Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat

Sensei Patrick McCarthy, 9th Dan, has been practicing karate-do since the 1960s, and also studied a variety of Chinese, Southeast Asian, and western fighting arts. He is best known as the founder of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, which he established in Japan in 1989, and as the foremost Western researcher of the Bubishi. This 2013 interview contains many fascinating details about his story.As stated on page 21 of the book, Sensei McCarthy claims that the “undated and unsigned” Bubishi, whose Japanese name means “a record of martial art preparation,” “is an abstract collection of Chinese writings about Fujian gongfu-based fighting arts and related subjects.” In Chinese the book is called Wubeizhi. As I will discuss in my review of the book titled The General Tian Wubeizhi: The Bubishi in Chinese Martial Arts History, other researchers believe the Bubishi was written by Okinawans who studied kung fu while living in China.The back cover of Sensei McCarthy’s book, likely written by the publisher’s marketing department, claims the Bubishi is “an ancient work” with an influence that “has been immense for many centuries.” It is more likely that the Bubishi, like many aspects of the Chinese martial arts from which it is derived, is not quite “many centuries” old. According to The General Tian Wubeizhi, the Bubishi likely dates from “no earlier than the Xianfeng era (1851-1861), and most probably in the Tongzhi (1861-1875) and Guangxu (1875-1908) eras.”No elements of the Bubishi appeared in print prior to Sensei Funakoshi Gichen’s 1922 book Ryukyu Kenpo Karate. The Bubishi itself first appeared with that title in Sensei Mabuni Kenwa’s 1934 book Karate Kenpo. Sensei Mabuni may have appropriated the title based on his knowledge of an unrelated and much older, much longer work, published in 1621 by Máo Yuányí (1594–1640?). Máo’s book was called Wubeizhi, which is Bubishi in Japanese. The two works, however -- the 1621 “Chinese Bubishi” and what most call the “Okinawan Bubishi” -- appear unrelated. Professor Ben Judkins notes that “very few individuals in Japan can read the Bubishi as it is written in a combination of classical Chinese and the local Minnan dialect of Fujian province.”Sensei McCarthy’s book is the most comprehensive treatise on the Okinawan Bubishi in print. It features a lifetime of his research into this fascinating text. This 2016 edition features material from not only Sensei McCarthy but other noted martial arts researchers, including Joe Swift and Andreas Quast. There is really no single “Bubishi” -- there are “more than 50 handwritten and print editions here, some of which only dealt with fragments,” as noted in the book. Therefore, Sensei McCarthy wisely collected articles from the Bubishi materials he could find, arranging them by themes for his book.I cannot comment on the accuracy of the translation. Given the number and calibre of people involved in the book, however, I am very confident in its quality. The English text of the Bubishi itself is very clearly conveyed, and the diagrams are well-rendered and expertly displayed. I continue to be impressed by how much value Tuttle can pack into its reasonably-priced books.I have very few concerns with this book, but I have some recommendations. First, I was hoping to see most or all of the original source material included. While this is the case for the illustrated martial arts material (figures engaged in techniques), it is not so for the medicinal and other elements. I would like to see that material in its original form in a future edition.Second, perhaps like the “original” Bubishi itself, the book is arranged a bit like that haphazard set of articles from which Sensei McCarthy devised his version of the Bubishi. While the translated Bubishi itself, starting on page 157, is basically internally consistent, the rest of the book is confusing. In some places the reader is digesting praise for the work. In other places the reader is learning from insights written by guest authors. I would really like to see the next edition of the Bubishi start with a clean slate, rather than add new material to another section of the existing book.Furthermore, I would like to see a clear delineation that tells the reader when he or she is actually reading the Bubishi. For example, on page 150 the reader sees a list of Okinawan dynasties. Then comes a section of endnotes, followed by a translation of Itosu Anko’s ten precepts. On page 156 the translation Bubishi itself begins, but there is no warning to the reader this is happening -- just a page break and a title saying “Articles on History and Philosophy.” Are these articles by Sensei McCarthy and his contributors, or translated material from the Bubishi? I figured out the answer, but I shouldn’t have to ask the question.I enjoyed reading this edition of the Bubishi. I hope Sensei McCarthy takes my advice, as I believe it would make it easier for more casual readers to integrate his work into their practice and knowledge base.I believe Sensei McCarthy might restructure the book as follows. First, move all the “praise” material from the beginning to the end, as appendices. Second, I would like to see a set of distinct articles from different authors, clearly marked as such, sharing their views on different aspects of the Bubishi. Third, I would like to read Sensei McCarthy’s translated Bubishi. Fourth, I would like to see a “raw” Bubishi, replicating Sensei McCarthy’s source material. Ideally the third and fourth sections could be a single section, with Chinese on one side and English on the other, but that can be difficult to achieve. Finally, I would like to see a conclusion summarizing Sensei McCarthy’s best interpretation of the evidence and analysis thus far in the book.Until this next edition arrives, I still recommend buying and reading this one!

Buy it! Period!!!

This is either the 3rd or 4th translation that this Sensei has done. I owned the first edition, and decided to buy this one as my first edition walked at some point in the past. Definitely a good decision.If I understand correctly, the Bubishi was/is a collection of notes on Chinese martial arts (Fukien and South Chinese, mainly) that was passed on in most of the major karate (tode) schools in Okinawa and Japan c. 1890-1940. Many of the sections of the Bubishi are somewhat enigmatic and probably intended as a sort of memory jogging device-How else can one explain the otherwise inexplicable drawings of an aunt and an uncle on a page?The author comments there were many styles and schools of martial arts that had a single family or instructor with no heirs. This is true not just in China and Okinawa, but elsewhere. Can any modern day wrestlers point to (say) George Hackenschmidt in their lineage as a teacher, despite his place in European wrestling history and Physical Culture history?The translations in this edition seem to be better and clearer, or at least the English is less muddy in places than the first edition. I found the descriptions of /kuen/chuan/kata to be illuminating, and wish that he had included a glossary of Okinawan terminology, or a trilingual Chinese/Okinawan/Japanese dictionary at the end of the book.I recommend reading this in tandem with Mark Bishop's fine history of Okinawan karate-do to see that there are/were multiple roots and pathways for tode to be taught and passed down in Okinawa. Some development of Tode was native, some was not.Some points will always remain a secret.Gordon CooperSan Duan , Hsin Lu Martial Arts

It was just more than what I was after. Still, it's a great book.

Enjoyed the history and origin tracing of karate in this book. I can see why it's refered to as the karate bible as there is a wealth of knowledge to be obtained here. A must have to any karateka's library👍

Buen libro, una gran edición, en especial la de pasta dura, como libro de referencia sobre el karate, es un libro que debería estar en el estante de todo entusiasta del karate, los grabados son muy buenos. La edición está impresa con papel de muy alta calidad, recomendada para los estudiantes de karate deseosos de conocer el origen de su arte.

So, this is my 3rd Bubishi purchase. Well, 4th. But my 3rd as translated and presented by Mr. McCarthy.I got this one for two reasons: that sweet new cover, and the additional material presented in addition to the Bubishi itself.At the price, it's worth it alone for Mr. Andreas Quast's excellent history of the tome.I'd go on and on about why a 'serious karate-ka' or whatever should own it, or how it can give insight into the ur-methods of kata design and technical interpretation (and the training methods which spring from such understanding), and a dozen other things.But I won't.If you have a copy, it's not going to enhance your martial art more than the previous edition. But it will give you more insight into the material, the journey it's been on, and an idea about the people that first walked that road.If you don't have a copy, this one is a lower price than I paid for the last one, so it's a deal.

If you take the time to really study this material, you will be rewarded with a deep understanding of karate as an art for improving your life and potentially your self defense abilities. It’s invaluable for a serious martial arts student!