Shorinji Kempo


Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese martial art considered to be a modified version of Shaolin Kung Fu. The name Shōrinji Kempo is the Japanese reading of Shàolín Quánfǎ. It was established in 1947 by Doshin So, a Japanese martial artist and former military intelligence agent who lived in China for many years before and during World War II.
Shorinji Kempo claims to be a holistic system, whose training methods are divided into three parts: self-defense training, mental training, and health training. The basis are the concepts that "spirit and body are not separable" and that it is integral to train both "body and mind as one".
Through employing a well-organized technical course outline, Shorinji Kempo claims to help the practitioner "establish oneself" and to promote "mutual comfort". The philosophy and techniques of Shorinji Kempo are outlined in their master text, Shōrinji-kempō-kyōhan.

Overview

There are two sides of Shorinji Kempo which are believed to be true budō and educational system. As the latter, the organization is well known for their mental training institution as well as body training facilities dōjō.
The founder, Doshin So, wanted to establish not only an organization which incorporated mental and physical training but also wanted to educate Japanese people who had been completely demoralized by World War II.
His aim was to defuse those who had lost their way and rebuild Japan for the future. It is said that he tried to teach Buddhist philosophy but no one followed him. Later on, So reportedly saw a vision of Bodhidharma, which inspired him to pursue teaching martial arts, as Bodhidharma was believed to have done so. Both of these are later to become the main training methods of Shorinji Kempo.
Shorinji Kempo includes a broad curriculum of self-defense techniques, known as hokei. For demonstration or competition purposes, these are combined together into a choreographed sequence known as an embu. The embu consists of 6 sections and each section includes a series of gōhō or hard techniques and jūhō or soft techniques. During a pair-form or kumi embu, one person attacks and another person defends for one section, and they then swap roles for the next section. The application of technique within an embu is known as hien or flying swallow which represents speed and smoothness of those techniques. The embu is occasionally performed wearing a black robe, called hōi, for example at an opening or closing ceremony of a taikai.

Hombu

Headquartered in Tadotsu town, Kagawa prefecture in Japan.
Buildings:
The bones and ashes of Doshin So are buried behind the lecture hall.

Organizations

The organization of the Shorinji Kempo group is divided into 5 entities:
The relationship between these five entities is very close because of the unique fusion of religion, martial arts, and education.

National Federations

The name "Shōrinji" is a literal reading of the Chinese "Shaolin Temple" from the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China. Dōshin Sō claimed to have inherited the title of the 21st master of the Giwamon-ken system which is believed to have been used during the Boxer rebellion of 1899 to 1901.
Dōshin Sō was very much impressed to see paintings on the wall of Byakue-den chapel at Shaolin Temple. The style of the monks practicing the martial arts was very fresh and vital to him. He believed it was the origin of the existing quan fa in China.

Emblem

The swastika, called manji in Japanese, was originally the emblem for Shorinji Kempo, as it is used in Dharmic religions, as well as by many cultures around the world, for centuries. The swastika can either mean love and strength which symbolize Kongo-zen teaching. However, given the social stigma that the swastika carries, the WSKO replaced it with the character 拳, which means "fist", in the center of tate-manji on the emblem or using nagare-manji which meant "rounded swastika".
In 2005, the Shorinji Kempo Group has employed a new symbol for all the international Shorinji Kempo federations. The new mark is called so-en and it is said that this is the extreme shape of two swastikas intertwined. The so-en emblem is put on the training uniform, belt, and the hōi, a black robe worn by high-ranking practitioners during exhibitions.

History

Doshin Sō, birthname Michiomi Nakano, was born in Okayama prefecture and spent his youth in northern China, first with his grandfather and then as an intelligence agent of the occupying Imperial Japanese Army to collect military information during the war. As part of his cover, he was posted to a Taoist school as an apprentice. There, Nakano met Chen Lian, a Taoist priest and master of Báilián Mén Quán or Báilián Quán. After some time, Chen introduced Nakano to Wen Taizong, a master in Yihe Mén Quán or Yihe Quán. Wen would take in Nakano as his student at the Shaolin Temple, at Henan, and passed onto him the title of grandmaster in that specific style of quan fa.
In the final days of the Second World War, the Soviet Union broke its neutrality pact with Japan, declaring war. The Soviets invaded Manchuria on 9 August, and overran the Japanese in less than 11 days. The aftermath was appalling; Japanese casualties were tenfold than that of the Soviets'; both civilians and wounded Japanese soldiers were left to die while the army retreated; and many Japanese civilians committed mass suicide. It was in this carnage that Dōshin Sō recognized and understood the "nature of the human being". According to his book, the nature and quality of the person is extremely important since politics, law, and day-to-day living are all conducted by human beings.
After returning to Japan, Sō thought of establishing a cram school for young people. He was stationed in the small town of Tadotsu, on Shikoku island, to teach Buddhist philosophy. He established Shorinji Kempo to take the concept of ken-zen ichinyo by following Bodhidharma and made use of techniques he had learned in China.
This promotion and campaign was known as Kongō-zen undō and expanded Shorinji Kempo throughout Japan by his pupils. This campaign and concept was inherited by his daughter Yūki Sō after his death in 1980 till present. After his death, Dōshin Sō is called "Kaiso" or founder.

Milestones

1947 - Religious entity was established

1948 - Nippon Hokuha Shorinji Kempo Society was established

1951 - Kongō Zen Sōhonzan Shōrinji and Kōmanji kyōdan established

1956 - Educational entity, Nihon Shōrinji Bugei Senmon-gakkō was established

1957 - "All Japan Shorinji Kempo Federation" was established

1963 - "Shorinji Kempo Federation of Japan" was formed as corporate entity

1972 - "International Shorinji Kempo Federation" was established

1974 - "World Shorinji Kempo Organization" was established

1980 - Doshin So's death

1992 - "Shorinji Kempo Federation Foundation" formed as a foundation entity

1997 - 50th anniversary celebration

2000 - Shorinji Kempo Group was organized

2002 - Busen High School was opened

2003 - Busen renamed as Zenrin Gakuen College

2003 - New logo of Shorinji Kempo was designed

2005 - Official adoption of the 'so-en' emblem

2007 - 60th anniversary celebration

2008 - All Japan Junior High School Shorinji Kempo Federation was formed

2009 - Sekai-taikai cancelled in Indonesia because of security concerns, but taikai held

2012 - Doshin So's 100th Birthday Memorial Taikai, held in Yokohama Japan

2013 - Shorinji Kempo World Taikai 2013, held in Osaka Japan

2017 - Shorinji Kempo World Taikai and 70th anniversary celebration

Philosophy

Shorinji Kempo is neither a traditional form of martial art nor a kind of competitive sport. It is said to be as a religious gyō among pupils.
According to the Buddhist doctrine, the spirit and fleshly body are inseparable. By practicing Shorinji Kempo techniques and learning its philosophy, it is believed to develop a firm body like a pair of standing Vajradhara and the never-give-up spirit of Bodhidharma.

Zen

Shorinji Kempo incorporates zen for mental training.
Techniques are mainly divided into 3 categories: gōhō ; jūhō and; seihō.
Doshin So in his book, "What is Shorinji Kempo?", said that he pursued his revelations and the development of the fighting technique of Bodhidharma known as the Arakan no ken or the Arhat fist. He believed this to have originated in India around 5,000 years ago. He was inspired by seeing representations of the wall paintings at the Shaolin Temple in China.
Those who practice Shorinji Kempo are called kenshi. Kenshi always salute with gassho the greeting commonly used among Buddhist pupils. The gassho-rei is also gassho-gamae stance, with both palms put together and raised in front of one's face.

Qualifications

There are qualifications for 1st degree black belt in order to achieve the steps of body and spiritual training: These are bukai, hōkai, and sōkai.
Examples of bukai and corresponding hōkai :
After having 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree bukai qualifications, kenshi practicing at doin will automatically have Jun-kenshi, Sho-kenshi and Chu-kenshi in hokai qualifications,
those kenshi practicing at branches will have these corresponding hokai after joining the training at Shorinji Kempo headquarters in Tadotsu town in Kagawa prefecture in Japan.
From 1st to 3rd degree, the examinations are held in each prefectural Shorinji Kempo organization headquarters.
However, the special examination is only held at its main headquarters in Tadotsu for the qualifications of 4th degree and above.
Outside Japan 3rd degree practitioners are considered teachers. In Japan, 4th degree practitioners and above are considered teachers, but those ranking at the 5th degree and above are officially called sensei. Kenshi who obtained 4th dan automatically obtain Sei-kenshi as well.
WSKO's qualifications and conditions are a little different from its Japanese domestic counterparts.
Arm emblem "category" colors:
Arm emblem "title" colors:
Also, there is a sokai qualification in Kongo Zen Sohon-zan Shorinji. 2nd dan or Sho-kenshi will study Kongo zen's philosophy and submit an application form and thesis.

Training system

Spiritual training
kiryoku

kisei

kiai
Mental training
inyō

kyojitsu

tempō

chii

chijutsu

chiryaku
Physical training
• Gō-hō



8 Gō-hō techniques:

tsuki-waza

uchi-waza

kiri-waza

keri-waza

kari-waza

fumi-waza

taigi

bōgi



3 Gō-hō traditional weapons:

dokko-den

nyoi-den

kongō-den



• Jū-hō



gyaku-waza

nage-waza

katame-waza

shime-waza

hogi

ōatsugi

nukite-hō

nukimi-hō

shu-hō

baku-hō



• Sei-hō



seikei

seimyaku

seikotsu

kappō



• Taigamae



Byakuren hachi-jin



gasshō-gamae

manji-gamae

midare-gamae

hassō-gamae

taiki-gamae

gyaku taiki-gamae

aiki-gamae

byakuren chudan-gamae



Giwa kyū-jin



kesshu-gamae

ichiji-gamae

niō-gamae

chūdan-gamae

gedan-gamae

gyaku gedan-gamae

fukko-gamae

tate musō-gamae

yoko musō-gamae



• Fujin-hō



seitai-gamae

tai-gamae

hiraki-gamae



• Umpo-hō



fumikomi-ashi

maeyose-ashi

kumo-ashi

kani-ashi

chidori-ashi

sashikomi-ashi

sashikae-ashi

tobikomi-ashi



• Tai-sabaki



furi-mi

sori-mi

hiki-mi

ryūsui

han-tenshin

gyaku-tenshin

han-tenkan

zen-tenkan



• Ukemi



mae-ukemi

ushiro-ukemi

ōten yori okiagari

dai-sharin

Embu

Embu is a combination of hokei which has 6 sections.
It is similar to "kata", except that two or more people participate. Embu is performed in the court, in the gym, at a Taikai or other ceremonial occasions. In these patterns one kenshi takes the part of attacker and one acts as defender ; they then change roles and repeat the technique. After the set form technique the kenshi perform ren-han-ko which is a free form counter-attack which continues until the original attacker successfully blocks/parries and counters. The juho techniques are followed by katame or kime.
Embu start with gassho-rei and are performed usually in kumi embu, tandoku embu and dantai embu.
Initially, there was no regulation in performing embu. Nowadays, it is rated out of 5 judges having 60 points each for the 6 sections and 40 points each for other factors for comprehensiveness. The maximum possible total of 300 points can be achieved after eliminating the highest and the lowest scores when 5 judges are judging. Kumi-embu and dantai-embu are performed within a time limit of between one and a half to two minutes.
The most famous embu pair was Masuomi Nakano and Toshio Misaki whose embu was said to have impressed Doshin So.

Unyo-ho

Earlier in Shorinji Kempo's history, was the Unyo-ho, a fighting competition. After many accidents during sparring bouts with no headgear, the organization required the wearing of headgear, body protectors, and groin guards. A system of limiting each kenshi to one role of defender or attacker was also introduced for safety. Rating is done by judging attacking points, defensive techniques and counter-attacks.

Current status

Currently, Yūki So is the president of the World Shorinji Kempo Organization and the chairperson of the Shorinji Kempo Group. Tsunehiro Arai is the WSKO's board chairperson, as well as the president of the Japanese Shorinji Kempo Federation.
In 2010, the British Shorinji Kempo Federation split from the WSKO, in response to the latter's announcement on March 3 that it was dissolving the former. However, the United Kingdom Shorinji Kempo Federation still remains affiliated with WSKO.
The BSKF applied to the British Intellectual Property Office to register the trademark that it has used for 25 years. Shorinji Kempo Unity opposed the application, but the IPO found that SKU had not demonstrated genuine use of its registered trademark. SKU appealed the decision. In the High Court, the appeal judge found that SKU had shown genuine use of its mark, but that the BSKF mark can be registered. Judge Warren found that Shorinji Kempo is a generic term, which simply describes a martial art, and even if this were not the case, there is no possibility of confusion of the BSKF's mark with that of the SKU.
In 2015, the International Kempo Association was formed, as an umbrella organisation and loose collective for several ex-WSKO groups. It currently includes member organisations from Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and UK.