Chinese Kenpo?

Discussion in 'Kenpo' started by Korpy, Dec 17, 2006.

  1. Rebel Wado

    Rebel Wado Valued Member

    Ah, now I understand what you are getting at. Yes, it would be very helpful to see the name written in Japanese or Chinese characters.
     
  2. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned


    Hi,
    The hyphen is going to make the meaning stonger as it is connected and can be taken as one word, as "meaning the preservation of the Chinese art".

    Kara-Ho and Kara Ho... If you dont put the hyphen in it and google you don't get as many hits, I have found any way.

    Ho can also be taken as harmony like "Wa" in Japanese. It is a universal harmony not simple, but very complex.

    Gary
     
  3. Noodlesoup

    Noodlesoup New Member

    Yes, Kempo / Kenpo, Chuan Fa and Kun Tao, all mean "Fist Way" I believe... All depends of the language/location you are at.
     
  4. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    Tang Soo Do is another one.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Soo_Do

    :cool:

    Gary
     
  5. DAnjo

    DAnjo Valued Member

    Anyone know the Klingon way to say "Fist Way"? You never know if it might be important or relevant to something. ;)
     
  6. DAnjo

    DAnjo Valued Member

    Well, I finally had the time to re-watch the 1992 video tape interview with Sijo Emperado and John Bishop. Here is what he said about the name "Kara-Ho": He said that he used to drive Prof. Chow around a lot back in the early 50's and one morning when he came to pick him up Chow said to him that he had a dream where his grandfather and father came to him to show him his art. When Emperado asked "What art?" Chow said, "Kara-Ho". Emperado said that Kara meant "empty" ala Kara-te, and he had no idea what "Ho" stood for.

    Incidently, as Prof. Chow's 1st black belt, Emperado also said (in the same section of the interview) that Kuoha was Chow's successor, and that Kuoha had even called Sijo on the phone to discuss this with him after Chow's death.
     
  7. James Kovacich

    James Kovacich RENEGADE

    Thanx for the correction. I think I blended two interviews in my mind, one being the 1987 video and the other this one.

    CN: Visions?

    EMPERADO: Yes, one particular time in about 1952 or 53 he told me that his grandfather had appeared to him in a dream. He said his grandfather showed him some techniques and told him that they were "Kara-Ho".

    CN: What does "Kara-Ho" mean?

    EMPERADO: Actually nothing. Karaho is a derogatory term in Spanish, but Chow never had a meaning for the word. He said Kara-Ho was what his grandfather told him to call the art. Before that, at different times he had called his school "Go Shin Jitsu Kai" or "Lighting Karate" or "Thunderbolt Karate".
    http://www.kajukenbocafe.com/smf/index.php?topic=128.0
     
  8. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

  9. John Bishop

    John Bishop Valued Member

    The problem with interviews is that sometimes people read something into them that isn't there. Or interpret them to mean what they want.
    The issue of "the dream" is one.
    Having a dream about a dead relative is just that, a dream. Prof. Chow talking about his grandfather showing him some movements, and calling it Kara-ho, is still just a dream.
    Now if Prof. Chow thought it was some kind of sign or appearance from a ancester, so what? He was Chinese, and probably believed a lot of things that modern western cultures might find odd.
    Where the misinterpretation comes from is assuming the Prof. was talking about learning a whole system from his dream. That would be rediculous. Prof. Chow was a hands on guy. He was always training and observing.

    As to the term "Kara-ho". At the time that Sijo Emperado was associated with the Prof., he did not have a definition for the term. Or, at least the Prof. never gave his students or assist. instructors a definition.
    Emperado basically said everyone knows that "Kara" means empty. And jokingly said "karaho" (one word, pronounced ka raa hoe) is a derogatory term in Spanish. It was not meant in any way to be a jab at the Prof. or Kara-ho, it was just Sijo's way of saying "I got no clue what it means." Unlike many masters, Sijo Emperado has no problems with admitting he dosen't know something, or may have been mistaken about something.
    But one thing that Sijo Emperado has always proclaimed is that Prof Chow is the one he considers to have been his teacher. Even though he had trained with several well known instructors, who some may consider equal or better then Prof. Chow.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2007
  10. James Kovacich

    James Kovacich RENEGADE

    Now it makes total sense. I think I heard Sijo Emperado say that when "Sijo" was Pro. Chows student it was Kenpo or Kenpo Jujitsu.
     
  11. DAnjo

    DAnjo Valued Member

    I'm sure that's true. Man, there were a lot of names for Chow's art over the years.
     
  12. sakimoto

    sakimoto New Member

    Try it you may like it!

    I am a student of Chinese Kenpo. All I can tell you about it is that it originated in China and was taken to Japan. In Japan it remained unchanged for many years while in China there were many changes due to clan rivalry. From Japan it came to Hawaii and form there Mr. Ed Parker introduced it to the USA. I have tried three martial arts. The first one was Shorin-Ru from Okinawa. A hard style. The second was Jukaido a mixture of judo and akaido, and the third was Chinese Kenpo. Because of my build and size I could not do the first two. The hard traditional styles were beyond me and my indurance, and I salute all those that have studied these styles! But Chinese Kenpo becuase or the study in body mechanics, and the adaptability of the style to the person, not the person to the style. I was able to learn endure and receive my Black Belt in about five years. I could not do it with the other styles because of my limitations. This is my personal opinion and I hope it sheds light on the question that you asked. Best Regards. Sakimoto :D
     
  13. dianhsuhe

    dianhsuhe Co-Founder: Glow-Do

    ?

    Sakimoto- What is your lineage? Are you EPAK then?
     
  14. Korpy

    Korpy Whatever Works

    Isnt Chinese Kenpo just Tracy Kenpo. Cause at the time, Ed Parker was teaching "Chinese Kenpo Karate" and thats what the Tracys got their shodans in.
     
  15. James Kovacich

    James Kovacich RENEGADE

    Attached Files:

  16. Korpy

    Korpy Whatever Works

    Bart Vale (founder of Shootfighting) is a 7th degree blackbelt in Tracy Kenpo, and he frequently refers to it as Chinese Kenpo.

     
  17. James Kovacich

    James Kovacich RENEGADE

    It seems that a lot of the lineage that "originally" derived from the Hawaiian Kenpo instructors "choose" to acknowledge a Chinese connection that can't truly be proven beyond just "word" rather than the Japanese or Okinowan connection, dissassociating themselves with the "father" of their Kenpo. Liked or not, he was the father of all the decendants.
     
  18. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    The connection is the temple and the fact that "shorinji kempo" means "shaolin chuan fa" in Japanese. I believe the kanji is the same.

    Then you have the buddhist situation of Mitose, or so they mention.

    http://www.skski.net/modern.html

    Gary :)
     
  19. James Kovacich

    James Kovacich RENEGADE

    Can you show me the proof or is it someones "word."

    Mitose carried a Christian rosary and chanted. People keep saying he went to the temple and theres proof but I haven't seen it.
     
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2007
  20. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned


    Well that is a toughy. I'd figure the best place for that information would be Thomas :confused: but he is not giving out much info, He is fairly close to you. I believe.

    Gary
     

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