HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF KARATE

The origin of KARATE dates back to the sixth century between the years 502 A.D. and 550 A.D.when an Indian monk named BODHIDHARMA (Daruma in japaneese; Ta-mo in Chinese) arrived in china. He taught his disciples physical exercises combined with breathing called ta’chuan (or da quan)when he noticed that they were weak and thin due to nine years of ascetic life and deprivation. Part of this teaching was formed into a treatise on limbering up the joints and bones. Bodhidharma is said to have taught in a famous monastery called shaolin, founded in 495 A.D in the henna district of northern china. The shaolin temple was the centre for over 450 varieties of Chinese boxing for centuries.