longer emphasized by Funakoshi and other teachers in Japan.

It must be assumed that Funakoshi did not teach a deep understanding of kata to beginning students. It was not uncommon at that time to teach only a small number the real secrets of a system. To illustrate this point Jiu-Jutsu (jujutsu) regarded the strikes to vital points of the body as secret techniques and did not impart this knowledge to novices. K. Yamanaka in his 1918 book "Jiu-Jutsu" notes that the master of a system would only teach the full system to the individual who would be the "inheritor of his entire method." (Yamanaka, p.208)

If you understand that karate kata was designed as a method for remembering various self-defense and fighting techniques, it is easy to understand the statement of Funakoshi (Karate-Do: My Way Of Life) that "if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning to dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter, you will have failed to grasp the quintessence

of Karate-do." (p.104)

"Funakoshi held fast to the principle that the true secre

ts of karate were to be found in the various kata."

Funakoshi held fast to the principle that the true secrets of karate were to be found in the various kata. Funakoshi states, "Looking over the thirty-odd kata, he [a student]

should be able to see that they are essentially variations on just a handful. If you truly understand a single technique, you need only observe the forms and be told the essential points of the others." (Funakoshi, 1988, p.44)

Grasping the essence of karate-do is an elusive goal reached by few. It takes a mentor who truly understands kata to point you in the proper direction. The "martial arts masters of old would confer a diploma and reveal key elements only to those disciples whose training, almost unbearably hard and austere, had led them to experience directly the spirit of budo."(Funakoshi 1988, p.44)

"... karate-do ... kata contain

not only viable self-defense and fighting techniques but a

lso demonstrate the proper execution of vital point strikes

and manipulations."

From the perspective of modern day martial arts, two of the key elements to grasping the essence of karate-do are that kata contain not only viable self-defense and fighting techniques but also demonstrate the proper execution of vital point strikes and manipulations.

Consider for a moment, if you could teach individuals lightly to strike various parts of the body and knock out your opponent --would you want every high school student in your city to have that knowledge? Of course not! This type of technique would be withheld from all but a very few of the best students of an instructor.

Or if you were an instructor with the knowledge of deadly techniques, would you teach the real secrets to those who had recently conquered your nation? I think not. Okinawa was a conquered nation under Japanese rule. How likely is it that Funakoshi ever revealed the true secrets

of karate-do (applications and vital points) to his senior Japanese students?

In the words of one of Funakoshi's early students, Shigero Egami, in his book, "The Way of Karate: Beyond Technique (English translation 1976), speaking of the "Yoi" or ready posture, he states "I know that there are changes in function among the various kata, but I must confess that I do not know the reason, nor why they change according to the kata."(p. 107) If such a senior student of Funakoshi does not fully understand kata, how likely is it that American servicemen after WWII, who studied karate in Japan and on Okinawa, would be taught the real meaning of karate?

Koyama and Minami in their 1913 book, "Jiu Jitsu: The Effective Japanese Mode of Self-Defense" state, "There are some jiu jitsu maneuvers that have never been explained to Europeans or Americans - and probably they never will be." "These death blows are remarkable. Some are delivered on the spine, others on the neck and head, and two on the face. There are almost numberless maneuvers that temporarily paralyze nerves and nerve centers, and others that stop the circulation of the blood in various parts of the body."( p.5-6)

This same conviction is held by R.A. Vairamuttu in his 1954 book, "Scientific Unarmed Combat: The Art Of Dynamic Self- defense: The Ancient Asian Psycho-Physical Study" ( p.21). He

echoed Koyama and Minami when he stated: "Whether the real secrets of advanced jujitsu, which are so greatly treasured by the Japanese and imparted under vow of strict secrecy to pupils of unquestionable moral character, have ever been divulged to Occidentals, is very much open to doubt." The 'real secrets' to which Vairamuttu referred were the methods of attacking the vital points of the body and the resuscitation after the administration of such blows.

Prior to WWII there were several publications which discussed vital points and how they could be used to knock out or kill a person. Several of these books give quite accurate information, if you know what to look for! To give several examples, D. Mitchell in his 1936) book "Skilled Defense" demonstrates at least three workable knockouts (p.l35-143). H.H. Hunter in his 1938 book, "Super Ju-Jitsu: Vol.1," also lists and describes vital points on the human body and describes a knockout (p. l 8-24). He additionally describes various "katus" or ways of bring back a person to consciousness (vol 2, p. 7-9).

In general these texts are quite vague concerning exactly how to go about knocking out an opponent. If the reader was already familiar with vital point theory and techniques these knock outs would be self-evident. There were not any texts reviewed which tied in kata and vital point practice except Koizumi ("My study of Judo: The Principles and the

Technical Fundamentals," 1960). Each knock out was described as an individual technique and not connected to kata.

We, the martial arts community, have allowed this knowledge virtually to slip away. To give a specific example, H. Irving Handcock and Katsukuma Higashi in their 1905 book, "The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu (Jitso)," pointed out a number of Kyusho (vital) points and detailed methods of katsu (resuscitation). This book was republished in 1961 by Dover Publications.

At the beginning of the book the following notation was printed: "This Dover edition, first published in 1961, is an unaltered republication of the work originally published by G.P. Putnam's Son's in 19O5, except that the last two sections (26 pages) on serious and fatal blows and kuatus, or the restoration of life, have been omitted, because their use to the public is doubtful and they do not affect the over-all value of the book."

While the publisher may have felt the overall value of the book would not be affected, the deletion of these two sections is a significant shortcoming.

Thus in summary, there are major flaws in these early works, as well as contemporary works dealing with vital points:

1. They lack the direction and angle to strike,

and the results of the strike.

2. They lack the way in which these points are set up to allow you to knock out the person

3. Most importantly they fail to show how these techniques are found in various traditional kata.

These important aspects of the martial arts have been neglected for much too long of a time. It is critical that at this juncture we rediscover the true meaning of karate-do.

Footnotes:

(1) While his early books did contain charts of the human body illustrating various vital points, many important points were missing, and information on the angle of attack and anatomical weapon used were missing. An interesting side note is that Funakoshi did include a portion of the once secret Okinawan Bubishi text in his early books, but it was not translated from the original written Chinese (which, while using characters that were also used in Japan, represented a distinct written record, with older characters and without separate written modifiers used in Japanese). In the English versions of Funakoshi's early books, the translator noted that he was not able to translate this section. The Bubishi section, did however, discuss important

timing information related to vital point striking, something Funakoshi must have thought important to preserve or it would not have been included.

(2) There is much controversy over these kata. Some experts consider them "Children's Exercises" with little combat or self-defense effectiveness. Others contend that they were condensed from similar versions of techniques drawn from Kusanku (Kanku) and other important kata, and while they look basic, they actually contain what Itosu considered important elements taken from the other kata. A third school of thought contends that the Pinans were originally called "Channon," the source of which is again a subject of much contention.

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Yamanaka, K. Jiu-Jutsu. Penton Press: Cleveland, 1918.