| | |  | Books | Home » » Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat | | | | | | | Description: | | Treasured for centuries by karate's top masters, Bubishi is a classic Chinese work on philosophy, strategy, medicine and technique as they relate to the martial arts. Referred to as "the bible of karate" by the famous master Chojun Miyagi, for hundreds of years the Bubishi was a secret text passed from master to student in China and later in Okinawa. No other classic work has had as dramatic an impact on the shaping and development of karate: all of karate's legendary masters have studied it, applied its teachings or copied passages from it.
This beautiful new hardcover edition features over 250 line drawings, photographs and calligraphy throughout. Along with additional commentary and a new foreword from Patrick McCarthy, the first person to translate the Bubishi into English, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's library. | | | Product Details: | | | Hardcover:
| 256 pages | | Publisher:
| Tuttle Publishing | | Publication Date:
| October 01, 2008 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0804838283 | | Product Length:
| 9.1 inches | | Product Width:
| 6.1 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.05 pounds | | Package Length:
| 9.1 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.2 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 15 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 15 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Fascinating read.Oct 11, 2010
By PD
Will this book make you a great fighter? No.
Will it teach you karate? No
If however, you have a serious understanding of the art you practice and wish you become a much better rounded martial artist, more in tune with the mindset of the founders of karate then there is no text I would recommend more highly.
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Bubishi: The Classic Manual of CombatNov 02, 2008
By David A. Hall
Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat
Patrick McCarthy's newest translation of the Okinawaden Bubishi (his 4th) is the best yet. Not only has he treated us to an updated translation, he has included information on a number of related topics: the Chinese origins of the text, its relationship to various systems of Okinawan karate, some of the various editions of the text in Okinawa, his own attempts toward translations of the text over the years and the editions he has produced in English, etc.
I found McCarthy's newest edition of the Okinawaden Bubishi to be well-researched, well-referenced, and a treasure trove on information regarding the title text and McCarthy's own extensive research into the origins of Okinawan karate. The only down side is his need for a good editor who can better organize the information into logical sections and a consistent method of Romanizing the various languages that he has to deal with in this marvelous piece of research.
For example, in PART ONE: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY, McCarthy presents us with a superb history of karate in addition to a number of theories on the origins and evolution of the Okinawaden Bubishi. However, he allows his own historical monograph to run into a similarly titled, first section of the translated text. Consequently, it is difficult to determine where McCarthy ends and the translated text begins. This method of presentation is repeated in each section. A better editing job would have more clearly defined the sections of McCarthy's research and the actual text translation.
Following the textual translation McCarthy includes a substantial Bibliography, helpful glossary, and decent Index. The glossary section, entitled "List of Chinese and Japanese Terms", could also use an editor. Here and throughout the text, McCarthy sometimes gives terms in Japanese, sometimes in Chinese (Romanized in Pinyin), and sometimes he includes terms in English with the original Chinese characters but without the original sounds. More standardization and a clear distinction between Chinese and Japanese terms in the glossary would have made the glossary easier to understand.
In summary, I give McCarthy 4 stars for this one. The book is chock full of useful information but could be better edited and organized.
 BubishiApr 13, 2012
By Dg
Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat
Very interesting read - a must for martial artists who have been studying for a while. Adds an extra dimension to your training. Great historical insight. I've revisited many parts of the book and often found something new or a better way to look at my own training.
Good book.Dec 18, 2011
By Mad Lion
This isn't just a translated Bubishi. It contains as much background information as well as lead-ins as McCarthy thought necessary for each section of the original manual. There's not much going on here that'll make you a better fighter. Seems to me this was simply a companion piece of something greater and given it's limited availability amongst Karate practitioners at the time probably an instruction manual for the already learned.
Rare information and Articles .Jul 12, 2010
By Enigma1311
"Emilio"
This is a very informative and rare information packed book about the BUNKAI side of martial arts .
See all 15 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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