I have returned to exploring the mysterious Bubishi. It has long fascinated martial artists around the world, including me. The Bubishi is often called the “Bible of Karate”. It combines Chinese martial arts knowledge with Okinawan practice, including combat techniques, philosophy, and medical/pressure-point theory.
What the Bubishi Really Is
The original Bubishi is not a printed book 😱
The Bubishi exists as multiple manuscript copies and fragments that circulated between Fujian (China) and Okinawa. Okinawan masters preserved and annotated their own copies. There was never a book edition, as it was not published in the modern sense during its early history.
What exists are hand-copied manuscripts passed down from teacher to student in Okinawa. These copies contain mostly the same core material, but the drawings, wording, and even the content often differ. Some manuscripts emphasize fighting techniques and applications, while others focus more on breathing methods, internal training, or fighting sequences and body mechanics. These differences reflect each master’s priorities and teaching approach, as knowledge was transmitted privately and adapted to each lineage. Many Okinawan masters had their own personal copy, handwritten and sometimes with added personal notes.
For me, each copy of the manuscript fragments is authentic within its own lineage. The handwritten versions and illustrations may differ, but that reflects the private way knowledge was transmitted in traditional Chinese and Okinawan martial culture.
History and Context
The Bubishi (manuscript fragments) originated in China (likely Fujian province) and traveled to Okinawa. Okinawan masters, such as Higaonna Kanryo, used it to pass knowledge to students. It is not a “karate manual” in the modern sense; rather, it exists as a collection of manuscript fragments with illustrations, notes, and teachings from multiple sources. Most Okinawan systems, including Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu, drew heavily on the Bubishi for techniques, strategy, and pressure-point work.
Multiple Okinawan masters are known to have kept manuscript copies, including Higaonna, Miyagi, Mabuni, and Motobu. The variations in these manuscripts likely shaped the way each master taught. These fragments may have influenced the development of individual styles, emphasizing certain methods or approaches over others.
Surviving Okinawan Copies and Lineages
As mentioned before, several Okinawan masters are known to have maintained manuscript copies. Mabuni’s copy is considered one of the most complete and structured Bubishi scripts.
Patrick McCarthy produced a modern translation and critical edition. He collected several of these manuscripts, compared them, and organized the material into modern language. His edition is a careful scholarly compilation and commentary on the Bubishi. It is not the “original” Bubishi but a modern assembly based on real, existing Okinawan manuscripts.
Thanks for reading,
Gert
