The Bubishi is a reference book secretly passed down from master to master over many centuries. It has been refined/edited by many different masters in different martial art styles but it would appear to have its origins in Chinese monk fist and gongfu (kung-fu).
The author who has translated the text has also spent 10 years researching the origins of Karate. He delves way past the time of sensei Funakoshi to look at how Karate was brought from China mainland to the Ryukyu Islands. He has travelled extensively in Japan and China collecting information from all the martial art masters that are still alive.
The translated reference text contains such contents as:
History, Strategy & Philosophy
Chinese Medicine
Vital Points
Fighting Techniques
The research on the origins of karate is quite interesting and presents enough information even for the most dedicated Karate-ka. The reference text itself is very old and thus differs somewhat from modern day Karate and medicine. Nevertheless it does give an interesting insight into how Karate was used and taught a long time ago before it was known as Karate.
This book is not for a person requiring a light read but is ideal for someone interested in the origins and history of Karate.
This book can be purchased from Amazon