Kūsankū

Infobox_martial_artist
name = Kusanku
residence =
other_names = Kwang Shang Fu


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birth_name =
birth_date = 1700's
birth_place = flagicon|China China
death_date = 1762?
death_place =
death_cause =
martial_art = Ch'uan Fa
teacher =
rank =
students = Chatan Yara [ [http://www.sanshin-kan.com/KarateTeachers.aspx First Karate Pioneers] ] [ [http://www.omskkf.com/history.html History of Shorin-Ryu Kenshin Kan Karate] ] , Satunuku Sakugawa
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Kusanku, also known by Kwang Shang Fu, was a Chinese martial artist who lived during the 1700s. [http://www.msisshinryu.com/masters/kushanku/ Kushanku] ] He is credited as having an influence on virtually all karate-derived martial arts. [http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:cx1VYYffPmMJ:www.martialartnews.com/history.asp+&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=34&gl=us The History of Martial Art and Karate] ]

Kusanku learned the art of Ch'uan Fa in China from a Shaolin monk. Around 1756, Kusanku was sent to Okinawa as an ambassador of the Qing Dynasty [NOTE: Previously this read Ming dynasty. However since the Ming Dynasty fell in 1644, either Kusanku was not sent by the Ming or the date of his journey is wrong.] . He resided in the village of Kanemura, near Naha City. During his stay in Okinawa, Kusanku instructed Satunuku Sakugawa.

Sakugawa trained under Kusanku for six years. [ [http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/kushanku_to_view_the_sky/ Kushanku "To View the Sky"] ] After Kusanku's death (around 1762), Sakugawa developed and named the Kusanku kata in honor of his teacher. [http://www.geocities.com/karatejmh/kusankuman.htm Kusanku] ]

References