INYOHO
CHUGOKU KEMPO
During the formative years of Japanese philosophy, especially during the sixth to tenth centuries, Buddhism and Taoism came into the country and not only influenced religious development but also contributed to the improvement of the martial arts. Inyo is the Japanese pronunciation of Yin and Yang. Inyoho can be translated as the negative/positive principle; however a more understandable translation from a martial arts point of view may be empty/solid principle. Some have called Inyoho the principle of balance.
Many Ryu developed the idea of using the concepts of Taoism to express fighting principles. This included the concept of learning to empty before force and enter the emptiness of an opponent with fullness. This concept can be seen in certain ancient forms of Jujutsu, especially in systems that had a Ninjutsu aspect, and in certain Karate styles.
In certain Ninjutsu systems the concept of Inyo was actually applied to the art of stealth itself, but in Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei we preserve the concept of Inyoho primarily in what traditional Ryu of Japan or Okinawa refer to as Chugoku Kempo and sometimes as Shina Kempo. For teaching senior citizens the art is referred to as Tsung Shih Tai Chi Chuan and the emphasis is on the exercise it provides for older individuals. However some seniors do want to know the self defense interpretations of the Tai Chi moves.
To those who want to learn the full Kempo Bugei of Kiyojute Ryu this principle is taught through the martial art called Inyoho Chugoku Kempo. This art combines the Wu Hsing Chuan of Shaolin, Tai Chi Jou Fa, Tai Chi Shih San Shih, Hsing I Chuan, and Pa Kua Chang. These are the Chinese influences that entered Japan and Okinawa providing impetus and inspiration to their developing martial arts.
Mastering Inyoho opens many doors to a deeper understanding of neutralizing an opponent’s strength while moving to a positional advantage from which to deliver one’s own techniques.