Urban Legends of Martial Arts

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I was told by a person who I find reliable that there were two more gold stripes added to the current teaching recognition system of , “Renshi = 1 stripe; Kyoshi = 2 stripes; Hanshi = 3 stripes.” The additional two stripes that would provide recognition for the following, i.e., “As head of your own system or style = 4 stripes; as an intangible Okinawan cultural asset = 5 stripes.” 

As martial artists we are all aware of and have been exposed to the proverbial “Urban legends of martial disciplines.” We sometimes recognize them for what they are and sometimes we are sucked into believing them wholehearted, especially when they trigger a personal feeling of our own martial belief system. It is kind of like the excitement a practitioner gets when the label, “Warrior,” is used to address them but in reality they know deep down they are not true, real warriors. 

This information seems to me, on the surface and with a smidgeon of research, to be another one of those urban legends that will soon permeate every corner of the martial arts community. 

Consider this, one such legend is a western belief that one Chinese General famous for his efforts during a certain dynasty is now believed to be a, “God of War as well as a God of Martial Arts.” It comes from the western gaming, video like games, we westerners find very entertaining. My relatively small research effort turned up only one seemingly relevant comment on the subject referring directly to a western influence giving this Chinese General that status, not in China apparently, here in the West. 

When viewing the various statuesque representations of this General it is easy to accept according to personal beliefs and agenda, without really digging into verifications through resources, etc., these representations since they actually relate well to actual historical information. It is, so far as to my personal research, just not true.

Now, as to these additional stripes. First, when you understand the first three designations and their respective stripes you see a direct relationship to martial arts and disciplines. These particular designations are given, mostly, in the MA communities around the world, are recognized directly and indirectly by almost all MA officials and organizations and they are almost exclusively represented by the stripes on martial arts “obi or belts.” 

The next two designations are such that they are not directly and exclusively about martial arts, at least the one about cultural asset. As to the other less direct reference to a head of a system or style it eludes me as to what is special about being the head of a system or style over teaching accolades and recognition or being a cultural asset. 

In Japan they assign the honor of cultural assets to just about any discipline that meets or exceeds the required qualifications and perceptions of the cultural society itself. Japan sees and honors a famous Sumo as a cultural asset as well as a famous “Sushi Chef” also a cultural asset. I am sure beyond my own possible doubt that Okinawa has the same thing so why any possible need to add either a dojo/system/style official recognition as the sole head guy or being awarded an honor of cultural asset. After all, as to the cultural asset that comes from the Okinawan government and people both a part of the MA world and not a part of the MA world. 

It comes down to my perception that a need for these two titles and stripes comes almost exclusively from someone or some entities egoistic needs of recognition, they lack a proper level of esteem therefore have a need to show, be seen and have recognition to something that in one case I can’t see of an Okinawan who was recognized as an Okinawan cultural asset. 

Now, I have made inquires to the Okinawan’s in the martial arts world and hope to get a response that can at least shed some additional light on this other than my efforts. A bit of light that would include an explanation as to why the martial art world would need such a seemingly trivial thing. 

One more thing, what if an Okinawan karate-ka was recognized as a cultural asset or head of a system but didn’t receive any of the three teaching recognition stripes so they put the five strips on the obi, wouldn’t that cause confusion making others assume they were Hanshi as well, 3 strips plus the two and wouldn’t that also assume they were both a head of a style and a cultural asset too? You can be a cultural asset and not a head of a system or style and not a Hanshi as well, right? 

I am getting a strong sense someone in the West has gotten some clever idea in their mind to add another stripe but then again we in the West tend to add a stripe for every single grade of black belt we get up to ten stripes but who is watching and counting anyway?

I vote that this fourth and fifth stripe is an urban legend and if it is not and adopted by the Okinawan martial art community they my respect and admiration for the Okinawan martial art community has gone down a lot of levels, grades and points - shame on them, they are letting the commercialism of the West pollute their karate and that sends the wrong message our original karate guys taught in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, etc.

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p.s. if I find out more I will come back and update this article, promise.