Kanei Uechi

Kanei Uechi (上地完英[1], Uechi Kan'ei, June 26, 1911–February 23, 1991) was the son of Kanbun Uechi, founder of Uechi-Ryū, one of the primary karate styles of Okinawa. Kanei was instrumental in the growth of Uechi-Ryū after his father's death.

In this Okinawan name, the family name is "Uechi".
Kanei Uechi
Kanei Uechi
Born(1911-06-26)June 26, 1911
Okinawa
DiedFebruary 23, 1991(1991-02-23) (aged 79)
Native name上地 完英 Uechi Kanei
StyleUechi-Ryū
Teacher(s)Kanbun Uechi
RankGrandmaster 10th dan

Early life

For the early years of Kanei's life his father refused to speak of his martial arts training. However, his father had once again begun teaching Pangainoon and at the age of 16, and in ill-health, Kanei traveled to the Wakayama Prefecture and began training with his father.[2]

Additions to Uechi-Ryū

Kanei understood early that students of the modern age would have trouble understanding the formal Pangainoon and its three kata. From 1931 through the rest of his life Kanei labored to develop new methods and forms to help students understand Uechi-Ryū.[3] From this work came the addition of the warm-up and stretching exercises junbi undō (準備運動), the standardized exercises that incorporate elements of all of the kata of the system as well as additional techniques, two prearranged "yakusoku kumite (約束組み手)" exercises, and three new "bridging" kata between Sanchin and Seisan and two between Seisan and San Sei Rui:

Kata
  1. Kanshiwa (完子和): A combination of the first kanji in Kanbun's name, and the last two kanji written in Chinese order of his teacher Zhou Zihe's name in Japanese pronunciation: "Shu Shiwa." Originally known as "Kanshabu" based on earlier mistranslation of his name into Japanese as "Shu Shabu."
  2. Kanshu (完周): A combination of the first kanji in Kanbun's name, and the kanji for Shu Shiwa's family name (Shu). Originally known as and sometimes still called Daini Seisan (第二十三) or "23rd."
  3. Seichin (十戦): Literally translated: "10 fights/conflicts," or a combination of the names of two of the original kata: Seisan and Sanchin.
  4. Seirui (十六): Literally translated: "16."
  5. Kanchin (完戦): A combination of Kanbun's first kanji 完 and "fight" 戦.

Family

Kanei Uechi is the son of Kanbun Uechi. He was the oldest son of four children. He had a brother, Kansei, and two sisters, Tsuru and Kamai. Kanei had a son, Kanmei Uechi who was the head of the Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association until he died in 2015.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Further reading
  • Bishop, Mark, Okinawan Karate, Tuttle: 1999
  • Dollar, Alan, Secrets of Uechi Ryu and the Mysteries of Okinawa, Cherokee Publishing: 1996.
  • Joyner, Donald B., Uechi Ryu Karate-Do Student Guide and Handbook (A Study Guide for Uechi Ryu Karate-Do), ISBN 978-1-304-90660-1, February 1996
  • Mattson, George E., Uechiryu Karate Do (Classical Chinese Okinawan Self Defense), Peabody: 1997
  • Rymaruk, Ihor, Karate: A Master's Secrets of Uechi-ryu, Iron Arm International: 2004.
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