Yin Yang – Principle of Sun and Moon

Symbol of Yin Yang

The Chinese philosophical concept of ‘Yin Yang’ is often translated as the ‘combination of softness and hardness.’ However, the term ‘softness and hardness’ literally symbolizes the opposite forces; hence I prefer to call Yin Yang as ‘nature’s principle of duality.’ The inter-relationship of these opposite duals is essential to maintain the balance of nature. Day and night, light and dark, breathe in and breathe out, male and female, tension and relaxation, slowness and speediness, sun and moon can be shown as few examples for these duals.  Now try to identify the Yin factor (softness) and the Yang factor (hardness) of these duals.  It is said that Yin is necessary for the birth of Yang, while Yang is necessary for the survival of Yin. Yin-Yang has become an integral concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoism and Chinese martial arts such as Taijichuan (Tai Chi) and Qigong.

Many karate schools, especially the modern Japanese kaihas, teach rigid, hard, linear techniques. Students can perform such 100% ‘Yang’ techniques when they are still young.  But, when getting older they lose physical strength, resulting in a retirement from their training. This is why, some famous karateka who train such hard styles used to practice tai chi, aikido or yoga in seeking of Yin to balance their Yang.

Although, some karate schools claim that their karate has Yin Yang, their Yin solely consists of some slow techniques while other techniques are Yang.   In other words, their Yin and Yang are in separate techniques. In fact, Kyudokan School uses the blend of Yin and Yang in each technique.

It’s not difficult to harden one’s body.  Lifting some weights for a couple of weeks can give you a harder body.  It’s merely physical work. To the contrary, you have to work with your mind, body and spirit through years to gain softness. This is not easy. You need a lot of patience, understanding and some amount of intelligence too to train the soft factor of karate.  Softness is borne not only through the muscles, but you have to continuously work with your joints too to maintain the softness in your joints just like in Tai Chi.  Many people think they are soft, but their joints and muscles are stiff.  They are not ready to accept that they have to work more to gain softness.  So, you have to get rid of your greatest enemy, ego, too when working on Yin.  

In Kyudokan generally, a technique starts with Yin and ends with Yang.  We discussed the Mi o Mamoru and Marumi Muchimi principles of Kyudokan in previous articles. Yin Yang has to be blended with these principles in each technique. The first half of the technique consists of covering the body or closing the elbows (Mi o Mamoru). Generally, this half of the technique should be purely Yin while the next half including ‘Kime’ blends with Yang. Thus, in general a Yin to Yang transition can be observed within a technique, while a Yang to Yin transition can be observed between two techniques. However, there is no break between Yin to Yang transition, since the whole technique is within a circular path.  In other words, the ‘muchimi’ (continuity of the technique) is preserved within ‘marumi’ (circularity of the technique’), thus enabling a smooth transition between Yin to Yang. (Read more about Marumi Muchimi). The Yin half of the technique consists not only of softness, but also of slowness, to breathe in, relaxation, the generating of energy, loosening of muscles and dropping down the waist can be identified as the components of the Yin fraction in the Kyudokan technique. Speediness, breathing out, tension (kime), contraction, execution of energy, etc. are the components of  theYang fraction.  These Yin and Yang components are not only applied in the hand movement, but also in the work of ‘hara’, work of central axis, circularity of the movement, and body dynamics are blended with Yin Yang.  Simply, the whole body and the technique become Yin and Yang.  Still, it is necessary to understand that the contribution of Yin and Yang is not always 50-50%. This resembles nature too. However, the Yin fraction of Kyudokan could not differentiate from Yang by an untrained eye, unless the performer has a longer, slower Yin. Though, a too long Yin fraction can be used sometimes as a training method, this is not the correct execution of technique.

Mi o Mamoru, Marumi Muchimi and Yin Yang all blended together in Kyudokan movement. Higa Oscar Sensei explaining body dynamics of Kyudokan in chudan soto barai of Pinan Sandan Kata.

In kumite, the initial position resembles the Yin component while the explosiveness of the technique resembles Yang. You do not see any experienced fighter in a tensed, rigid, stiff position during a fight. Thus, the Yin Yang we train in kihon and kata are not contrary to its application in kumite.

According to Tai Chi theory, Yin helps to generate Ki (Chi).  Similarly, in karate the blend of Yin and Yang can generate a tremendous power generated from inside to outside with less physical effort, like the occurrence of a powerful thunder by the collision of two soft clouds.  This has similarities to ‘Fajin’ of Chen Tai Chi. The soft energy borne through Yin is exploded like a bomb generating a tremendous destructive power.  This internally generated energy will rise over the years of training, though the physical strength can be declined over time.

Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang demonstrating explosive power (Fajing) of Chen Tai Chi

The Yin fraction is essential for a natural style. Yuchoku Higa Sensei, the founder of Kyudokan School, called Shorin Ryu as a natural style like walking on the road.  In Mark Bishop’s famous book, Okinawan Karate, Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques, he explains his karate as ‘soft.‘  He further explains ‘soft’ contains hard and is represented by a circle with dots around the circumference, with the circle representing the ‘soft’ and the dots the ‘hard.’

Yuchoku Higa Sensei's 'hard-soft' circle (Source: Mark Bishop’s Okinawan Karate, Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques)

Each kata can be trained internally and externally.  Many karateka merely practice the external form.  They don’t have proper work of hara, circularity of technique, and correct body dynamics in their kata.  They simply don’t feel their kata. Their kata is nothing more than a physical activity.  But, if you train your internal kata, the improvement is visible in the external kata.  The internal kata helps you in polishing body, mind and spirit through the training and to find the true self within you.  The blending of Yin and Yang is an integral part in training of the true internal kata.

Higa Oscar Sensei explaining Kyudokan principles in the second gedan barai of Fukyugata Ichi kata

Note:  The objective of this article is to explain the Yin Yang principle of  the Kyudokan School. Other schools might be using the Yin Yang theory in different ways in their training. The article is based on the author’s understanding of the teachings of Higa Oscar Sensei and his experience in Karate-do and tai chi. 

Author would like to extend the sincere gratitude to Ms. Ingrid Rowden for proof reading.