The Bubishi, “The Bible of Karate”, is considered to be the most important text in karate. Its status and obscure origins make it the subject of intense curiosity and the object of serious research.
This manual also bears a Chinese name—Wubeizhi—is written in classical Chinese, contains descriptions of gongfu forms and ethics, Chinese philosophy, and Chinese medicine) and was probably compiled in China. In this book, we set out to tell the Chinese side of the Bubishi story.
In chapter one, Martial Manuals and Bronze Statue Notebooks tells how the medical pursuits of martial artists led to the creation of a new medical tradition, and the Bronze Statue Notebooks. The Bubishi, as an example,
contains substantial martial-medical knowledge.
In chapter two, we review the contents and structure of four different Bubishi editions, including the only known color edition—recently discovered. This color edition is included in the book.
Chapter Three is dedicated to explaining the role of guardian in gongfu schools in general and for the Bubishi’s authors in particular, shedding light on an overlooked aspect of gongfu culture—Chinese religious beliefs and practices.
Chapter four, addresses The Ryukyu House—a prestigious college of Chinese studies where Chinese masters groomed students to become scholars and diplomats—and the possibility that this establishment, located in the martial arts hotbed of Fuzhou, was the birthplace of the Bubishi.
In chapter five, Craneformation, we read “Luohan is also Crane”. This may be the bridge between White Crane and Karate.
The great emphasis we put on gongfu culture and history makes this book an asset to both karateka and gongfu practitioners. It takes the reader to the time and place when gongfu and karate were created. By going on this journey, karateka and gongfu practitioners can learn a great deal about the origins of their arts and the mindset of their creators.
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