Gojushiho (Japanese: 54 Steps) is a kata practiced in karate, which has its origin in the Phoenix Eye style. Its name derives either from the repetitive movements of a woodpecker pecking a tree-trunk, or from the staggering and hesitant steps of a drunken man. In some styles of karate, there are two versions of this kata - Gojushiho Sho and Gojushiho Dai. An advantage of the two versions of the kata is to better master the difficult techniques presented therein, but not without facing some confusion, for many sequences are the same and others only slightly different. The embusen of both Gojushiho Sho and Gojushiho Dai are nearly identical. Gojushiho Sho begins straight off with a wide variety of advanced techniques and, as such, is highly recommended for study. Gojushiho Dai consists of many advanced open-handed techniques and attacks to the collar bone.

Gojushiho-Dai and Gojushiho-Sho are two versions in Shotokan of the same, single Shorin-ryu style kata called Useishi (54) or Gojushiho. Originally, the names were reversed so that Dai was called Sho, and Sho was called Dai. The name change seems to have happened sometime in the 1960's or 1970's.

It should be noted that, within the Shotokan Karate Do International Federation of Kanazawa Hirokazu, the "Dai" and "Sho" forms are reversed.

Naihanchi (ナイハンチ, Naihanchi) (or Naifanchi (ナイファンチ Naifanchi), Tekki (鉄騎, Tekki)) is a karate Kata, performed in straddle stance (naihanchi-dachi (ナイハンチ立ち, naihanchi-dachi) / kiba-dachi (騎馬立ち)). It translates to 'internal divided conflict'. The form makes use of in-fighting techniques (i.e. tai sabaki (body evasion)) and grappling. There are three modern kata derived from this (Shodan, Nidan and Sandan). Some researchers believe Nidan and Sandan were created by Anko Itosu, but others believe that it was originally one kata broken into three separate parts (probably due to constraints of space). The fact that only Naihanchi/Tekki Shodan has a formal opening suggests the kata was split.

It has been suggested the kata was originally developed when fighting against a wall / ledge / narrow confined space which is unlikely; however it could be used for this purpose. Whilst the kata is linear, moving side to side, the techniques can be applied against attackers at any angle. The side to side movements in a low stance build up the necessary balance and strength for fast footwork and body shifting. The kata are intricate strategies of attacking and defensive movement, done in the kiba dachi, for the purpose of conditioning the legs to develop explosive power. If one rotates one's torso a few degrees to one side or the other while performing Naihanchi/Tekki, the result is the Hachi-monji, or figure eight stance. This has been called the basics of all karate. Some researchers believe the form is a non-ballistic two-man grappling exercise.

Kusanku, also called Kankudai (観空大) (translated as gazing heavenward, viewing the sky, or contemplating the sky), is an open hand karate kata that is studied by many practitioners of Okinawan and Japanese karate. In many karate styles, there are two versions of the kata - Kusanku sho and Kusanku dai. The name Kusanku/Kosokun, is used in Okinawan systems of karate, and refers to a person by the name of Kusanku, a Chinese diplomat from Fukien who is believed to have traveled to Okinawa to teach his system of fighting. In Japanese systems of karate, the kata is known as Kanku after it was renamed in the 1930s by Funakoshi Gichin. Due to its difficulty, this kata is often reserved for advanced students. One of its distinguishing features is the jump, which incorporates two kicks.

The kata Kusanku is said to have been developed in Okinawa in 1761 from the fighting techniques of a Chinese martial artist named Kusanku

Kusanku is a cornerstone of many styles of karate. It is personified predominantly in these styles by the use of very flowing techniques that have ties to White Crane Kung Fu as well as its wide variety of open handed techniques. In Matsubayashi-ryu karate, the kata is known for its flying kick and its "cheating" stance, which practitioners say robs the opponent of opportunities to attack by extending one leg along the ground and squatting as low as possible on the other (ura-gamae). The bunkai for this technique allows the practitioner to escape a bear-hug from behind by twisting and dropping out of their grasp. The hand techniques that accompany the stance block the head, while allowing for a strike to the groin, knee or foot. Because of the complexity of its techniques, Kusanku is the highest ranking and most complex kata in Matsubayashi-ryu and is said to take more than ten years to master.

In Shotokan karate, Kanku Dai consists of 65 movements executed in about 90 seconds, and symbolizes attack and defense against eight adversaries. It is a major form of the kata; its equivalent minor form is called Kanku sho. Kanku Dai was one of Gichin Funakoshi's favorite kata and is a representative kata of the Shotokan system. The embusen (path of movement) of Kanku sho is similar to that of Kanku dai, but it begins differently. It is a compulsory Shotokan kata and of high technical merit. The Heian kata contain sequences taken from Kanku Dai, as a result of Anko Itosu's efforts.

Passai (披塞) is the Japanese name of a group of kata practiced in different styles of martial arts, including karate and various Korean martial arts (Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk Do). There are several variations of these kata, including Passai sho (minor) and Passai dai (major) . In karate, the kata are known as Passai in Okinawan styles and Bassai in Japanese styles. In Korean, the kata has several names: Bassahee, Bal Se, Pal Che, Palsek, Bal Sae, Ba Sa Hee, and Bal Sak. The kata focus on the idea of changing disadvantage into advantage by strong and courageous response, switching blocks and differing degrees of power. The feeling of kata should be precise, with fast execution of technique and attention given to appropriate balance between speed and power. The Passai kata are usually classed as intermediate kata.

This form has been used and practiced in many cultures, including China, Okinawa, Japan and Korea. The origins of this kata are obscure, however there are several theories as to its history. Some researchers believe the Passai kata is related to Chinese Leopard and Lion boxing forms, with some sequences bearing a resemblance to Leopard boxing (the opening blocking / striking movement in cross-legged stance) whereas others are more representative of Lion boxing (open handed techniques and stomping actions). Okinawan karate researcher Akio Kinjo believes that the name means 'leopard-lion'. Yet, in the style, Matsumuro Seito, the name of these katas are interpreted as "To break a fortress". Other historians have noticed the resemblance between some parts of Passai and Wuxing Quan ("Five Element Fist") Kung Fu. Here are the spellings in several Chinese dialects:

Another theory as to the naming of the kata is that it may represent a person's name. The name may also be a reference to a fortress. In Japanese, Bassai (披塞小 or 抜砦大) means "To Extract From A Castle" or "To Remove an Obstruction." The name is often mistranslated to mean "to penetrate (storm) a fortress," however, 披 (batsu) means to extract or remove, not to penetrate.

Of the Okinawan versions of Passai, a clear evolutionary link can be seen from Matsumura no Passai (named after the legendary Sokon Matsumura), to Oyadomari no Passai (named after the Tomari-te karate master Kokan Oyadomari), and then onto the Passai of Anko Itosu who popularized karate by introducing it into the curriculum of Okinawan schools. The Matsumura version has a distinct Chinese flavour, whereas the Oyadomari version is more "Okinawanized". It was further modified by Itosu, and is thought to have created a "sho" (Passai sho) form of it. Gichin Funakoshi of Shotokan took it to Japan and taught them as Bassai dai and Bassai sho. The Tomari style which incorporated Oyadomari no Passai was passed down the Oyadomari family for three generations, originally taught by a Chinese living in Tomari (possibly named Anan), who "used very light techniques". Sokon Matsumura also learned Chinese boxing from the military attaches Ason and Iwah at Fuchou.

The Okinawan versions include powerful blocking and angular defense against attacks from multiple directions. This form is at least 400 years old (based on a carbon tested, silk drawing of the form), and is a family form (Passai is the name of a family in Okinawa). The creator of the form was left-handed. If the practitioner keeps that in mind, some more of the hidden techniques of the form will become visible.

The Okinawans did not have a clear definition for the name "Passai" for Funakoshi to translate into Japanese, so he substituted it with a similar sounding kanji, "Bassai". This can be literally translated to mean "extract from a fortress" or "remove an obstruction". This is thought to be in reference to the power with which the kata should be executed, emphasizing energy generation from the hips and waist. However, the designation of Bassai by the Japanese does not appear to have a direct relation to movements in the kata or its origins.

The Shorin-ryu version of Passai bears a close resemblance to Oyadomari no Passai, and is a much softer kata than Shotokan's Bassai dai. Further evidence that Passai has roots in Tomari city is that Passai dai starts with the right fist covered by the left hand, like other kata thought to have originated there, such as Jutte, Jion, Jiin and Empi. This hand gesture is a common salutation in China. However, there is some contention between researchers as to if there was a separate Tomari school of karate.

The suffix -dai means "large" and -sho "small". Hence, Passai sho is a shorter variation on Passai and also bears some resemblances to Bassai dai, indicating this kata may have been born out of combining elements of Passai and Passai sho. One notable point is that bunkai describes it as a defense against a bo.

Itosu is thought to have created this from a version of Bassai practiced in Shuri city. To confuse matters even more Bassai Sho is written exactly the same way as a Chinese form know as Ba Ji Xiao which has a counterpart form known as Ba Ji Da (from the Ba Ji Ch’uan style), so perhaps this kata pair and the Dai-Sho naming scheme originates from China, invalidating the claim Itosu authored most of the -sho kata.

The Pinan (平安, Pinan^?) (pronounced "pin-yan" or "pin-an") kata are a series of five empty hand forms taught in many karate styles. The Pinan kata originated in Okinawa and were adapted by Anko Itosu from more ancient kata such as Kusanku and Gojushiho into forms suitable for teaching the gross body movement skills of karate to young students. When Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to Japan, he renamed the kata to Heian, which is translated as "long peace."

The Pinan kata were introduced into the school systems on Okinawa in the early 1900's, and were subsequently adopted by many teachers and schools. Thus, they are present today in the curriculum of Shitō-ryū, Wadō-ryū, Shorin-Ryu, Shorei-ryu, Shotokan, Matsubayashi-ryu, Shukokai, Kosho Ryu Kempo, and several other styles.

One of the stories surrounding the history of the Pinan kata claims that Itosu learned a kata from a Chinese man living in Okinawa. This kata was called "Chiang Nan" by the Chinese man. The form became known as "Channan" to the Okinawan masters who found "Chiang Nan" difficult to say. The Channan kata were thought lost but rumor has it that a Chinese Master knows Channan 1, 2, and 3.

Itosu formed 5 katas from the long Channan Kata which he thought would be easier to learn than Channan. The 5 kata were Pinan Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, and Godan. A loose translation of the word Pinan could be 'calm and peaceful'.

Another story says Itosu formed the Pinan kata from some of the more advanced kata like Kusanku, enabling him to teach high school students karate kata.

Seisan: The karate kata Seisan (alternate names: Sesan, Seishan, Jusan, Hangetsu) literally means '13', however some people refer to the kata as '13 Hands', '13 Fists', '13 Techniques', or '13 Steps'. Yet, that '13' refers to the 13 killing positions.

There are numerous theories as to the naming of the kata. These include the number of steps originally in the kata, the number of different types of 'power' or 'energy' in the kata, the number of applications, or that the kata represents defence against 13 specific types of attack. The most likely explanation is the number of non-repeating techniques contained within the kata. It is believed Seisan derives from Yong Chun White Crane Boxing from Fujian Province in Southern China, where the form is known as 'Four Gate Hands'. Versions of Seisan taught today have roots in Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te streams of karate (that is the karate that was traditionally taught in the Okinawan towns of Shuri, Naha and Tomari, te meaning 'hand').

The version of Seisan taught in the Dentokan Shorin-Ryu syllabus can be traced back to Sokon 'Bushi' Matsumura ) a highly influential teacher to Shorin styles, hence the name Matsumura-no-Seisan. This version was revised by Shian Toma (whose lineage can be traced back to Chotoku Kyan ), a student of Soken Matsumura and contemporary of Gichin Funakoshi )) to bring it into line with other Seidokan kata. The form predominantly features the stance Shiko-Dachi (common in Tomari-te kata) accompanying a block which often sets up a powerful pivot and punch into Zenkutsu-Dachi. This form introduces many recurring concepts used in higher level Dentokan Shorin-Ryu kata.

Another more obscure version of this kata known as Aragaki-no-Seisan, bears the closest surface resemblance to the Shotokan kata Hangetsu. The Shotokan version was probably renamed when Gichin Funakoshi formed his school in Japan. Hangetsu translates to 'Half Moon' or 'Half Month' a reference to the half-moon stance (Hangetsu-Dachi) used extensively and the semi-circular stepping actions in this kata. It is interesting to note the name Seisan could have been a reference to the 13-day cycle of the moons phases, and knowing this Funakoshi named the kata 'Half Moon/Month'. A more obscure and unlikely theory is that the kata was taken from a Chinese folk dance where the performer is explaining the importance of the tides as they cycle on 13-day intervals as the moon revolves around the earth.

Hangetsu contains many slow movements under tension, popular in Naha-te schools such as Goju-Ryu, but rare in Shotokan and Shuri-te influenced styles making the kata quite unique. Funakoshi was taught by Sokon Matsumura (Shuri-te), Kodatsu Iha (a student of Kosaku Matsumora of Tomari-te) and Seisho Aragaki (associated with Goju-Ryu, a Naha-te style) all of which had knowledge of a version of Seisan. Funakoshi's could have taken the best from these contrasting styles synthesising them into Hangetsu, which possibly explains why the form is so different to other kata in the Shotokan cannon.

The Goju-Ryu (Naha-te) version of the kata, Higaonna-no-Seisan, is a more complicated and impressive version that contains close range fighting techniques such as short-range punches, low kicks and directional changes to unbalance the opponent. Typical of Goju-Ryu it contains slow movements performed under tension, as well as strong fast techniques. Seisan is said to complement Seienchin. Seisan is suited more to those of a larger frame, and who can build power easily. This can be seen just by the opening three punches, where the karateka must execute three strong punches from a Sanchin dachi. On the other hand, Seienchin is more for a smaller person, as the kata uses many techniques that involve two hands working together for one technique. Although rooted in the same form, significant differences can be seen in the Goju version compared to the two versions mentioned above.

Chintō (In Shotokan, Gankaku (岩鶴)) is an advanced kata practiced in many styles of Karate. According to legend, it is named after a Chinese sailor, sometimes referred to as Annan, whose ship crashed on the Okinawan coast. To survive, Chintō stole from the crops of the local people. Sokon Matsumura, a Karate master and chief bodyguard to the Okinawan king, was sent to defeat Chintō. In the ensuing fight, however, Matsumura found himself equally matched by the stranger, and consequently sought to learn his techniques.

It is known that the kata Chintō was well known to the early Tomari-te and Shuri-te schools of Karate. Sokon Matsumura was an early practitioner of the Shuri-te style. When Gichin Funakoshi brought Karate to Japan, he renamed Chintō (meaning approximately "fighter to the east") to Gankaku (meaning "crane of a rock"), possibly to avoid anti-Chinese sentiment of the time. He also modified the actual pattern of movement, or embusen, to a more linear layout, similar to the other Shotokan kata.

The kata is very dynamic, employing a diverse number of stances (including the uncommon crane stance), unusual strikes of rapidly varying height, and a rare one-footed pivot. Bunkai generally describes this kata as being useful on uneven, hilly terrain.

Today, Chintō is practiced in Wado-ryu, Shukokai, Isshin-ryu, Shorin-Ryu, Shito-ryu, Shotokan, Genseiryu and Yoshukai.

The Rohai kata are a family of kata practiced in some styles of karate. The name translates approximately to "vision of a Crane" or "vision of a heron". The kata originated from the Tomari-te school of Okinawan martial arts. It was called Matsumora Rohai, after Kosaku Matsumora, who was presumably its inventor. Anko Itosu later took this kata and developed three kata from it: Rohai shodan, Rohai nidan, and Rohai sandan.

In modern Karate, some styles teach all three kata (such as Shito ryu). However, other styles employ only one of them as a kata (such as Wado-ryu, which teaches Rohai shodan as Rohai). Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan, redeveloped and renamed Rohai as Meikyo (明鏡), literally "bright mirror", often translated as "mirror of the soul." Meikyo is a combination of all three different Rohai kata, containing elements of each.

Direct Citations and References:

Gojushiho: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gojushiho

Naihanchi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naihanchi

Kusanku: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%ABsank%C5%AB_%28kata%29

Passai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passai

Pinan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinan

Seisan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seisan

Chintō: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinto

Rohai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohai