To gain deeper insights into the origins of karate, it is essential to look more closely toward China. Over the years, there has been continuous bilateral exchange among martial artists and groups. However, scholarly research—particularly the analysis of primary and secondary sources regarding cultural exchange between the Chinese Empire and the Ryūkyū Kingdom in relation to cultural assets such as karate—is still in its infancy.
While materials from Okinawan and Japanese sources have already been incorporated into various studies, there remains a considerable gap on the Chinese side. Consulting Chinese sources could significantly enrich historical karate research. A first point of reference should be the libraries and archives in Fujian Province.
Although research should focus on Chinese sources, one interesting glimpse, however, is the book An Alphabetic Dictionary of the Chinese Language in the Foochow Dialect (1870) with entries translating “boxing”, “fist” and “the art of pugilism”. In this context, there is also a reference to “to fist and kick”.
Its author, Robert Samuel Maclay (1824–1907), was an American missionary who worked with Methodist Episcopal missions in China, Japan, and Korea. He compiled the dictionary with the assistance of Caleb Cook Baldwin (1820–1911), one of the first Congregationalist missionaries in Fuzhou.
Sources:
Maclay, Robert Samuel (1870): An alphabetic dictionary of the Chinese language in the Foochow dialect. Foochow: Methodist Episcopal Mission Press
Investigations into the history of karate 