Shaolin Kempo Karate - A Brief History
Shaolin Temple, China
A journey through the history of Shaolin Kempo is a long and often twisting road, though it can be easily followed by looking at the most important individuals and events responsible in its creation. Let’s start at the beginning…
Over 2000 years ago a monk from India named Boddhidharma traveled into China with the intent of spreading a slightly altered version of the Indian art of Kalaripayattu, ultimately teaching and creating Kung Fu at the now infamous Shaolin Temple. Kalaripayattu was taught as a form of self defense and as a way of conditioning the bodies of the mostly sedentary monks. Boddhidharma introduced the animal movements now so famous in the arts of Kung Fu.
Over 2000 years ago a monk from India named Boddhidharma traveled into China with the intent of spreading a slightly altered version of the Indian art of Kalaripayattu, ultimately teaching and creating Kung Fu at the now infamous Shaolin Temple. Kalaripayattu was taught as a form of self defense and as a way of conditioning the bodies of the mostly sedentary monks. Boddhidharma introduced the animal movements now so famous in the arts of Kung Fu.
AnkÅ Itosu
At this time there existed in the island country of Okinawa an art known as Ti (hand), which latter on was called Te in the Japanese pronunciation. In 1372 an envoy was sent from China to Okinawa and this began a long history of Chinese influence on the island country that would latter come to be part of Japan. The Okinawan art of Te began to take on many aspects of the Chinese arts at this point, finally resulting in the art of To-de (Chinese hand) in the late 18th century. The main Chinese influence at
this point is attributed to an envoy by the name of Kushanku starting in 1761. It is this art of To-de that evolved through the years to become karate.
In 1901, an Okinawan karate instructor named Ankō Itosu began pushing karate as a Physical Education program in schools. By 1905 he had created the set of 5 Pinans taught today in many forms of karate, including Shaolin Kempo. He continued to lobby for karate in schools and by 1908 it was being taught in all the public schools of Okinawa and latter all of Japan. It was around this same time (year 1900) that karate was introduced to America, through Hawaii, by Okinawan immigrants aboard the ship S.S. City of China. Latter Kentsu Yabu, a karate master, visited Hawaii to teach and spread the art. He was followed by Choki Motobu, Mizuo Mutsu, and Chojun Miyagi.
The spread of karate to the mainland of Japan is generally attributed to two karate instructors in the year 1921. Choki Motobu moved from Okinawa to Tokyo, and latter Osaka. Gichin Funakoshi moved to Osaka and latter became the founder of Shotokan Karate. It was at precisely this same time that an American born Japanese named James Mitose was brought by his father to Japan to receive a more formal upbringing. Mitose, born 1916, spent 17 years in Japan studying martial arts, many claim with Choki Motobu himself though this can’t be directly proven, before returning to his home town of Kona Hawaii to begin his teaching career. Mitose received training in both Okinawan karate and native Japanese Jiujutsu. He opened his school in Hawaii in 1941.
this point is attributed to an envoy by the name of Kushanku starting in 1761. It is this art of To-de that evolved through the years to become karate.
In 1901, an Okinawan karate instructor named Ankō Itosu began pushing karate as a Physical Education program in schools. By 1905 he had created the set of 5 Pinans taught today in many forms of karate, including Shaolin Kempo. He continued to lobby for karate in schools and by 1908 it was being taught in all the public schools of Okinawa and latter all of Japan. It was around this same time (year 1900) that karate was introduced to America, through Hawaii, by Okinawan immigrants aboard the ship S.S. City of China. Latter Kentsu Yabu, a karate master, visited Hawaii to teach and spread the art. He was followed by Choki Motobu, Mizuo Mutsu, and Chojun Miyagi.
The spread of karate to the mainland of Japan is generally attributed to two karate instructors in the year 1921. Choki Motobu moved from Okinawa to Tokyo, and latter Osaka. Gichin Funakoshi moved to Osaka and latter became the founder of Shotokan Karate. It was at precisely this same time that an American born Japanese named James Mitose was brought by his father to Japan to receive a more formal upbringing. Mitose, born 1916, spent 17 years in Japan studying martial arts, many claim with Choki Motobu himself though this can’t be directly proven, before returning to his home town of Kona Hawaii to begin his teaching career. Mitose received training in both Okinawan karate and native Japanese Jiujutsu. He opened his school in Hawaii in 1941.
William "Thunderbolt" Chow
And now we have arrived at the main defining of the curriculum and style that would create Shaolin Kempo. Mitose’s most senior student, William Kwai Sun Chow, studied several arts in his lifetime, including boxing, wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, and Karate before beginning his training with Mitose in Kenpo Jiujutsu. It is this diverse education and experience that Chow put
into his style of Kenpo Karate and what makes it and its derivative styles so unique. Chow trained himself and worked his techniques by engaging in numerous street fights with American G I s. He taught mostly in parks and on the street, never actually opening a permanent school of his own, and lived most of his life near poverty level. He often referred to his art as a "war art" and was never one for many creature comforts.
Chows students then spread his art to the US mainland, each specializing in their own areas. Ralph Castro (Shaolin Kempo), Nick Cerio (Cerio’s Kenpo), Adriano Emperado (Kajukembo), and Ed Parker (American Kenpo) being chief among those styles created through Chow. Fred Villari, a student of Cerio’s for a time, also created a large system of Shaolin Kempo Karate schools worth noting.
The list of martial arts styles, cultures, and individuals who have touched and influenced the art of Shaolin Kempo Karate
is quite long and diverse. Commonly referred to as the first mixed martial art Shaolin Kempo incorporates the four main ways of fighting: striking, kicking, throwing, and grappling (standing and ground). It combines the hard, linear striking of karate with the flowing, circular power of kung fu. It is battle tested, developed by street fighters, taught to police and military personnel as well as school children and little old ladies... and its a lot of fun to boot!
into his style of Kenpo Karate and what makes it and its derivative styles so unique. Chow trained himself and worked his techniques by engaging in numerous street fights with American G I s. He taught mostly in parks and on the street, never actually opening a permanent school of his own, and lived most of his life near poverty level. He often referred to his art as a "war art" and was never one for many creature comforts.
Chows students then spread his art to the US mainland, each specializing in their own areas. Ralph Castro (Shaolin Kempo), Nick Cerio (Cerio’s Kenpo), Adriano Emperado (Kajukembo), and Ed Parker (American Kenpo) being chief among those styles created through Chow. Fred Villari, a student of Cerio’s for a time, also created a large system of Shaolin Kempo Karate schools worth noting.
The list of martial arts styles, cultures, and individuals who have touched and influenced the art of Shaolin Kempo Karate
is quite long and diverse. Commonly referred to as the first mixed martial art Shaolin Kempo incorporates the four main ways of fighting: striking, kicking, throwing, and grappling (standing and ground). It combines the hard, linear striking of karate with the flowing, circular power of kung fu. It is battle tested, developed by street fighters, taught to police and military personnel as well as school children and little old ladies... and its a lot of fun to boot!
