Seiuchin Kata

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="05d785a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Isshinryu Karate Do, Stamford Dojo</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stamford Dojo"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id238_beginnings.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Study"><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>  </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="8edc1240.jpg" border=0 ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" width="193" height="292"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Seiuchin Kata</B></div> <div>      This kata seems to have been brought to Okinawa by Higaonna Kanryo, who is said to have learned it under Master Ruru Ko, or perhaps under Wai Xinxian, who is said to have taught at the old Kojo dojo at Fuzhou City in Fujian Province.  Recent research has indicated that Ruru Ko was actually Xie Zhongxiang, founder of Whooping Crane Kung Fu, but this kata is not included within that style, thus hinting that Higaonna had either learned it elsewhere, or else developed it himself.  However, here we run into a problem, as Nakaima Norisato (founder of Ryueiryu Karate Do) is also said to have learned this kata under Ruru Ko.  Another theory is that Miyagi Chojun may have been responsible for creating this form or introducing it from other sources.</div> <div>      The Seiunchin is written in kanji as “Control, Pull, Fight” by many Okinawa Gojuryu stylists, as well as Isshinryu teacher Uezu Angi (son in law of Shimabuku Tatsuo Soge).  A good example is the “rein-forced block” which can actually be applied as a wrist-crushing joint lock (Tokashiki, 1995, referring to a hidden technique), and the “archers block” (another “common name” for the “sleeve catch which one performs in the beginning of the kata during the first three moves) which can be used as a throw (Higaonna, 1981; Kai, 1987).  I (Sensei Gagnon) shall demonstrate this hidden technique sometime.</div> <div>      Otsuka Takahiko, a Gojuryu teacher who has spent considerable time in China and Taiwan researching the roots of his system, tells us that his studies indicate that Seiunchin may mean “Follow-Move-Power” which would be pronounced Sui Yun Jin in Mandarin Chinese (Otsuka, 1998).  Kinjo Akio says that his investigations have revealed to him that Seiunchin may be from a Hawk style of Chuan Fa (Chinese boxing), and may mean “Blue-Hawk-Fight” which is pronounced Qing Ying Zhan in Mandarin, or Chai In Chin in Fujian dialect (Kinjo, 1999).</div> <div>      This kata is preserved in many modern styles of Karate Do, including Gojuryu, Shitoryu, Isshinryu, Shoreiryu, Kyokushinkai (Oyama Matsutatsuo Soge), Shimabuku Eizo lineage Shorinryu, Ryueiryu, and several others.  In the Advincula Sensei tapes, one can easily watch the performance of Seiunchin by Shorinryu and Gojuryu practitioners, making comparisons between these stylistic interpretations and that which Advincula Sensei performs as representative of Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei's original kata.</div> <bR> <div> (After the bow in process and you have opened and announced the kata:)</div> <div>  1.  Move 90 degrees into right seiunchin stance, slowly raise both hands from a palm on palm position over the groin into a double ridge hand block to both sides, exhale slowly with nogari.</div> <div>  2.  Bringing both hands to center body, make fists, look to the right side, snap down both fists in opposite directions into downward blocks.</div> <div>  3.  Bringing the left palm hand block across the body to the right side, raise the right ridge hand block underneath it to the right side at hip level.  Follow this with a right knife hand block to the opponents arm (at hip height), grab the arm of opponent pulling them past you to the right rear and execute a left hand nukite tsuki across the waist to the left side with slow movement and exhale (nogari).</div> <div>  4.  Rotating smoothly on the right foot,  pivot 180 degrees into left seiunchin stance, starting with hands in front of groin, raise slowly into double ridge hand blocks, exhale slowly using nogari breath.</div> <div>  5.  Bringing both hands to center body, make fists, look to the left side, snap down both fists in opposite directions into downward blocks.</div> <div>  6.  Bringing the right palm hand block across the body to the left side, raise the left ridge hand block underneath it to the left side at hip level.  Follow this with a left knife hand block to the opponents arm (at hip level), grab the arm of the opponent pulling them past you to the left rear and execute a right hand nukite tsuki across the waist to the right side with slow movement and exhale (nogari).</div> <div>  7.  Rotating smoothly on the left foot, pivot 180 degrees into right seiunchin stance, starting with hands in front of groin, raise slowly into double ridge hand blocks, exhale slowly with nogari.</div> <div>  8.  Bringing both hands to center body, make fists, look to the right side, snap down both fists in opposite directions into downward blocks.</div> <div>  9.  Bringing the left palm hand block across the body to the right side, raise the right ridge hand block underneath it to the right side at hip level.  Follow this with a right knife hand block to the opponents arm (at hip height), grab the arm of opponent pulling them past you to the right rear and execute a left hand nukite tsuki across the waist to the left side with slow movement and exhale using nogari breath.</div> <div> 10.  Withdrawing the right leg from seiunchin into right foot up crane stance, place the left hand, palm up on the right knee and smash down on the palm (making a loud noise) with the right backfist strike.  Immediately leap for-ward into right seisan with a right covered lunge punch.  Immediately advance by shuffling forward in right seisan and deliver a rising  elbow strike against the left hand (as if the left hand was the face of the opponent).</div> <div> 11.  Looking 45 degrees to the right, shift the body to a right 45 degree seisan stance with a right augmented middle forearm block.</div> <div> 12.  Advance along the 45 degree line into left seiunchin stance with a left side downward block to the side (right fist is on right hip)</div> <div> 13.  Escape from this by returning back into a right seiunchin stance with a right downward block to the right side.</div> <div> 14.  Looking to the left 45 degree angle from the kata line, do the same steps as eleven through thirteen in reverse, i.e. shift the body to the left 45 degree seisan stance with a left augmented middle forearm block</div> <div> 15.  Advance along the 45 degree left line into right seiunchin stance with a right side downward block to the side (left fist is on left hip)</div> <div> 16.  Escape from this by returning back into a left seiunchin stance with a left downward block to the left side.</div> <div> 17.  Step backward onto the kata line with left leg into right seiunchin stance using a modified Megami pose (upper hand is kept open), look right, exhale with nogari breath.  Pause.</div> <div> 18.  Retreat backward into a left seiunchin stance using a modified Megami pose as in 17, look left, exhale with nogari.  Pause.</div> <div> 19.  Rapidly rotate on left foot, right foot forward into a right seisan stance with a roundhouse bottom fist strike to opponent's temple (slamming your forearm into the left palm).</div> <div> 20.  Shuffle-leap forward, still in right seisan stance, into an augmented uppercut punch.</div> <div> 21.  Looking over left shoulder, rotate body on right foot, 270 degree into left seisan using a simultaneous left middle forearm block and a right downward block.</div> <div> 22.  Turning body to side while shuffling into a left seiunchin stance deliver a left uppercut punch to the head, swing left fist over your head into a left backfist strike to opponent's nose, do a left downward block to your left side.</div> <div> 23.  Escape from this place by rotating backward into a right seiunchin stance with a right downward block (left fist on left hip)</div> <div> 24.  Look over the left shoulder, using the reverse of directions (180 degree - "Turn") move rear leg across and reverse stance into a left seisan while doing a simultaneous left middle forearm block and a right downward block.</div> <div> 25.  Jumping across your left foot with your right foot, come down in a stomp to the foot of the opponent (with your right foot) in a right seiunchin stance.  Deliver a right uppercut punch to the head, swing the right fist over your head into a right backfist strike to opponent's nose, do a right downward block to your right side.</div> <div> 26.  Escape from this place by rotating backward into a left seiunchin stance with a left downward block (right fist on the right hip)</div> <div> 27.  Stepping back with the left foot into right seisan stance, execute a right bear-hug break</div> <div> 28.  Stepping back with the right foot into left seisan stance, execute a left bear-hug break</div> <div> 29.  Without changing position, punch the kick leg of opponent (deliver a downward punch about 45 degree from your shoulder, forward to your right down- ward direction).</div> <div> 30.  Leap forward into the right seisan stance, deliver a right augmented uppercut punch to head of opponent.</div> <div> 31.  Chambering the left leg against the backside of the right leg, step back with the left leg into a right cat stance and simultaneously bring both arms together at the forearms, high in the air.</div> <div> 32.  Slam both elbows downward in front of you to break two lapel grabs stamp right heel down at same time.</div> <div> 33.  Bring right foot back into musuba dachi and close kata.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.isshinryu.com/seiuchin1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.isshinryu.com/seiuchin1.htm"><U>View Seiuchin Kata Being Performed</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>