Passai Kata

Andrew: (Continued from Kusanku Kata) Just by observation (in addition to research), there is alot of evidence to support the night kata hypothesis seeing that there are many evasive movements in the Okinawan Kusanku (referring to both Chatanyara and the Itosu version, not Funakoshi's Kanku Dai). The low and short crouching stance is evidence of that.

"Seems logical if someone's storming the castle."

--> Ironically, Bassai is translated as "storming though a fortress"... any connection there?

Nick: According to my reading, that's nowhere in tha kanji for passai. Apparently it means extract and block. Ochokui maybe? Wink wink.

So, I did a little homework, and basically what I found is that Matsumura Passai is basically Passai Dai, and Matsubayashi Passi is basically Passai Sho. Matsubayashi and Kobayashi both have Matsumura and Itosu in common, but Nagamine's book says the creator is unknow. But it says it was a favorite of Sensei Kyan. How did that happen?

Andrew: Matsumura Passai is Passai Dai, yes... (I thought I told you this before???)... Passai Sho is the Itosu Passai (same as Shotokan Bassai Dai but shorter stances). Kyan's Passai is Tomari Passai as created by Oyadomari but the Passai he passed down is known as Passai Guwa or Koryu Passai. This Passai is currently part of the syllabus of Kyan based Shorin-Ryu schools such as Shorinji-Ryu (Joen Nakazato lineage - who is still alive, by the way) and Zenpo Shimabukuro (Seibukan Shorin-Ryu - who is also still alive).

Nick: "Reaching the enemy commander in a few short steps, Matsumua will stun the man with simultaneous blows to the throat and the groin and catches the officer's collapsing body over his shoulder. If circumstances permit, he will carry the enemy commander away as a hostage."

Sounds like Passai.

"The widespread legend that 'bassai' means 'to penetrate a fortress' is not true, even if it does come directly from Funakoshi. The kanji characters for 'bassai' don't mention a fortress. They don't mention 'penetrating' or 'breaking into' anything, either. In fact, 'breaking into a fortress' appears to be a karate urban legend. 'Batsu' means extract or escape. 'Sai' means block as in blocking a passage or corridor."

I found this to be one of the more interesting points in Shotokan's Secret.

Drew Derrick-Bisbee: You're right Passai was changed to Bassai in Japan, because that's the closest japanese term that sounded like the term that the Okinawans had given as the name of the Kata. Remember the Okinawans did not always speak Japanese. The Okinawan dialect or "Hogan" had many terms that could not be translated directly to Japanese.

Nick: So it is possible that penetrating the fortress is an old Okinawan reading?

Drew: I have heard the idea of penetrating a fortress. I was told in Okinawa that it could not be that. That is a Japanese notion. A fortress would be a defensive posture and since Karate-Do is defensive by nature you would not attack someone's fortress. Some say the first move is this idea of penetrating a fortress, but it is actually a defensive move that overwhelms the opponent's attack. All authentic Okinawan kata begin with a block, since Karate begins with self defense.

So this idea could be a Karate urban legend.

Nick: And when you think about the extract-block definition it makes perfect sense for Passai to be Matsumura's kata. Whether leaving with the King or abducting the enemy, and blocking the stairway for escape.

Andrew: NONE of my sources credit Matsumura for Passai with the exception of Matsumura Passai (or Passai Sho in Kobayashi). The Passai Dai/Bassai Dai and Tomari Passai have Oyadomari's name tagged to it. As Drew pointed out, Oyadomari was a contemporary of Matsumura so Matsumura (most likely) picked up the original Tomari Passai from him and then did the modifications.

Nick: Shotokan's Secret says Matsumura is the author of "patsai" kata. Okinawan Karate says Kyan's version is from Oyadomari.

Andrew: Patsai and Passai are the same - it's just phonetics (ie. Higaonna Kanryo and Higashionna Kanryo are the same person, so are Ryu Ro Ko and Ro Ro Ko). And yes... Kyan's version is from Oyadomari.

Nick: Could be like Kusanku where two people made a similar kata with the same name?

Andrew: Some dude named Roberto posted this but it's accurate:

Hi everyone,

Here's the upshot of a conversation that I had with Mr. John Sells about Bassai

Bassai = passai = patsai

Itosu Bassai Dai = Shotokan/Shito/ bunches of other groups' Bassai Dai

Itosu Bassai Dai = Chibana Shorin Ryu (kobayashi) Passai Sho.

Itosu Bassai Sho = "Koryu Passai" of Chibana Shorin Ryu (kobayashi)
Itosu Bassai Sho= Shoto/Shito/ etc Bassai Sho

Tawada Bassai = Matsumura Bassai (shito) = Passai Dai of Chibana Shorin Ryu (kobayashi)

Tawada Bassai is called Matsumura Bassai in Japan because of a mistake in publishin the kata 70 or more years ago.

Rob

Nick: So I was hanging out on YouTube, and I found something called Itosu Passai. The guy did Passai Sho, so I think that adds to the evidence that Matsumura created Passai (Dai). What do you think?

Andrew: Quite possibly.
But in general, Peichin Oyadomari has been created with creating Passai (Tomari Passai). Matsumura did create a version of Passai called, well, Matsumura Passai. Itosu is credited of creating Bassai Dai (or Shorinkan Passai Sho).

Nick: Do you think Oyadomari and Matsumura worked together or that they both created a different version based on teachings like Yara and Sakugawa did?

Andrew: Created different versions.

Nick: I was reading on Wikipedia (not paying too much attention) that Passai is over 400 years old. I wonder how they respond the the fact that Maysumura was born in 1796.

To be continued...