Historical perspective
While popular notion states that today's modern martial arts were formalized as early as the Chou Dynasty in China
from 1122-250 BC, it is the belief of Victory Karate that the martial arts were developed far earlier, and it is that
origin that defines the true martial artist and the heart of the warrior.
The first known evidence of a system resembling a martial art dates back to approximately 2500 BC, in a region of the
northeast continent of Africa. Research has also pointed to the first known true civilization, which was in China around
2200 BC. This ancient civilization had various records of fighting techniques and fighting styles. Coincidentally,
Hinduism, which is believed to be the foundation for most modern martial arts, as well as the basis of all the Eastern
religions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto, etc.), dates back to 1500 BC, meaning that there must have been something else
which was the basis for the martial arts system of this ancient civilization prior to the inception of Hinduism.
Extensive records of this ancient Chinese civilization show many similarities to other records found amongst the Egyptians,
Babylonians, and Sumarians, who also had documentation of fighting systems. In addition, three distinct similarities can
also be found amongst all of the records of these civilizations: the story of the great flood, a common origin pointing to
somewhere in the Middle East, and the worship of a monotheistic god. The ancient Chinese symbols are particularly interesting in that they depict the
story of Adam and Eve, their expulsion from the Garden and the punishment of man, God's grace and plan of salvation, the
story of Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel, and the migration - stories all confirming the early chapters of Genesis.
As people migrated or were exiled eastward from the Middle East, to India and China, they took those fighting techniques
with them, and they eventually evolved into the systems we see today, such as Kung Fu, Karate, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, and the
many others. Concurrently, people migrated or were banished to the north and west, where there was the development of fencing, boxing,
and wrestling.
Europe was also where metal was abundant, thus giving birth to the knights, which were in the same class as the samurai of
Japan, where metal was scarce and technology and foreign relations slow to develop. In both instances, military training
was not purely about fighting; it was facilitated by character development and proper etiquette. Along with their training
of the lance, sword, and armor, the knights were taught the code of chivalry, to devote themselves to the Catholic Church
as well as their Lord and Lady, protect the weak and poor, and treat all social classes with respect. The samurai embodied
the bushido, translated as "the way of the warrior", a code emphasizing loyalty, self sacrifice, justice, sense of shame, refined
manners, purity, modesty, frugality, martial spirit, honor and affection.
Piecing this all together would give a logical development of the martial arts: Man was created in the image of God,
having no distinct offensive or defensive weapons. Yet, when sin entered into the world, man was forced to defend himself,
his family, his food, and his home from thieves and raiders. Not having any natural physical defenses, man was forced to
use the only real distinct weapon given to him over all other creations: an analytical mind. So he was able to create and develop fighting techniques to defend against his attackers.
The same God that put the quills in the porcupine, the smell in the skunk, the stinger in the hornet, and the venom in the
viper, caused David to say "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle" (Psalms
144:1).
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Copyright © 2005 Erik Akutagawa, Victory Karate.
All rights reserved.
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