Chinese hand-to-hand fighting-called ch'uan-fa in Chinese and kempo in Japanese-is very ancient. There are some people who argue thatit originated in the religioius discipines of the buddhist partiarch Bodhidharma, who traveled to the Chinese temple called the Shao-lin-ssu, in the sixth century. Although this is no more than an unsubstantiated legend, it seems certain that some kind of Chinese hand-to-hand combat was beginning to develop in that early period. During the centuries that followed, these combat techniques were the subject of study and refinement. They have been passed down in various traditions to the present time. The most famous of the schools of the Chinese martial arts are the Shao-lin-ch'uan, Ta-chi-ch'uan, Hsing-i-ch'uan, and Pa-kua-ch'uan. The Taiki-ken discussed in this book evolved from Hsing-i-ch'uan.

During World War II, the author became the first non-Chinese ever to study with the great Chinese martial-arts specialist Wang Hsiang-ch'i. Afer he returned to Japan, the author received Wang's permission to set up a martial-arts school of his own.

The basic principle of Taiki-ken is to leap toward an attckng opponent and simutaineously to defend yourself and down him with a powerful attack. Taiki-ken lacks the mild qualities of sports, since it assumes that, if the person does not down his opponent with an effective attack, he will be quickly downed hmself. But rashness is out of place even in the necessarily speedy actions of Tiaki-ken. The abilitiy to make one attack spell defeat for the opponent only develops when the individual is able to manifest the powers he derives from mastering the spiritual and technical aspects that Chinese martial-arts specialists have perfected over the centuries.

The most imortant part of the study of Taiki-ken is the theory of ki (pronounced ch'i in Chinese). Ki is an explosive power that must be instaneously and unconsciously manifested by the entire body at the moment of attack or defense, Without the power of ki, the ability to overcome an opponent with a single attack cannot be expected. In Taiki-ken, training begins with standing Zen discipine, by means of which the individual develops the power of ki within himself. In addition to standing Zen, Taiki-ken employs two other training methods, called hai and neri, whih cultivate the ability to use the power of ki when actual combat makes its manifestation essential. Other trainng methods include kumite (practice combat) and tanhsu (a composite training method using everything learned in all other training methods). Throughout all of these training methods, one never uses the kinds of forms (hsing in Chinese; kata in Japanese) found in other martial arts. In actual combat, there is no way of knowing what kind of attack the opponent will attempt. Consequently, one must be capable of reacting accurately to all kinds of attacks. To develop this skill, Taiki-ken is said to be the martial art that lacks, yet has, training forms. Because this is true, mastery of Taiki-ken is not easily attained. This book offers the techniques and theories that the author and many of his students have found to be valuable in actual encounters with people from other martial arts.

The author, who was born in Tokyo in 1903, studied martial arts from his childhood. By the age of twenty-two, he was a fifth dan in judo, a fourth dan in kendo, and a fourth dan in iai-do and had experience in many other martial arts. In 1931, he traveled to China on business. While there he met the famous Chinese ch'uan-fa master Wang Hsiang-ch'i. Engagements in combat with Wang resulted in total defeat for the author, who then and there resolved to study with this man. But, since it was not customary to accept students from other countries, Wang at first refused the author's request for instruction. After a week of insistent pleas, however, Wang relented; and the author began a course of study of Chinese ch'uan-fa that has continued until the present.

In 1947, after receiving permission from Wang, the author started his Taiki-ken school in Japan. He has continued study and training in that school ever since. Although it is called a school, Taiki-ken utilizes no training hall. The students are taught to follow the master's precepts and to train in nature. Consequently, the training sessions take place early in the morning in the forest of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. At present, the author shares his kempo theories and his skills and powers with a number of students sincerely devoted to studying true Chinese ch'uan-fa.

Contents

Preface
History of Taiki-ken
About Hsing-i-ch'uan
Taiki-ken: Characteristics
Zen
Hai (Crawling)
Neri (Kneading)
Mukae-te
Harai-te
Sashi-te
Daken
Practice method
Kumite
Tanshu