Kiai
Encyclopedia
(ˈkiː.aɪ) is a Japanese
term used in martial arts
. There are numerous examples of the battle cry
in other cultures: kiai is perhaps primarily a development of this. In the representation of Asian martial arts in cinema
and in animated cartoon
s, Modern Kiai are often written by westerners in Romaji as Hi-yah!, Aiyah!, Eeee-yah!, or Hyah!. Traditional Japanese Dojo generally use single syllables beginning with a vowel. In the board game Go
the term describes fighting spirit — see go terms
for this use.
, the term commonly refers to a short exhalation (not as yell) before or during a strike or technique. In bujutsu (Japanese arts of war), it is usually linked to an inner gathering of energy released in a single explosive focus of will.
Students of Japanese martial arts
such as aikido
, karate
, Kobudo
, kendo
or judo
(or related arts such as taiko
drumming) do not 'use', but rather allow, ones Ki to emanate from their Tanden (Hara
) while executing a technique. It also erroneously refers to the shout that accompanies some techniques when performing kata. Kiaijutsu is at times thought to be the Japanese art of using kiai when performing martial arts. More accurately Kiai and Aiki co-exist in all Japanese Martial Arts.
The proper use of kiaijutsu involves concentrating on the use of one's ki more than it does shouting. A sound is just an audible indication of good kiai (aligned body structure, focused intent, and good breathing). Kiai can be a silent; coordination of breath with activity. A relaxed and powerful exhalation can add power to movement. This may be more accurately referred to as kokyu power. Kokyu and kiai are sometimes used interchangeably. The term kokyu, most often translated as breath power in English, is essentially the same as Chinese neijin. It is the ability to coordinate breathing with the execution of a jin movement which is important.
The noise from a kiai is said to arise from the hara
or dantien-Chinese
: it involves the abdominal muscles and diaphragm and should not be sounded merely from the throat.
As well as the above, the kiai can be used to:
(気) meaning mind, breath or spirit and ai(合, 合い), a stem of the verb awasu (合わす), "to unite"; therefore literally "concentrated or united spirit". However, Frederick John Lovret notes, "One should note that ai, the conjunctive stem of the verb au, does not mean "to join" in this case: when used in the second position of a compound word, ai becomes an emphatic marker. Kiai, therefore, should be translated as "spirit!", not "spirit-joined".
The sound is called K'ihap in many Korean martial arts
, such as Taekwondo
. This is derived from the old Korean reading
of the same arrangement of Chinese characters as had been used to write Kiai in Japanese. In the phonetic alphabet of modern Korean it is written as 기합.
The two terms Kiai and aiki
use the same kanji (transposed) and can be thought of as the inner and the outer aspect of the same principle. Some martial arts schools use the term interchangeably. Otherwise Kiai relates to the manifestation, emission or projection of ones own energy (internal strength), while Aiki relates to the coordination of one's energy with the energy of an external source. Thus kiai is the expression or projection of our own, internal energy while aiki is coordination with an attacker's energy.
This usage of kiai as internal strength, or using one's ki is often found in aiki arts such as aikijujutsu and aikido
. In some schools such as the Ki Society
, 'keeping one point' (awareness or centredness in the dantian
) is described as kiai.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
term used in martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
. There are numerous examples of the battle cry
Battle cry
A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit.Battle cries are not necessarily articulate, although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment....
in other cultures: kiai is perhaps primarily a development of this. In the representation of Asian martial arts in cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and in animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
s, Modern Kiai are often written by westerners in Romaji as Hi-yah!, Aiyah!, Eeee-yah!, or Hyah!. Traditional Japanese Dojo generally use single syllables beginning with a vowel. In the board game Go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
the term describes fighting spirit — see go terms
Go terms
Players of the game of Go often use jargon to describe situations on the board and surrounding the game. Such technical terms are likely to be encountered in books and articles about Go in English as well as other languages. Many of these terms have been borrowed from Japanese, mostly when no short...
for this use.
Use in martial arts
In martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, the term commonly refers to a short exhalation (not as yell) before or during a strike or technique. In bujutsu (Japanese arts of war), it is usually linked to an inner gathering of energy released in a single explosive focus of will.
Students of Japanese martial arts
Japanese martial arts
Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. At least three Japanese terms are often used interchangeably with the English phrase "Japanese martial arts": , literally meaning "martial way", , which has no perfect translation but means something like science,...
such as aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
, karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, Kobudo
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
, kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
or judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
(or related arts such as taiko
Taiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
drumming) do not 'use', but rather allow, ones Ki to emanate from their Tanden (Hara
Hara (tanden)
Hara is a Japanese martial art term. It is equivalent to the lower of the three dantian in Traditional Chinese medicine, for the "center of being". Hara point is used to center energies for meditation, martial art application and healing purpose...
) while executing a technique. It also erroneously refers to the shout that accompanies some techniques when performing kata. Kiaijutsu is at times thought to be the Japanese art of using kiai when performing martial arts. More accurately Kiai and Aiki co-exist in all Japanese Martial Arts.
The proper use of kiaijutsu involves concentrating on the use of one's ki more than it does shouting. A sound is just an audible indication of good kiai (aligned body structure, focused intent, and good breathing). Kiai can be a silent; coordination of breath with activity. A relaxed and powerful exhalation can add power to movement. This may be more accurately referred to as kokyu power. Kokyu and kiai are sometimes used interchangeably. The term kokyu, most often translated as breath power in English, is essentially the same as Chinese neijin. It is the ability to coordinate breathing with the execution of a jin movement which is important.
The noise from a kiai is said to arise from the hara
Hara (tanden)
Hara is a Japanese martial art term. It is equivalent to the lower of the three dantian in Traditional Chinese medicine, for the "center of being". Hara point is used to center energies for meditation, martial art application and healing purpose...
or dantien-Chinese
Dantian
Dantian, dan t'ian, dan tien or tan t'ien is loosely translated as "elixir field". It is described as an important focal point for internal meditative techniques.There are various points of dantian...
: it involves the abdominal muscles and diaphragm and should not be sounded merely from the throat.
As well as the above, the kiai can be used to:
- prime oneself for combat, by "amping up."
- protect the upper body from a strike by providing an escape route for exhaled air.
- protect the lower body by rapidly contracting the transverse abdominals and other core muscles, shielding the internal organs.
- provide solid abdominal support for striking techniques.
- startle and demoralize inexperienced or shy adversaries — especially at close quarters, especially if previously unobserved.
Etymology
Kiai appears to be a compound of kiQi
In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
(気) meaning mind, breath or spirit and ai(合, 合い), a stem of the verb awasu (合わす), "to unite"; therefore literally "concentrated or united spirit". However, Frederick John Lovret notes, "One should note that ai, the conjunctive stem of the verb au, does not mean "to join" in this case: when used in the second position of a compound word, ai becomes an emphatic marker. Kiai, therefore, should be translated as "spirit!", not "spirit-joined".
The sound is called K'ihap in many Korean martial arts
Korean martial arts
Korean martial arts are the martial arts that originated from Korea. Some well known Korean martial arts are hapkido, kuk sool won, and taekwondo. There has also been a revival of Korean sword arts as well as knife fighting and archery...
, such as Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. This is derived from the old Korean reading
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
of the same arrangement of Chinese characters as had been used to write Kiai in Japanese. In the phonetic alphabet of modern Korean it is written as 기합.
Kiai and aiki
Aiki (martial arts principle)
Aiki is a Japanese martial arts principle or tactic in which the defender blends with the attacker, then goes on to dominate the assailant through the strength of their application of internal dynamics or Ki energy to effect techniques. Blending with an attacker's movements allows the Aiki...
use the same kanji (transposed) and can be thought of as the inner and the outer aspect of the same principle. Some martial arts schools use the term interchangeably. Otherwise Kiai relates to the manifestation, emission or projection of ones own energy (internal strength), while Aiki relates to the coordination of one's energy with the energy of an external source. Thus kiai is the expression or projection of our own, internal energy while aiki is coordination with an attacker's energy.
This usage of kiai as internal strength, or using one's ki is often found in aiki arts such as aikijujutsu and aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
. In some schools such as the Ki Society
Ki Society
The is an aikido organization founded by Koichi Tohei in 1971, while he was the chief instructor at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. The official Japanese name of the organization is Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido Kai , but it is more usually known in English-speaking countries as "Ki Society"...
, 'keeping one point' (awareness or centredness in the dantian
Dantian
Dantian, dan t'ian, dan tien or tan t'ien is loosely translated as "elixir field". It is described as an important focal point for internal meditative techniques.There are various points of dantian...
) is described as kiai.
Sources
- E.J. Harrison, The Fighting Spirit of Japan Overlook TP; Reprint edition (1988) ISBN 0-87951-154-0
- Forrest E. Morgan, Living the Martial Way: A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think,Barricade Books, 1992, ISBN 0-942637-76-3