ing styles in Fuzhou, Beijing, and Satsuma and is considered to be instru-
mental in the development of the combative arts practiced in and around
Shuri, Okinawa. Sakugawa’s most famous pupil was Matsumura Sôkon
“Bushi” (Okinawan, Chikudun Pechin; warrior), who also studied in Fu-
jian and Satsuma. An expert in Jigen-ryû kenjutsu (a sword style of the Sat-
suma), Matsumura synthesized the martial principles of Jigen-ryû with
those of the Chinese combative arts he had learned to form the basis of
Shuri-di (Shuri hand).
Higaonna Kanryô (in Japanese, Higashionna) traveled to Fuzhou
around 1867 for the specific purpose of learning Chinese fighting arts in
order to avenge the death of his father (Higashionna Kanyo). Kanryô
lodged in the Ryûkyûkan (Ryûkû trading center) at the Uchinayaru board-
ing house until Tanmei Kanpû, the manager of the hostel, introduced him
to Xie Zhongxiang (nicknamed Ryû Ryû Ko or Liu Liu Kou) Shifu (shifu,
or sensei, is Japanese for “teacher”; in Okinawan, the word is shinshi; in
Chinese, laoshi).
Xie Zhongxiang was a prominent instructor in the Fuzhou area who
had studied martial arts at the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fujian. The style
that Xie Zhongxiang taught is believed to be either a derivative of Kingai-
Noon(pinyin baihequan; a form of White Crane) or Shi San Tai Bao. Higa-
Karate, Okinawan 243Sensei Ty Yocham demonstrates techniques from a White Crane style, which heavily influenced the development of
Okinawan karate. (Courtesy of Ron Mottern)