Читать книгу Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters онлайн

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Before reading this book I had no idea that the bushi and the arts shared any connection. Moreover, and in all modesty, I also have to say that I had no real knowledge of Bushi Nagamine Shoshin either. However, after having read his book, twice, I came to understand much more than I had ever expected.

Historically, there have always been misunderstandings surrounding karate masters and Okinawan sumo wrestlers alike. Oral tradition characterizes them as hero-like figures, and television dramas portray them as such. However, the more I read Nagamine Sensei’s book, the more I had to modify my preconception. After first reading Funakoshi Gisho’s foreword, I thought it was a little exaggerated, and chalked it up to supporting the author. However, after carefully reading the subsequent pages, I came to realize two important facts: the detailed explanation of bunbu, and the documentation which Nagamine Sensei had compiled from his extensive research and interviews.

I was also impressed that Nagamine Sensei had carefully corroborated his historical investigation with either the testimonies of the masters themselves or their immediate families. Additionally, Nagamine Sensei’s superb writing forte is second only to his deep understanding of karate-do which is clearly evident in the way this book has been composed. This publication should therefore represent a scale by which to measure the depth of a man who devoted his entire life to karate-do.