The Leopard Of Kung Fu Returns...The Secrets Of Bassai Kata

Four centuries ago Kung Fu practitioners drilled the quick, pouncing movements of a Leopard. A century ago Okinawan Karate Masters altered these movements to protect their ruler. Today, students know they have arrived at the heart of True Karate when they dig into the secrets of Passai Kata.

The leopard is one of the five Animals of Shaolin Kung Fu. This animal is capable of quick, back and forth moves. The first moves of the form Passai mirror this attribute.

That the form is at least four centuries old is indisputable, as silk drawings of the movements have been carbon tested. In addition to this scientific proof, there are Chinese spellings of the name that are quite similar to the Okinawan. In Mandarin the form is spelled Baoshi, Fuzhou spelling is Bas-sai, and there is even an art, Ba Ji Ch'uan, that is spelled the same.

This puts forth the idea that the supposed founder of Passai, Ankoh Itosu, was inspired by the Chinese versions when he created the Okinawan version. Actually, records indicate an evolution from Sokon Matsumura to Koken Oyadomari to Itosu. One cannot be sure, of course, but such a lineage could definitely happen.

Once Passai arrived in Okinawa, the form was used to train bodyguards to the King. This brings forth the fascinating supposition that the form was tailored to the actual architecture and floor plan of the palace. Coming as it does after mastery of the Pinan Kata, this could very well be.

The name of the form is thought to mean 'to break a fortress.' However, this name was chosen by Funakoshi, and some scholars hold that his translation is not accurate. The original translation of the name is supposed to mean 'to extract from a castle,' or 'to remove an obstruction.'

Thus, the bodyguards were not taught to 'storm a fortress,' but rather to remove the king from the Shuri Palace. While the younger students fought a delaying action in the throne room, the advanced students were supposed to hustle the king to a rear hallway, and then to...'extract him from the castle.' This is certainly a strategy with much merit.

Whether one chooses to enjoy this theory concerning the form Passai, or to believe in one of another devise, the points of similarity are there. This writer believes the similarities are more than coincidence, and a distinct possibility. One thing is certain, however, and that is that a students will certainly be overjoyed to experience the quick yet powerful movements presented by Passai Kata, and may be said to be doing the ancient discipline of the Kung Fu Leopard of Shaolin notoriety.

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