Origins of the Kata's and Forms

The Taikyoku katas come from Shotokan Karate, the school of Gishin Funakoshi. Funakoshi brought karate from Okinawa to Japan in the 1920s.

The Pinan kata's come from Funakoshi's teacher Anko Itosu. Originally Ten Chi Kenpo utilized only Japanese forms. The Chinese forms have been incorporated in the last ten years or so.

Moi Fa Hung (Bai Ka), Wah Lum, and Lien Po, the Chinese forms through green belt come from three schools of Chinese kenpo: Hung Gar (Moi Fa Hung), Northern Praying Mantis (Wah Lum), and Northern Shao Lin (Lien Po). The defending sides of Nihon and Sanban, respectively, come from Kajikenbo. The B sides were created by Norman Shihan, as were both sides of Yonhon and Gohon.

Lohan comes from Southern Lohan Chu'an Kung Fu. Chu'an Sim is a Northern Shao Lin form. Chin Yen Chu'an (Seinan Ken) is from Kung Fu Wu Tsu. The Keiho forms are from Nick Cerio's Kenpo system (Norman is Professor Cerio's ranking black belt). The Keihos were created by Professor Cerio, and approved by his teacher, William K.S. Chow. Originally there were six Keihos. They have been modified slightly by Norman and two have been combined, so we practice five total.

The majority of Ten Chi Kenpo's locks are modified from Jujutsu; the throws, for the most part, come from Aikido. The Goshins are from Kajikenbo.

Lien Lu comes from Northern Shao Lin Kung Fu. Yohan is a Northern Yohan Chu'an form. Shorinji Ken is from the Hung Gar system, a Chinese family art. The Bo forms are from the Okinawan grandmaster Shushi. The Taiji set is the Yang Style Long Form as taught by T.T. Llang. Tuan Ta and Moi Fa are both Northern Shao Lin forms.

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