What is the difference between  Japanese Karateand Chinese Karate?

A little historical Background is necessary!

"Modern Karate" had its origin in Okinawa.Originally the Okinawans hadtheir own "ancient" form  of self defense they called - "Okinawa TE":Okinawa Hands.

Over the years many Okinawans would travel and study theMartial Arts in China. Also  Chinese merchants and sailors would come from China and  teach their various martial arts to the local Okinawans. 

Historical Note: The arts learned by theseearly Okinawans were strictly "basic" in nature: kick, punch, block -simple katas practiced over and over.  Most studied only a few years. Evenin China until a student had been studying at least 20 years he was not consideredworthy of the full knowledge of the Master. Then as a general rule the Masters taughtonly within their own clans. Hence the name "Gar" after a style:"Hung Gar." 

Starting in  the early part of the 19th century(1800's) these combined arts would become known as "China Hands". Also,it gave more "creditability and stature" in  both Japan and Okinawa to use the prestige of anythingChinese! Below are the Chinese Characters used by the Okinawans to describe the MartialArts they were teaching!

Newcastle cheap hotelsNOTE: Until the 600's Japan had no writtenlanguage of its own so it borrowed from the Chinese. The Chinese writing is referredto as Chinese characters; Japanese writing is referred to as Kanji. Briefly Kanjihad two parts: The original Chinese Character to describe the word and a secondpart to tell how it is pronounced in the Japanese language.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Dr. Glen Webb of the OrientalDepartment at the University of Washington did the research for me  in the70's. He startedwith all the old "Chinese Dictionaries" and found that the characters forKarate (T'ang Hand) did not appear in any of the Chinese Dictionaries until theearly/mid 1800's. Then it was noted that these were not characters originallyused by the Chinese but rather had been introduced by the Okinawans torefer to the Martial Arts originating in China. But their use was now so commonin both China and Okinawa that they were in the "Chinese" dictionary!

KARATE    KARA TE

EnterModern Karate

By theearly 1920's the martial arts as taught in Okinawa were no longer Chinese; butover the past 100 years had developed into a Martial Art unique to Okinawa.Many of the Okinawan Karate masters wanted to replace the Chinese Characters witha more meaningful term. By 1920/1923 the movement was well underway.

(T'ang - pronounced TONG) after the T'ang dynasty(618-907) meaning China.

Theywanted to replace it with the Japanese Kanji for Empty.

There was a great dealof opposition to this by many of the old Okinawan Karate Masters who wanted topreserve the "Old" traditional Kanji they had grown upwith. 

It wasnot until 1926 that the new Japanese Kanji for "Empty" universallyreplaced the Chinese Characters for "T'ang" (China). Clickhere for meeting of the Okinawan masters to officially make this change)

Thenew translation was Empty Hand; but it had an even more spiritual meaning -which indicated an emptiness (willingness to learn and accept) that could onlybe filled by proper humility and "Spirit" - the true code of"Bushido.

HISTORICALNOTE:"Master Funakoshi" was one of the earliest masters to argue for thechanging of the Kanji to "empty hand". Ironically he was the firstMaster to official award the "Dan" black belt ranking to karatestudents - and when he did so even he held to the old tradition and used"Tang hand" rather that "Empty hands" on each of the"Dan" Diplomas.

Subnote: MasterFunakoshi never held a "Dan" Black Belt rank - He only held an"Instructor certification"

Beloware the new Japanese Kanji for the martial arts of Okinawa:

KARA           TE

EMPTY      HAND

As you can see the problem isthat both are pronounced
 KARA-TE 
 Therefore it is essential that you see the actual Characters to see which KARAis being used!

CHINESE Benidorm alloggio in albergo economico Originally used by Okinawans until about 1930 to describe the Martial Arts     T'ang Chinese Hands

The Japanese Kanji used to replace the tradition T'ang hands    Japanese Empty Hands

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