Kempo Hakku 拳法八句

by Sean Wong,
December 18th, 2011

The Kempo Hakku is a vital document that holds hidden meanings and interpretations. Such is the depth of its importance that one of world’s most influential men in history of Karate, Chojun Miyagi, used one of its lines to name Karate’s very first official style – Go Jyu Ryu.

The Kempo Hakku comes from a old Chinese text using only kanji. The Kempo Hakku was written in a sentence structure different than English and modern Japanese. Therefore interpretations vary between individuals and even between the stages of one’s training. I have decided to take each line and break it down character by character and to offer an explanation that represents my opinions relative to my stage of growth within Karate.

The original reference that I am using for kanji and its romaji translation is one commonly used within several Meibukan books. The above shodou is my own calligraphy using Dai Sensei’s kanji selection and Shimada Mitsutoshi’s general template.

Title: Kempo Hakku 拳法八句
拳 – Ken = Fist
法 – Hou = Law, Rule
八 – Ya = Eight
句 - Ku = Stanza, Verse, Line
Interpretation: Eight Rules of Combat Law

Line 1: Jin Shin wa Ten Chi ni Onaji 人心同天地
人 – Jin = Man
心 – Shin = Heart, Spirit, Mind
同 – Onaji = Same
天 – Ten = Heaven
地 – Chi = Earth
Interpretation: Man is Earthly as his Spirit is Heavenly

Line 2: Ketsu Myaku wa Nichi Getsu ni Nitari 血脈以日月
血 – Ketsu = Blood
脈 - Myaku = Artery, Vein, Pulse
以 – Niru = Similar
日 – Nichi = Sun, Day
月 – Gatsu = Moon, Night
Interpretation: Blood Cycle Through our Arteries and Veins is Similar to Cycle of Day and Night

Line 3: Hou wa Go Jyu wo Don To su 法剛柔吞吐
法 – Hou = Law, Rule
剛 – Go = Strong, Hard, Manly
柔 – Jyu = Tender, Weak, Gentle, Soft
吞 – Don = Swallow, Take, Gulp
吐 - To = Spit, Vomit, Belch
Interpretation: To Inhale Must be Strong and To Exhale Gentle
There is a bit of a debate among my peers and I about this one. The majority of my peers say to breathe out is hard or strong and breathing in is soft or gentle. This would be a default if we were to consider Sanchin kata. I too felt the same way, but lately after reviewing quite a bit of data I believe that it is the other way around. It is my conclusion that an assertive control of inhaling has more advantage when paired with a gentle silent exhale.

Line 4: Mi wa Toki ni Shitaga Hen ni Ozu 身随時應変
身 – Mi = Body, Person
随 – Shitaga = At the Mercy, Follow, During, While, Obey, Submit
時 – Toki = Time, Hour, Moment
應 - Ou = Answer, Accept, Yes
変 – Hen = Unusual, Change, Strange
Interpretation: The Timing Our Actions is Determined by the Changing Situation

Line 5: Te wa Ku ni Ai Sunawachi Hairu 手逢空則入
手 – Te = Hand
逢 – Hou = Meet, Date, Rendezvous
空 – Ku = Air, Sky, Empty, Void
則 – Sunawachi = Then, Rule, Follow
入 – Hairu = Enter, Insert
Interpretation: Offensive Techniques Occur at the Most Opportune Moment Without Pause and Conscious Thought

Line 6: Shin Tai wa Hakarite Riho Su 碼進退離逢
碼 – Me = Wharf, Yard
進 – Shin = Advance, Proceed, Progress
退 – Tai = Retreat, Withdraw, Retire
離 – Ri = Detach, Separation, Digress
逢 - Hou – Meet, Rendezvous
Interpretation: Distance is Determined by Advancing and Retreating

Line 7: Me wa Shihou wo Miru wo Yo Su 眼要視四向
眼 - Me = Eyeball
要 – Yo = Main Point, Essence, Need
視 – Miru = Stereoscopic Vision, Inspection
四 – Shi = Four (used in shihou 四方 meaning four directions)
向 - Kou = Facing, Yonder, Beyond
Interpretation: You Must See (sense) Beyond the Obvious (eyes in the back of the head).

Line 8: Mimi wa Yoku Happo wo Kiku 耳能聴八達
耳 – Mimi = Ear
能 – Yoku = Talent, Skill, Ability
聴 – Kiku = Listen, Careful Inquiry, Head Strong
八 - Hachi = Eight (used in happo 八方 meaning all sides)
達 - Tatsu = Reach, Penetrate, Pierce, Accomplish (this kanji use for the Kempo Hakku is unique to Dai Sensei Yagi Meitoku. The above romaji translation does not reflect this kanji.)
Interpretation: The Ear Can Capture Details in All Directions