Bubishi

 The Bubishi 武備志 is a classical martial manuscript that bridges the traditions of Chinese Fujian boxing and Okinawan budō. Its name literally means “Martial Preparation Manual.” The text most likely originated in Fujian province during the late Ming or early Qing dynasty and was brought to Okinawa through cultural exchange and trade between the Ryūkyū Kingdom and southern China. 

It is not a single authored book but rather a compilation of writings gathered and copied by generations of practitioners. The Bubishi contains sections on fighting theory, vital-point striking known as kyūsho-jutsu 急所術, herbal medicine and recovery methods, as well as philosophical and moral teachings rooted in Confucian and Daoist thought. Among its most striking features are hand-drawn charts showing the human body with pressure points, as well as illustrated sequences that resemble Hakutsuru 白鶴, the White Crane forms that strongly influenced Okinawan karate. The version most widely known today was preserved by Kanryō Higaonna 東恩納寛量 and transmitted to his student Chōjun Miyagi 宮城長順, founder of Gōjū-ryū 剛柔流, who called it the soul of his art. Through such teachers, the Bubishi became the silent textbook of Okinawan karate, shaping its technical structure and moral framework alike. The document teaches that the true strength of a martial artist lies not in violence but in balance, health, and the cultivation of character. For this reason, many still regard the Bubishi as the “Bible of Karate,” a work that unites the physical and the philosophical, the combative and the compassionate, in one enduring tradition.