The ramblings of a nerd - My attempt to understand some of the history of Karate

As a novice, have been rambling through the foothills of karate history for a few months now, trying to make some sense in my own head as to how the complicated beast called karate came to be.  I have always been an avid history buff, so it was an absolute guarantee if I started karate, at some point I was going to dive into the history.   Given the oral tradition, there will always be points of accuracy and disagreements, but where possible I have tried to provide quotes or supporting material to what (I think I've found).  

I keep forgetting exactly what I've blogged, so I decided to put it all in one place so it is easier for me to find and for others to read if interested.  Comments always welcome. REY 08-04-20

Nerd life: A potted summary of the development of Modern period Karate

Okinawan Villages: The hidden roots of Okinawan Kobudo and Tiy?

Addendum to:Okinawan Villages: The hidden roots of Okinawan Kobudo and Tiy?

A Nerd Blog: The birth of Karate
<Authors' note, the photograph is from the follow up meeting a year later, not this specific meeting>

What came before Karate

What Karate lost, when it lost it's teeth.

Potted Nerd: The Naihanchis

Nerd Life: The origins of Naihanchi

Shuri and Tomari, Matusumura and Matsumora, Naihanchi

The kata of Tomari - a Nerd life post

On a lighter note:

Karate Soup - The Recipes of Motobu Choki


Motobu's Recipes: Yard bird and Sake soup

What came before Karate

From what I have read and heard so far, before Karate there seems to be a bit of a pattern emerging as to what existed:
    • Okinawan wrestling - Shima 
    • Chinese empty hand - practiced by the Sapposhi and Chinese families who settled in Okinawa
    • The empty hand and weaponed techniques for example used by law enforcement by the pechin caste
    • The open hand techniques practiced by the families of, or descended from, nobility, such as Motobu Udendi
At various stages these would have become intermingled to a degree, and influenced by all the trade and state visits from overseas.

      
The Shima element still exists and is also known as Tegumi, There is a youtube video that demonstrates: 

Example of Shima

         
  
The chinese connection is through the trade links, and the obvious existence of Chinese forms in Karate plus so much research by the likes of Patrick McCarthy, Andreas Quast, etc, and Jesse's recent video series.

Jesse Enkamp: Karate Nerd in China

         

There are many articles about the pechin class practicing law enforcement, and also being a source for the open hand techniques that ended up by lineage being a part of Karate. Though I haven't read anything that says specifically open hand techniques were used for law enforcement, I don't think that is too much of a leap of faith.  Ok, so it's in the Bubshi:

The Bubshi: Tr: Patrick McCarthy

   
The Motobu Udundi observation comes from Simon Keegan's book on Karate Jutsu, which also references the Motobu family web site. Other material was converational and therefore not admissible. There are videos of Motobu Udundi available that back up Simon's book:

Motobu Udundi Bunomai..

Motobu Udundi Tuiti