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Is Karate Chinese or Japanese? "Chinese Hand"

hahahahaha, That's bassically the response i've been getting. But in all honesty i derives from Chinese martial arts; and Kara means "Chinese" and te means "hand" put together means "Chinese hand" "Chinese Techniques" and a few others involving china. But I just think that it's Chinese because that's where it comes from, and because it was more developed in anothe country doesn't mean it automatically becomes that country's martial art. For instance, ninjitsu, was brought to America by and American who learned it in Japan and the Americans developed it. Does that mean ninjitsu is American?

What do you study, Theagen? You may want to find a new teacher.

Karate means "Empty Hand". The name actually comes from when karate was taken to mainland Japan, as the original Okinawan name was just "Te". Another etymological example would be Karaoke, which means "Empty Orchestra".

Ninjutsu is a collection of arts, techniques and strategies for use in espionage. Americans have adapted it, particularly for Special Ops units and training, however it is INSANELY DIFFICULT to find a good, civilian ninjutsu teacher, as most teach either Taijutsu or another martial art entirely, and simply use the term "ninjutsu" to attract students. Budoka beware.

Wolf, you're rambling, and you're wrong. Yes, the Chinese taught Kempo to the Okinawans, but Karate is a Japanese art.

From what I understand Okinawa was invaded in 1609 before that Okinawa was not a part of Japan. In the case of when Karate came to mainland Japan I do not know but Gichin Funakoshi is given credit for it's spread in Japan before him Karate was not realy known in Japan. The Japanese who went to Okinawa no dout new of Karate it was used against them. Karate like most styles are a mix of local ways and new things that people taught as they passed through some posibly went to China and brought back knowledge. My main point is Karate is Okinawan not Japanese because the Okinawan islands were a different kingdom the Ryukyu kingdom.

http://www.uchinanchu.org/uchinanchu/history_early.htm

To me saying Karate is Japanese is a slap in the face it's an insult to Okinawa and it's people.

Cool I try to read up on history and things I think what I say is valid at least I am saying something worth wile most of the time instead of being a @#?!wad and not adding any thing to this. You insult people but so far have added nothing to the discution. I may be wrong on some things if I find I am I try to correct my mistakes. I post what I think and try my best to back it up or at least show people what I find on things.

http://home1.gte.net/neilsaaa/karate_history.htm

I don't pretend to be the smartest or even the best martial artist here a lot of people here I would say are better than I and more intelligent. I love history and I love the martial arts thats my thing so I try to tell people what I know people can read it or not I can't force people to. I don't know why your here if not to talk about martial arts or at least Karate.

Sorry I am not good with dates and I own no books on Karate most of my stuff is on my style or are collections of styles info. I use the net to find sorces for much of my info and also things I have learned over the years from books I read. I read the sites I use as sorces to find the info I need and post it so every one can see what I am trying to say. I am showing every one what I find I can't pull history out of my a**.

http://www.gichinfunakoshi.com/gichin.htm

http://experts.about.com/e/k/ka/Karate.htm

All I am realy trying to say is that it would not be acurate to call Karate Japanese it came from Okinawa which was it's own kingdom not part of Japan. Japan took over that kingdom and later Karate came to Japan Gichin Funakoshi is credited for bringing it to Japan from what I read he came to Japan in 1922 and stayed.

My argument over Karate being Okinawan is based on the Ryukyu kingdom not being part of Japan until around 1609. The Japanese where invaders in WW2 we had controle of Okinawa if things ended the way it did when Japan took over the islands would people say Karate was American. Yes the Japanese knew of Karate like I said it was used against them Karate uses a lot of tools as weapons due to the Japanese outlawing them it is posible Karate came to Japan earlyer than 1922 but it never grew before then.

When I am arguing about Chinas influence over Okinawa I base it on what I read and what I know. From the reading I have done Okinawa had traid relations with China and some of there people went to China not only do people talk about this but they also talk of monks from China coming to the islands. China was a major power every one in the uperclass read and wrote in Chinese Japanese was left for women and lower class in the early times of Japan. The uperclass of Japan studied Chinese lots of them most likely went to China themselves. The Chinese called Japan Wa meaning small the people who built up the Japanese kingdom changed this to Japan or realy Nippon and means where the sun comes from or land of the rising sun they wanted a better name so they gave themselves one. The people we know as Japanese are not even originally from there they came from China and took the land from the Ainu just like Euopeans took the land from the natives of America.

The Chinese influenced much of that part of the world sort of like Rome did in Europe. I also want to say that long time ago China fought the Muslims and there are Muslim Kung Fu styles in China. From what I understand Muslims came to China in the Tang Dynasty. Thanks to the battle of Tallas Muslims gained the knowlede of paper making from Chinese prisoners. It's not a big leap to say China had an influence over some of the martial arts of surounding peoples.