Kyan Chotoku
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Chotoku Kyan (1870-1945) was an Okinawan karate master who was famous for both his karate skills, and his his colorful personal life.
Early Life
Kyan's father, Chofu Kyan, was a high-ranking official under the Okinawan king. As a youth, Chotoku Kyan was small and sickly, plagued with asthma and poor eyesight. This may have led to his nickname Chan Migwa, (squinty-eyed Chan).
In an effort to strengthen his son's constitution, the elder Kyan enrolled his eight year old son in the most grueling martial arts training available, from many different masters, many of whom taught different (and possibly contradictory) styles. According to biographer Richard Kim, Kyan underwent training "that would have done justice to a Zen temple." This training did indeed improve Kyan's health, but it is believed that he developed a tremendous sense of rage at this austere life of training forced upon him.
Fights/Legends
Kyan was small in stature, and instead of meeting his enemies head-on, preferred to side step the attack, and respond with vital-point attacks. Indeed, all of the Kyan legends state that he never lost a fight, due to his extensive training both with and without weapons.
A fan of cockfighting, Kyan apparently was able to cut his way though a hostile mob one-handed, without having to put down his pet rooster.
Many legends also speak of Kyan as a brutal fighter who had little concern for his opponent's long term health.
Biographer Alexander relates a story in which Kyan fought a strongman named Tairaguwa. Kyan won the exchange by leaping from a tree, and landing fatally on Tairaguwa's neck.
It is also believed that Kyan taught his students that hard drinking and hiring prostitutes was an essential part of martial arts training. It is interesting to note that there seems to be two wildly different views of Kyan’s life: one of the stern disciplinarian master, focusing on his martial skills; and another account of a brutally violent man who fornicated with prostitutes, stole money from his wife, and had no problem killing an attacker.
Karate Legacy
Instead of teaching one static style, Kyan seems to have taught many different kata throughout his career, even prompting Clayton to note that “he seems to have taught every student something different. Anyone who preserves a Kyan kata is preserving something that Kyan himself eventually abandoned.” One of Kyan’s key students was Tatsuo Shimabuku, who is the creator of isshin-ryu karate.
Death
Kyan survived the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but starved to death afterwards. The legends say that Kyan gave his last portion of food to starving children.
Sources
- Clayton, Bruce, phD. Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting Origins. Black Belt Books, 2004.
- Alexander, George. Okinawa, Island of Karate. Yamazato Publications, 1991.
- Bishop, Mark, Okinawan Karate, Teachers, Styles, and Secret Techniques. Tuttle, 1999.
- Kim, Richard. The Weaponless Warriors. Ohara, 1974.
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