The Leopard of Kung Fu Brought to Life...The Secrets of Passai Kata

By Al Case

Four hundred years ago Kung Fu teachers crafted their moves into the quick, pouncing movements of a Leopard. A hundred years ago Okinawan Karate Masters took these moves and changed them to protect their king. Today, students know they have reached the heart of Karate when they delve into the secrets of Passai Kata.

The leopard is one of the five original Animals of Shaolin. This feline beast is able to move back and forth with much power. The first moves of the form Passai show this characteristic.

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

This puts forth the concept that the founder of Passai, Ankoh Itosu, was inspired by the Chinese arts when he created the Okinawan version. Actually, records indicate an evolution of form from Sokon Matsumura to Koken Oyadomari to Ankoh Itosu. One cannot be sure, of course, but such a lineage could very well 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 means 'to break a fortress.' However, this name was created by Funakoshi, and is thought not to be an accurate translation. The original translation of the name is 'to extract from a castle.

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.

At any rate, whether one chooses to enjoy this theory, or to adhere one of another devise, the points of similarity are certainly intriguing. This writer believes they are more than mere coincidence. One thing is certain, however, and that is that a student who Masters the Pinans will certainly be overjoyed to experience the quick yet powerful movements inherent in the Passai Kata, and may be said to be duplicating the movements of the Kung Fu Leopard of Shaolin fame.

About the Author:

Need more great Kung Fu? Head to Master of Kung Fu!