Multiple Choice Questionnaire

The Historical and Geographical Background to Shinseido Shorin Ryu

Questions designed to promote questions and discussion among our members.

No.

Questions

Answers

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1

Who was principally responsible for the development of Luchu Suidi?

Sakugawa ‘Tuti’ Satanushi-Peichin

Matsumura Sokon Bushi (Machimura Sokon Bucho)

Hohan Soken sensei

2

Who is alleged to have been his teacher?

The Chinese military attaché Kusanku

Sakugawa ‘Tuti’ Satanushi-Peichin

Chatan of Yara

3

Where did he live?

Fujian, China

Edo, Japan

Shuri, Uchina (Okinawa)

4

What was his occupation?

Bodyguard to the kings of Liu Ch’iu

Court Administrator

Personal Advisor to the King

5

How can the name ‘Luchu Suidi’ be rendered in contemporary terms?

Okinawan Shorin Ryu

Ryukyu Shuri Te

Ch’uan-fa

6

What does the term mean?

'The boxing methods of Shuri, of the Ryukyu Islands'

Chinese T’ang hand boxing

Matsumura’s Shaolin Stream of Thought

7

What does the name of the archipelago that lies in the East China Sea mean?

Precious Jewel

Divine Spirit

Rope in the Open Sea

8

In the nineteenth century, by what name did the English know the principal island of the Luchu archipelago?

Miyako Island

Liu Ch’iu Island

The Great Loo Choo Island

9

What do the Japanese call the island today?

Okinawa

Hokkaido

Taiwan

10

What does this mean?

Land of the Happy Immortals (from traditional folklore).

The Southern Islands because they lie south of the Japanese mainland.

'Rope in the Open Sea’ (Because of the island's shape resembling a piece of twisted rope tossed into the sea).

11

What do the indigenous inhabitants call the island?

Uchina

Nishihira

Yonabaru

12

What does the name mean?

Principal Island

Inner Island

Great Island

13

Why do they call it by this name?

Because it is situated in the middle of the Ryukyu archipelago.

Because it is the largest of all the islands in the archipelago.

Because the royal castle of Shuri was situated there.

14

What is Luchu Suidi more commonly called today?

Ryukyu Kenpo

Shuri te

Shorin Ryu

15

What does this common term mean?

Head village hands

Little Forest Stream of Thought

Precious Jewel Fist Law

16

To what does this term allude?

To the place where the famed temple of that name is situated in the foothills of the Songshan Mountains in Honan province, China. 

To the place where the royal kings of Ryukyu resided.

To the Ryukyu Island’s indigenous martial arts.

17

Who is said to have coined this name for his system?

Machimura Bucho

Todi Sakugawa

Chosin Chibana

18

By what name would it be known in Chinese?

Shorin Ryu

Ch’uan-fa

Shao Lin Tsu

19

What are regarded as the central or core forms (kata) of the Luchu Suidi system within Shinseido Shorin Ryu?

Pinan Shodan; Pinan Nidan; Naihanchi Shodan; Naihanchi Nidan; Seisan.

Seisan; Paisai; Chinto; Useshi; Kusanku.  

Naihanchi Shodan; Naihanchi Nidan; Seisan; Paisai;  Hakutsuru.

20

Why?

Because they contain all the most important techniques of the Luchu Suidi system.

Because they are the only forms that can be traced back with some certainty to Machimura Bucho.

Because they are regarded as the most basic forms of the Luchu Suidi system.

21

How many islands comprise the archipelago situated in the East China Sea

Approximately 234

Approximately 64

Approximately 146

22

From and to where do they stretch?

From the southern most tip of Japan in the north, in an arc towards Taiwan off the Chinese mainland in the south.

From the estuary of the Hangzhou River, China in the north, in an arc towards Taiwan in the south.

From the southern most tip of Japan in the north, in an arc towards the estuary of the Hangzhou River, China in the south.

23

By what name were these islands known to the Chinese in early times?

The Precious Jewel Islands.

The Land of the Happy Immortals.

The Middle Islands.

24

And by what name were they know to the Japanese during these early times?

The String of Pearls Islands.

The Lapis Lazuli Islands.

The Southern Islands.

25

Why is there a void of information upon early Luchu Suidi?

The beginnings of Okinawan Suidi lie buried in the mists of time and behind a façade of secrecy that has existed for generations.  Even today, this secrecy is still in evidence. 

Because the island was razed to the ground by the Americans during WWII and nearly all documents were destroyed.

Circumstances and later, tradition, demanded that the art was handed down from master to student orally and practically rather than by the written word. 

26

Before the fourteenth century, the Great Luchu Island comprised three separate kingdoms, what were they?

Kyushu in the south, Honshu in the middle, and Hokkaido in the north.

Nanzan in the south, Chuzan in the middle, and Hokuzan in the north

Nansei in the south, Shikoku in the middle, and Sado in the north.

27

By what names were they known during the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries

Yaebishi, Miyako and Amami.

Yonakunitou, Ogasawara and Torishima

Shimajiri, Nakagami and Kunigama

28

Why did the year 1372 become one of the most important in Luchu history?

It marked the ascension to the throne of King Sho Hashi who established his rule of the remain two kingdoms.

It marked the year in which the Chinese Emperor sent word to the King of Luchu that the islands should accept Chinese suzerainty.

It marked the beginning of a formal relationship between the court of China and the Kingdom of Chuzan (one of the three kingdoms of the Great Luchu Island that was to be maintained for five hundred years.

29

As a result of the above, what happened in 1393?

A community of Chinese artisans and clerics was established on Luchu.  With these immigrants came the ancient Chinese fighting arts called Ch'uan-fa

The Japanese invaded Ryukyu in order to protect themselves from any incursion upon Japanese territory intended by the Chinese.

The Luchuans entered into greater trade with Japan, China and Korea.

30

What does Ch’uan-fa mean?

Fist Law

Iron fist

Chinese hands

31

By what name did these imported arts become known on Okinawa?

Tuti

Karate

Kung-fu

32

What does this name mean?

‘T’ang’ (Chinese) ‘hands’

Work well done

‘Empty hands’

33

During the fifteenth century, which Lord of the middle kingdom of Chuzan established his rule over the remaining two kingdoms (Nanzan and Hokuzan) thus uniting for the first time the kingdoms of Liu Ch'iu?

Sho Tai

Sho Zen

Sho Hashi

34

What did this Lord achieve for Luchu?

He established peace and unification throughout Luchu by defeating the Japanese invasion fleet in 1493.

He greatly increased active trade relations with other countries, the Japans, Korea, China, Formosa, and the South East Asian countries and throughout the East Indies, thus increasing Luchuan wealth, hence, the 'Great Days of Chuzan'. 

He increased Luchu territory when he invaded Formosa in 1482 and established rule there.  This created a defensive buffer between Luchu and the antagonistic Chinese empire.

35

In terms of the martial arts, what effect did this have?

By having to practice militaristics in order to repel the Japanese fleet Luchu martial arts were much improved.

The new trading contacts brought knowledge of other 'hand and foot fighting' systems that unquestionably influenced and enhanced the defensive ‘boxing’ arts of Luchu. 

Luchu martial arts were improved and enhanced as a result of the military campaign against Formosa.

36

The longest and most prosperous reign in the history of Luchu was inaugurated with the ascension of which King?

Sho hashi

Sho Shin

Sho Tai

37

When did this occur?

1422

1477

1527

38

For how long did he reign?

Fifty years

Forty years

Sixty years

39

He achieved a number of new goals.  By what name are these goals known?

The Five Edicts of Luchu

The Seven Precepts of Wisdom

The Eleven Distinctions of the Age

40

What were two of these goals?

1. Private ownership, and use of arms was to be abolished.  2. Law and order was to be established throughout the country.

1. To establish a permanent and fully trained army to protect against invasion from other countries. 2. To build a fleet of defensive warships for the island.

1.  To establish a new seat of royal power in Naha where he would have greater control over the island’s populace.  2. To introduce Chinese Buddhism to the island.

41

What is alleged to have been a result of these goals?

Both Japan and China realised that they would be foolish to invade Luchu now that it had increased it’s military strength.

Japan warned the Luchu king that it would not tolerate any expansion of Luchu military forces.

To have had the result of increasing interest in the unarmed arts and in the development of skills in using farming implements as weapons of self-defence.

42

Apart from the Ch'uan-fa introduced by the Chinese, the Luchuans had for long practised an old indigenous fighting system which came to be known simply as what? 

Ti

Koohii

Shokora

43

What does this term mean?

Hand or hands

Hands and feet

Defensive arts

44

Where was this system practised?

Throughout Luchu

Among the peasants and middle classes

Within the royal household at Shui and among the nobles. 

45

What, of great significance  happened in 1609?

Korean warships landed at Luchu and demanded Luchu pay homage to Korea.

The Shimazu samurai from Satsuma province on the island of Kyushu, Japan invaded and occupied Luchu.

American Commander Perry anchored at Luchu and requested an audience with the king.

46

What old edict was reinforced?

Re-armament of the Luchu military

The old edict banning the carrying and possession of weapons. 

The old edict that all Luchu inhabitants were required to carry identification.

47

By what name did the amalgamated arts of Ti and Ch’uan-fa become known?

Karate

Tuti

Kobudo

48

To what Chinese dynasty does this name allude?

The Liao Dynasty

The Sui Dynasty

The T’ang Dynasty

49

When did this dynasty exist?

A.D. 581-618

A.D. 907-1125

A.D.  618-906

50

What province in China was specifically influential in the importation of martial arts to Luchu?

Fujian Province in south-eastern China.

Jiangxi Province in south-eastern China.

Hainan Province in south-eastern China

51

Tuti was practised by the noble families of Sui. What was the term used for these noble families?

Satanushi

Peichin

Shizoku

52

By what name is Sui known today?

Naha in modern Japanese

Shuri in modern Japanese

Tomari in modern Japanese

53

Sui had been the head village of Luchu for hundreds of years and was primarily the seat of what important family?

The Matsumura clan

The royal Sho family of Luchu. 

The Chatan clan

54

Tuti was also practised in other villages around the island, but in which predominantly?

Kadena, Gushikawa, Ginowan

Motobu, Urasoe, Itoman

Tumai (Tomari), the gate-town of Sui, and Napha (Naha), the Luchu international seaport. 

55

As time passed the Tuti practised in these centres assumed the name of those places.  What were these names?

Sui-di (Shuri-te), Tumai-ti (Tomari-te) and Napha-ti (Naha-te).

Kadena-ti, Gushikawa-ti, Ginowan-ti

Motobu-ti, Urasoe-ti, Itoman-ti

56

When according to family tradition did the first soke of our historical system live?

1756 - 1905.  Machimura Bucho (Bushi Matsumura Sokon).  Soke: (soe-kay) “the head of the family” or “founding family”

1797 – 1889.  Machimura Bucho (Bushi Matsumura Sokon).  Soke: (soe-kay) “the head of the family” or “founding family”

1777 - 1897.  Machimura Bucho (Bushi Matsumura Sokon).  Soke: (soe-kay) “the head of the family” or “founding family”

57

What does the term Bucho mean?

Bucho (Bushi in Japanese) was the Luchu term for a martial arts teacher to the king.

Bucho (Bushi in Japanese) was the Luchu term for warrior, one greatly skilled in the warrior arts. 

Bucho (Bushi in Japanese) was the Luchu term for a man engaged as a body guard to the king.

58

What was the old Luchu name for our historical system?

Shaolin Kung-fu

Machimura Suidi

Matsumura Shorin Ryu

59

What does this name mean?

The head village pugilism of Machimura

Little Forest Arts

Matsumura’s Little Forest Stream of thought.

60

In what year did the Japanese formally make Luchu a part of their empire?

1879

1609

1937

61

The Japanese deposed the King of Ryukyu.  What was his name?

King Sho Tai

King Sho Tei

King Sho Tsui

62

When did he live?

1870 - 1947

1859 - 1938

1841 - 1901

63

Where did he live in forced seclusion until his death?

Osaka

Yokohama

Tokyo

64

The annexing of Okinawa to Japan followed on the heels of an important political event that had started some 25 years previously in Japan.  What was this event?

The Russo-Japanese War

The Meiji Restoration

Introduction of State Shinto

65

What were some of the results of the annexation of Okinawa to Japan?

The Japanese began a systematic programme of Japanizing the islanders and suppressing old non Japanese ways and history. 

The old class system crumbled.  The nobles no longer had a useful function and many faced the remainder of their lives working in the fields. 

The old defence arts gradually came out from behind the curtain of secrecy and were practised in public for the first time. 

66

What, in respect of Okinawan karate, occurred just after the turn of the 19^th century that had a profound effect upon its development?

In c.1907, Tuti was modified to be taught in Okinawan public schools as a part of the physical education programme. 

Funakoshi Gichen took the art to Japan and began teaching it to the Japanese.

The practise of martial arts was banned.

67

What was one of these effects?

To modernize and improve upon the old crude martial arts of Okinawa.

Karate was exported to other countries around the world.

To turn a functional and utilitarian art into a largely callisthenic and gymnastic pastime. 

68

During which decade of the twentieth century was karate introduced to the Japanese?

1920’s

1930’s

1940’s

69

Name one of the early pioneers of the introductions of karate to the Japanese mainland.

Hironori Ohtsuka

Gichin Funakoshi

Kentsu Yabu

70

Name one significant thing the Japanese changed about the art of karate.

They changed the meaning of ‘karate’ from ‘T’ang hand’ to ‘open hand’.

They changed the meaning of ‘karate’ from ‘Ch’uan-fa hand’ to ‘T’ang hand’.

They changed the meaning of ‘karate’ from ‘T’ang hand’ to ‘empty hand’.

71

Name one of the early Japanese styles of karate.

Kyokushinkai

Isshinryu

Shotokan

72

What well known master of Luchu Tudi came from Chatan village

Higa

Yara

Taira

73

One Okinawan master of karate became so well known for his abilities that he was named after the art.  Who was he?

Sakugawa

Matsumura

Itosu

74

Who was one of his most famous pupils?

Nabe Tanmei

Matsumura Sokon

Hohan Soken

75

Who was the last Okinawan to be given the title, ‘Bucho’ (warrior)?

Matsumura Sokon

Chatan Yara

Sakugawa Tudi

76

Who specifically in our history was respected as an “old man”?

Kusanku

Nishihira Kosei

Nabe Tanmei

77

Who was the third and last lineage master of the Matsumura orthodox system?

Nabe Tanmei

Hohan Soken

Nishihira Kosei

78

In what year was he born?

1879

1889

1899

79

For how many years is he alleged to have practised the basics of the system?

Five years

Fifteen years

Ten years

80

For more than twenty years he lived abroad in which country?

Argentina

Brazil

Costa Rica

81

In which year did he die?

1982

1985

1989

82

Where do the remains of the third lineage master lie today?

Okinawa

USA

Argentina

83

Why didn’t the third lineage master’s sons become heads of the system?

Because he didn’t have any sons.

Because they were not interested.

Because they emigrated to the USA

84

Who introduced the Matsumura Orthodox system to the UK?

Ronald Lindsey

Roger Sheldon

Mike Hancock

85