PUTTING THE “ART” IN MARTIAL ARTS

by Phillip Starr

Nowadays, we hear about many so-called “martial arts” that are new and innovative. They run the gamut of “mixed martial arts” to “reality martial arts” and beyond. But what IS a martial art? Let's take a moment to consider the terms “budo” and “bujutsu.”

Many people insist that the word “martial” infers that these disciplines were or are associated with the military. I disagree. The correct term in Japanese is “bu” (武, or “wu” in Chinese), which is comprised of two radicals; one is the radical that is used for “spear” and the other means “to stop.” The spear has, in Asian cultures, always been linked to the warrior and things of a martial nature.

The second radical means “to stop or suppress.” Thus, the two radicals, when put together to form the character for “wu” actually indicate the quelling or suppression of violence.

The character often used for “art” is “do” in Japanese ( or “dao” in Chinese, 道), which refers to a “path” or a “way.” Thus, we see that the term “do” has little to do with an art of some kind. Rather, it is a path, a way than its adherents follow. The correct term for “art” is “jutsu” (or “shu” in Chinese, 術), which refers to a (special) way of doing things.

There are several definitions for the word, “art.” It comes from the Latin word, “ars”, which refers to craftsmanship. It is frequently applied to a wide variety of specialized skills such as painting, music, photography, and dance, to name just a few. This naturally infers that it means more than simply learning how to perform a certain task or skill. It refers to an ongoing process; a striving for higher and finer levels of expertise or “artistry.” This is, I believe, a considerable difference between a “painting” and “art.”

This will naturally lead to a discussion of the difference between the terms “jutsu” and “do.” Jutsu is defined as “art” but in Japanese culture it is more of a reference to a special way (technique) of doing something. So, we have jujutsu, kenjutsu, aikijutsu, karate-jutsu, and so on. In so far as the martial arts are concerned, these jutsu forms were developed solely for combat and the protection of oneself and one's family and clan.

The “do” forms didn't begin to appear until after the establishment of the Takugawa shogunate in 1600. The centuries-old period of civil war came to a screeching halt. Ieyasu Takugawa (who established this final shogunate of Japan) governed with an iron fist. No longer was there a need for the different clans to maintain an army of samurai; these professional warriors simply weren't needed anymore. Dueling was forbidden, and most samurai suddenly found themselves unemployed.

Many took up painting, writing poetry, and other art” forms while others offered instruction in various martial disciplines. As battlefield tactics and techniques were no longer the primary reason for the study of these disciplines, emphasis shifted more towards personal, spiritual development. Those warriors who had survived long enough to reach their “golden years” reflected on how the arts they practiced had affected them on a personal level and the “do” forms began to develop.

The “do” forms stressed not only combative skill on a personal level (self-defense) but also the perfection of character and the realization of certain spiritual truths. Jujutsu became judo, aikijutsu morphed into aikido, and so on. This isn't to say that the “do” forms were less lethal than their forerunners; au contraire, they maintained their combat effectiveness while they also expanded their awareness and led their followers into new dimensions of personal development.

So when we refer to something as a martial “art”, just what do we mean? Is it simply a reference to a fighting technique or does it go beyond that?