Certainly one of the most important criteria for success in any plan is the action part. Without action, a plan just dies on a page, leaving us in a veritable empty room of though and no deed.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Internationalization of Concepts, A Kendo Journey
The one thing that sucks about WordPress is their insistence on not retaining password info. I forget my passwords all of the time and their reset email seems to take about 4 days to actually arrive...
Anyway, enjoying the instant access to my Blogger account, I'm writing up this rant and the following thoughts:
To what extant are concepts of honor, excellence, rhythm, and ethics, cross-cultural? This question was prompted by Alex C. Bennett's excellent book on the history of kendo. In it he talks about the internationalization of kendo and how the Japanese kendo leadership, sensitive to how judo was absorbed into the international community (and effectively taken away from them with the Japanese having their asses handed to them in tournaments).
That was due to the sportification of judo, where the emphasis shifted to victory in physical contests and not on the improvement of the self through vigorous practice. Judo's founder, Jigero Kano, famously assimilated the various jujitsu techniques from several schools during the early 20th century into an exportable system designed for mass distribution in Japan's rapidly modernizing society.
However, Kano was concerned about the use of judo in a competitive sports environment, fearing that the emphasis on victory would outweigh the focus on physical and mental improvement (like a lot of new sports programs in the late 19th and early 20th century in Japan, European and the US, those systems were designed to improve the strength and moral character of the individual so that they could be useful and productive citizens).
In the case of kendo, the concern runs deeper as kendo is related to the sword which the Japanese retain as something unique and special to their identity. Kendo is practiced with a bamboo waster that is used to replicate the katana. Practitioners wear padded armor and a helmet so hits can be done at full speed and intensity without a lot of physical risk.
Kendo also includes the practice of sword kata with bokken (solid wood swords) but without contact. Combined, these two practices enable one to improve their physical skills and explore the deeper concepts of kendo such as timing and distance with an opponent, poise, balance, and rhythm. There is also a deeper component to kendo and that is the focus on etiquette and form. In both the wearing of the uniform and armor as well as how practitioners engage with each other; whether in a class, a tournament, or a rank test.
It is the last point that is of concern to the Japanese kendo leadership as kendo becomes more popular, practiced diligently almost anywhere now in the world. Clubs and teams in Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia, maintain their federations, engage in tournaments, and participate in international tournaments. The US and South Korea have challenged Japanese dominance in kendo, causing fears that kendo is slipping out of Japanese hands.
According to Alex Bennett and others, some Japanese kendo officials are retreating into a defensive position, claiming that while foreigners can certainly grasp the physical concepts of kendo, they will never truly understand the deeper, more cultural and spiritual aspects of this art.
I take exception to that as a student of history, where the record of mankind has shown that ideas and people have intermingled far more than governments would like to admit. Countries that hold tightly to their alleged uniqueness in the world very often do so from a position of weakness or defensiveness.
In the case of kendo, the concepts unique to kendo as a martial art are not unique to one society. Look deeply enough and you will find a rich record of sword arts, heritages, and philosophical teachings, that have their home in Japan, as well as Asia and Europe. In the case of Asia, specifically China, Japan benefited directly from imports such as sword making as well as religion, language, and the arts; assimilating them into their culture.
Furthermore, the system of modern kendo has its roots in the physical education systems of northern Europe (e.g., the introduction of formal exercise and warm up routines for students in the new school systems). Ironically, one can see that kendo has international roots mixed in with the old sword school systems of Tokugawa Japan. And that has been why kendo has become exportable to a world audience.
It is a shared culture of physical effort and personal introspection, designed to improve the person and widen their understanding of the world around them. It allows one to connect with the heritage of the sword, feeling something of what our ancestors may have felt.
Efforts to restrict that and to "nationalize" kendo would do no good and would not be true to the heart of what is kendo.
Anyway, enjoying the instant access to my Blogger account, I'm writing up this rant and the following thoughts:
To what extant are concepts of honor, excellence, rhythm, and ethics, cross-cultural? This question was prompted by Alex C. Bennett's excellent book on the history of kendo. In it he talks about the internationalization of kendo and how the Japanese kendo leadership, sensitive to how judo was absorbed into the international community (and effectively taken away from them with the Japanese having their asses handed to them in tournaments).
However, Kano was concerned about the use of judo in a competitive sports environment, fearing that the emphasis on victory would outweigh the focus on physical and mental improvement (like a lot of new sports programs in the late 19th and early 20th century in Japan, European and the US, those systems were designed to improve the strength and moral character of the individual so that they could be useful and productive citizens).
Kendo also includes the practice of sword kata with bokken (solid wood swords) but without contact. Combined, these two practices enable one to improve their physical skills and explore the deeper concepts of kendo such as timing and distance with an opponent, poise, balance, and rhythm. There is also a deeper component to kendo and that is the focus on etiquette and form. In both the wearing of the uniform and armor as well as how practitioners engage with each other; whether in a class, a tournament, or a rank test.
It is the last point that is of concern to the Japanese kendo leadership as kendo becomes more popular, practiced diligently almost anywhere now in the world. Clubs and teams in Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia, maintain their federations, engage in tournaments, and participate in international tournaments. The US and South Korea have challenged Japanese dominance in kendo, causing fears that kendo is slipping out of Japanese hands.
I take exception to that as a student of history, where the record of mankind has shown that ideas and people have intermingled far more than governments would like to admit. Countries that hold tightly to their alleged uniqueness in the world very often do so from a position of weakness or defensiveness.
In the case of kendo, the concepts unique to kendo as a martial art are not unique to one society. Look deeply enough and you will find a rich record of sword arts, heritages, and philosophical teachings, that have their home in Japan, as well as Asia and Europe. In the case of Asia, specifically China, Japan benefited directly from imports such as sword making as well as religion, language, and the arts; assimilating them into their culture.
Furthermore, the system of modern kendo has its roots in the physical education systems of northern Europe (e.g., the introduction of formal exercise and warm up routines for students in the new school systems). Ironically, one can see that kendo has international roots mixed in with the old sword school systems of Tokugawa Japan. And that has been why kendo has become exportable to a world audience.
It is a shared culture of physical effort and personal introspection, designed to improve the person and widen their understanding of the world around them. It allows one to connect with the heritage of the sword, feeling something of what our ancestors may have felt.
Efforts to restrict that and to "nationalize" kendo would do no good and would not be true to the heart of what is kendo.
Friday, May 29, 2015
I Forgot This Place
No, seriously, I forgot this blog site. I must have 5 versions of blogs across different platforms it is the equivalent of screaming into the wind.
Anyway, I'm in a Tully's waiting for someone so I will write something about...something.
One of the best shows on TV is definitely Hannibal and the books are equally as good, though I think that the books portray the Anthony Hopkins version while the TV series speaks more to me because of the excellent cast, especially Mads Mikkelsen.
In a nutshell, Hannibal is a the fusion of passion, steel, love, and desire. A keening want that exists in all of us. To be heard and to be special; to be remembered even though we know that dust and air are our ultimate destination.
It's the grisly now that holds us in awe and keeps oblivion well away.
Anyway, I'm in a Tully's waiting for someone so I will write something about...something.One of the best shows on TV is definitely Hannibal and the books are equally as good, though I think that the books portray the Anthony Hopkins version while the TV series speaks more to me because of the excellent cast, especially Mads Mikkelsen.
In a nutshell, Hannibal is a the fusion of passion, steel, love, and desire. A keening want that exists in all of us. To be heard and to be special; to be remembered even though we know that dust and air are our ultimate destination.
It's the grisly now that holds us in awe and keeps oblivion well away.
skanaus
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Poetry of Cao Cao
The Chinese TV series, Three Kingdoms, is a great program and one of the best I've seen about this great historical story (more here about The Romance of the Three Kingdoms).
All of the actors were well-chosen for their characters and it is a real pleasure to watch them become these famous people of ancient history.
The character of Cao Cao is neither hero nor villain. He has conflicting sides to him, which makes him real. His poetry reflects that and I'll leave you with this:
All of the actors were well-chosen for their characters and it is a real pleasure to watch them become these famous people of ancient history.
The character of Cao Cao is neither hero nor villain. He has conflicting sides to him, which makes him real. His poetry reflects that and I'll leave you with this:
Though the
Tortoise Lives Long (龜雖壽).
|
《龜雖壽》
|
Though the Tortoise Lives Long
|
|
神龜雖壽，猶有竟時。
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Though the tortoise blessed with
magic powers lives long,
Its days have their allotted span;
|
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騰蛇乘霧，終為土灰。
|
Though winged serpents ride high
on the mist,
They turn to dust and ashes at the
last;
|
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老驥伏櫪，志在千里；
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An old war-horse may be stabled,
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烈士暮年，壯心不已。
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And a noble-hearted man though
advanced in years
Never abandons his proud
aspirations.
|
|
盈縮之期，不但在天；
|
Man's span of life, whether long
or short,
Depends not on Heaven alone;
|
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養怡之福，可得永年。
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One who eats well and keeps
cheerful
Can live to a great old age.
|
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幸甚至哉！歌以咏志。
|
And so, with joy in my heart,
I hum this song.
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