Founders Forum - Autumn 2003
What is Chito-ryu All About?
To understand the essence of Chito-ryu, a person must first understand the essence of it's founder Doctor Chitose, whom we, his students, refer to as O-Sensei.
I first met O-Sensei when I was a young teenager. I was impressed by him because he was a great karate teacher. At first I worshiped him as if he were GOD. Later in life as I matured, I realized that he was a man, like myself and others. My youthful worship then became respect for this man who had accomplished so much in the martial arts.
O-Sensei was a man who had disciplined himself throughout his entire life. He had done this through practice and dedication of karate-do and other martial arts. I respected his development of the style of karate known as Chito-ryu and for his patience with me.
The name he chose for his style of Karate reflected what he felt was the basis of the style Chito-ryu. Chi (1,000 years), To (China during the Tang era), and Ryu (style). O-Sensei often stated that he felt his style of karate had it's roots in ancient China over 1,000 years earlier.
O-Sensei had spent some time in China during World War II as a Major in the Japanese Army Medical Corps. While there he befriended many Chinese and it is said that an old Chinese Gung-fu teacher offered to train with him. It was here that O-Sensei gained an understanding of Gung-fu, which he integrated into his previous experience from Okinawa and started to formulate the unique style we know now as Chito-ryu. O-Sensei was proficient in Shorin-ryu and Shorei-ryu and with his understanding of these two Okinawan styles and with Gung-fu as a catalyst Chito-ryu was born.
Just as O-Sensei traveled to China and had the opportunity to study with the Chinese, I joined the U.S. Army and traveled to Japan in search of a Karate teacher. I was most fortunate once I arrived in Japan to be accepted by Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose. I traveled half-way around the world and was fortunate in being accepted by one of the greatest karate teachers that Japan had seen during the last 100 years.
O-Sensei taught me that training in the art of karate-do is a never ending study, a life long practice. In O-Sensei's words "I was not going any place I was just going. I should have the feeling that I was always in the dojo and that I will always be in the dojo. Like my breathing, my training would just happen, without thought and it can never stop."
CHITO-RYU KARATE-DO is just a bunch of words, when you say the names.
The real Chito-ryu karate-do however, has to be experienced through training. It has to be felt with the spirit, with the skin, blood and
bones of the student after many years of practice. Once you understand the essence of O-Sensei's teaching you know that what you
experience is impossible to put into words to a younger student. The student must practice and train in order to come to the understanding
I and others have through proper practice.
This is why explaining about WHAT IS CHITO-RYU ABOUT is very difficult. It is actions not words, it is about practice that never ends. It is about practice when you are tired. It is about practice when you have an injury. It is about practice when you are not feeling well.
Chito-ryu is about actions not words. It is a way of living both inside and outside the dojo. It is not thoughts or words, I have attempted however to utilize the words of the English language which will later be translated into words of Japanese to explain
#1 What is Chito-ryu karate about and #2 What Chito-ryu karate is not.
During the year of approximately 520 AD (Christian time) a Buddhist monk from India crossed the Himalayan Mountains into China. The name of the monk was Bodhidharma. He traveled to China to help spread the teaching of Buddha.
He arrived at a city which was named "Wei". This city is believed to have been the ancient Chinese city of "Wei-fang" or "Wei hai-wei". The parallel is that Bodhidharma traveled to China, O-Sensei traveled to mainland China and I traveled to Japan. We were all three seeking something.
Chito-ryu is first and foremost about seeking. Seeking the truth, seeking education, seeking a way of life of peace (Wa) and Harmony (Nin). All endeavors begin with the first step of life's long journey of seeking knowledge. This seeking is the first step of a life long "journey of 1,000 miles."
CHITO-RYU IS ABOUT SEEKING A WAY OF LIFE; SEEKING OF THE TRUTH
When Bodhidharma arrived at the city of "Wei", he was taken before the local king who welcomed him. The king informed Bodhidharma that he (the king) had built over 30,000 Buddhist temples. Because of this, how close was he to understanding the truth of the Buddha's teaching? The Buddhist monk looked at the King and said "No closer that one who has never heard of the word Buddha." This upset the King and Bodhidharma left the city and traveled North to the area of Loyang and Lungmen.
Bodhidharma traveled to these cities, but soon moved on to a small Buddhist temple approximately 20 kilometers from the city of Loyang, The small city was called Anyang and the temple was called Shaolin-tsu (Shorin-ji in Japanese). It was here the monk was to stay and become the Father of modern Zen Buddhism and Gung-fu according to the historical records that have been researched.
At the Shaolin temple he found the monks to be sickly. They needed physical training to strengthen their bodies. The monk devised a series of exercises which later are reputed to have developed into Gung-fu. In a short time, the monks became stronger through their physical training.
Bodhidharma had chosen the Shaolin Temple over the Lung-men temple a mere 20 kilometers away which was much larger and is famous for it's large caves and large Buddha statues which were carved out of the side of the cliffs.
CHITO-RYU IS NOT THE LARGEST STYLE OF KARATE, BUT IT IS ONE OF THE BEST, LIKE THE SHAOLIN-TSU WE LEARN THAT BIGGER IS NOT BETTER.
O-SENSEI, LIKE THE MONK BODHIDHARMA, HAS ALWAYS STRESSED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS.
THE KING COULD NOT BUY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TEACHING OF BUDDHA AND NEITHER CAN THE STUDENTS OF CHITO-RYU BUY THE SKILL AND UNDERSTANDING OF IT. IT MUST BE WORKED FOR, FOR MANY YEARS IN THE DOJO.
The monk Bodhidharma meditated every day for over eight years as he sat facing the wall of a cave near the temple. (This is the foundation of "Soto-Zen"). Bodhidharma informed the monks that the real teachings lie outside the scriptures, not depending upon words or letters, but pointing directly to the soul of man. (Understanding of the way or enlightenment).
THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF CHITO-RYU AS TAUGHT BY O-SENSEI IS THAT HIS REAL TEACHINGS LIE BEYOND WORDS AND TECHNIQUE. THIS UNDERSTANDING MUST BE FELT. IT IS A ONENESS WITH THE UNIVERSE AND A FEELING OF BROTHERHOOD WITH ALL PEOPLE.
Once during the year of 1967 when O-Sensei was at my home in Kentucky, I asked him about GOD. There was an empty water glass on my table. O-Sensei took one finger and laid the glass on it's side. "God is dead", he said. He then raised the glass back to it's original position. "God is alive", he said as he smiled at me. This one moment in time told me about O-Sensei.
WE MUST TAKE CHARGE OF OUR DESTINY. WE CAN NOT BLAME OUR FAILURES ON GOD OR ANYONE ELSE. IN CHITO-RYU WE MUST LEARN TO DO WHICH WE CAN'T DO, THROUGH CONSTANT PRACTICE.
IN SUMMARY:
What then is Chito-ryu about? It is more than fighting. It is about more than winning a trophy or contest.
The essence of Chito-ryu karate may be found in the life of O-Sensei and his historical roots.
It is to be found in Japan and China. It is to be found also in Canada, The United States, Australia and in every other country where Chito-ryu is being taught.
O-Sensei's Chito-ryu doesn't belong to Japan. It belongs to the world. It is universal and O-Sensei has become universal and he too belongs to the world because he is the father of Chito-ryu. His son Soke is now a member of the world community as the person who carries on O-Sensei's work with the art of Chito-ryu.
WHAT IS CHITO-RYU ALL ABOUT?