Wednesday 7 September 2022

Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu

 

Gyokko Ryu (Jewelled tiger school)

Koshijutsu

The oldest ryuha.

Based on Chinese Kempo, with roots in Tiger Crane, strikes are made to muscles and nerves - a lot of Second Rule. There is also Chinese Chin Na - muscle seizing and tearing.

Closely resembles kung fu, tiger crane, with some dragon, snake.

Taijutsu kihon happo comes from this ryu.

The changing of direction mid flow gives us evasion and distance in defence, adds torque and power in our counters, and makes it hard for the opponent to read us so he in turn can't counter.

Indirect attack.

The 10th Soke of Gyokko Ryu founded the Koto Ryu school of koppojutsu



KIHON HAPPO - Eight Infinate


KOSHI KIHON SANPO

Ichimonji
Hicho
Jumonji


TORITE KIHON GOHO

Omote Gyaku
Omote Gyaku Tsuki
Ura Gyaku
Musha Dori
Ganseki Nage



SANSHIN NO KATA

Based on the Godai Five Elements

Chi - Earth
Sui - Water
Ka - Fire
Fu - Wind
Ku - Void



Jo Ryaku no Maki level - Gyokko ryu

This book is Taijutsu - Unarmed defence against unarmed attack


Koku

Renyo

Danshi

Danshu


Hanebi

Keo

Keto

Ketsumiyaku


Sakanagare

Sakketsu

Teiken

Yubi kudaki




Chu Ryaku no Maki 中略之巻 , Gyokko ryu

This book deals with Mutodori - Unarmed defence against short sword or knife attacks



Dashin kata

Hane tsurube

Horaku kata

Housen kata


Korai

Seito kata

Shien

Ujaku kata



Ge-Ryaku no Maki

This book deals with full Mutodori - Unarmed Defence against attack with Katana


Chingan

Fu mo

Iaifū

Ichi geki


Kaisoku

Ko ryaku

Shun soku

Shunu



Gyokko Ryu means Jade Tiger or Jewelled Tiger, depending on the translation. GYOK - Jade, KO - Tiger.

(Byak Ko means White Tiger)


The techniques emphasized in the Gyokko school are:

1. Bone breaking and muscle damage - Koshijutsu
2. Using the fingers for striking and maiming - Shitojutsu
3. Sword and stick fighting - Kenjutsu, and Bojutsu


Gyokko Ryu has 2 main sections:

1. Taijutsu - unarmed against unarmed
2. Muto dori - unarmed against short sword and knife, and unarmed against katana

Cho Gyokko was the teacher who brought the school to Japan from China during the Tang dynasty. It was handed down from generation to generation Soke to Soke. Gyokko Ryū Shitojutsu was established in the Tenmon period (1532 - 1550) with Gyokko Ryū Koshijutsu being developed by the next Soke Toda, the 10th.

Its sister school is the Koto Ryū, also created by Soke Toda.

Both Gyokko Ryū and Koto Ryū were taught by Toda to the subsequent generations, until the late Tokugawa period (mid (19th Century).

Techniques from Gyokko Ryū and Koto Ryū became the foundation for techniques of Togakure Ryū Ninjutsu.



Tiger Striking Schools existed in India, China and Tibet from the Tang Dynasty c 600 - 900 AD, the foundation of Koshijutsu - fast movements to deliver strikes to specific targets on the opponent's body - Kempo.

Gyokko Ryu is the Jewelled Tiger School of Koshijutsu.


The 9 Rules of Gyokko Ryu:

1.The character ‘nin’ means to guard the nation with one’s life
2.Forget the self, be patient, and do not fear dying
3.When in danger say or show nothing
4.As a strong enemy comes, keep an indomitable spirit
5.Serve and protect the master as you must your own parents
6.Vices dissipate your proficiency
7.Being drunk affects your judgment
8.Destroy your enemy’s power but not his life
9.Don’t teach to others without the master’s permission


A maxim regarding reasonable force:

"when a fight is about to start, do not let the opponent win, but take him down with a technique that is only as strong as is needed to match the situation"

And this saying:

"The warrior’s heart is precious and essential"



The Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu compliment each other perfectly as a school of koshijutsu and a school of koppokutsu.

To study both schools together is to create a complete system of Taijutsu, and the foundation for the movement and strategy in Ninjutsu.

Short and long ranges, strikes, kicks, locks and takedowns.

Koshijutsu uses muscle and nerve attacking Atemi as a precursor to the lock and TD. Koppojutsu focuses on bone breaking strikes, backed up by locks and td. Two approaches to Kempo Ju Jutsu, both with their roots in Chinese Kempo and Chin Na.



Let's take 5 of these sayings as a Modern Goshin Jutsu of Gyokko Ryu:

1. When a fight is about to start, do not let the opponent win, but take him down with a technique that is only as strong as is needed to match the situation.

2.Forget the self, be patient, and do not fear dying

3.When in danger say or show nothing

4.As a strong enemy comes, keep an indomitable spirit

5. Destroy your enemy’s power but not his life



The Ge-Ryaku no Maki of Gyokko Ryu deals with full Mutodori - Unarmed Defence against attack with Katana

The basic Mutodori of Ninpo is based on 3 of the Kamae of Gyokko Ryu, found in TenRyaku, the Book Of Heaven, as detailed in this thread:

shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/944/maki-mutodori-sword-defence

The Kamae used are:

Hira - receiving
Ichimonji - defensive
Jumonji - offensive

Just as the Koshi Kihon Sanpo, from the TenRyaku, is used as a basis before starting the JoRyaku Taijutsu book, The TenRyaku Mutodori are a basis to learn before practicing the GeRyaku Mutadori