Go Kenki, also known as Wu Xiangui (呉賢貴), Wu Hian Gui, or Wu Xianhui, was a significant Chinese martial artist who profoundly influenced the development of Okinawan karate.
Go Kenki was born in China in 1886 and passed away in 1940. He originated from Fuzhou, China. He emigrated to Okinawa, where he adopted Japanese nationality and was known locally as Go Kenki. He also used the Japanese name Yoshikawa. By profession, Go Kenki was a tea importer and merchant, running a successful trade business between China and Okinawa.
Go Kenki was an exponent of Fujian White Crane quanfa and belonged to the Hakkaku ken school. According to sources, he trained under his father, Go Koki.
Go Kenki taught the Southern Shaolin form of White Crane Boxing to a small group of four or five young students at his tea store in Naha, reportedly charging no tuition but expecting them to provide raw eggs for consumption during lessons. His teachings significantly influenced several pivotal figures in Okinawan karate:
• Chōjun Miyagi
• Kenwa Mabuni
• Juhatsu Kyoda
• Shinko Matayoshi
• Shinpo Matayoshi, Shinko Matayoshi’s son, also trained with Go Kenki from 1935 until the end of World War II
Go Kenki’s presence and knowledge had a profound impact on the development of karate in Okinawa. His expertise in Fujian White Crane quanfa, which he taught in Naha, played a crucial role in shaping Okinawan martial arts, particularly the Shuri-ryu (Naha-te) lineage, into what became Gōjū-ryū.
He was an important member of the Association for Karate Studies (Karate Kenkyukai), a group founded by Kenwa Mabuni dedicated to perpetuating and disseminating Okinawan karate. Go Kenki was instrumental in Chōjun Miyagi‘s second trip to China in 1936, accompanying him as an interpreter. During this trip, Go Kenki introduced Miyagi to Miao Xing, a Monk Fist Boxing expert, an encounter that some researchers believe inspired Miyagi to develop the Gekisai kata, though this theory is disputed.
His teachings contributed significantly to Kenwa Mabuni’s Shitō-ryū, Juhatsu Kyoda’s To’on Ryu, and Chōjun Miyagi’s Gōjū-ryū. It is also suggested that Go Kenki might have been the one to introduce the Bubishi, an important Chinese martial arts treatise, to the Okinawans, further influencing karate-do.
Go Kenki is credited with introducing and influencing several kata that became part of Okinawan and Japanese karate-do:
• The kata Nipai or Nipaipo (meaning “28 steps”) is a well-known example of a kata he brought from China. Kenwa Mabuni learned this kata, which originates from the Chinese White Crane style, directly from Go Kenki.
• The kata Kakufa is believed to have been taught or created by Go Kenki.
• The kata Yantsu, while mainly practised within Kyokushinkai, is said to have been brought back from China by Go Kenki and shows clear signs of being related to the Chinese Crane tradition.
• He also contributed the kata Papurian from his Hakutsuru Ken Kenpo (White Crane Fist Kempo).
Go Kenki’s legacy is that of an instrumental figure and “undercover Kung-fu Pioneer” who bridged Chinese and Okinawan martial arts traditions. His role as a teacher and cultural intermediary was crucial in shaping the diverse styles of Okinawan karate. By teaching the White Crane boxing style and sharing his knowledge with key Okinawan masters, Go Kenki ensured that Chinese martial arts forms and principles were integrated into the developing Okinawan karate systems. His influence is clearly seen in the lineages of Gōjū-ryū , Shitō-ryū, and To’on Ryu, which continue to incorporate elements and kata traced back to his teachings. He effectively helped preserve and develop a part of Okinawa’s cultural heritage that might otherwise have been lost.
Karate Kata Step By Step 