SOME DETECTIVE WORK...

 by Phillip Starr

In my book, HIDDEN HANDS, I strongly recommend doing some investigative “detective work” on your forms, particularly in so far as the history of the founder (of a given style or form) is concerned. Piecing together what may seem like fairly insignificant details can eventually provide you with profound insights into the form and/or how it is to be done. This kind of investigation isn't at all easy; you're working what, in law enforcement terms, is a “cold case”...the person into whose character and background you're looking likely shuffled off this mortal coil quite some time ago. But even so, it is possible to gather some considerable information...if you're up for it.

Where and When?

1. Exactly where was the founder from? What is the economic climate like in that place? Blue collar, white collar...this can provide information on the kinds of adversaries he would have had to be concerned about. What was the political climate there at that time? Was there open warfare going on? A lot of banditry and other such crime? If so, the sets might contain tactics/techniques to be used against an armed assailant. If it was a peaceful area, there would probably be less concern about facing an armed opponent.

   

2. What are living conditions like in that area at that time? What was the terrain like? Rocky ground, hills, or smooth prairies, crowded cities...? Lots of rain (thus, mud)? These factors would impact footwork considerably.

   

3. The founder- what was he like, physically? Tall, short, fat, thin, very strong, average strength...? What were his hobbies (this can help you understand what kind of person he was and even how he thought, to some degree)? Married? If he was single, why?

   

4. What was his vocation? For instance, a professional soldier would wear shoes that had very thick bottoms and would affect kicking movements. He may have needed a lot hand/wrist strength for his job, maybe his job was of a higher level and he used his mind a lot...it would also give an indication of how he dressed. Someone who typically wore a long gown or robe would likely be able to move with greater freedom than someone who wore a lightweight shirt or no shirt at all.

   

5. Did he learn martial arts from someone else? Who? What was his background?

   

6. What was the founder's level of education? Let's face it; until fairly recently, most Chinese were only semi-literate and many were illiterate altogether. In Japan, things were better...in 1868, at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, fully 40% of the people were literate (which compares favorably to many Western nations at that time).

   

And much as we may hate the admit it, some of our forefathers may or may not have been particularly bright or creative. This would impact their understanding, creation, and practice of the various forms and the information contained therein. Some of us would regard this statement as bordering on heresy, but it's a fact.

Doing a bit of detective work can yield a good deal of information about the system that you practice and help you better understand why certain things are done as they are. It's worth it, believe me.