Bunbu Ryo(u) Do(u) [文武両道]


The characters/ideograms mean "(accomplished in) both the literary and military arts." The first character means, "sentence; literature; style; art; decoration; figures; plan," the second character means, "warrior; military; chivalry; arms," the third character means, "both; old Japanese coin; counter for carriages (e.g., in a train); two," the fourth character means, "road-way; street; district; journey; course; moral; teachings."

Ancient Chinese texts believe that all things begin with one but for nature and life to exist it must exist with opposites in the concept yin-yang. Those two sides to the one that result in the constant changes and coinciding of life. Yin cannot exist on its own and yang also cannot exist on its own. The natural way of things will not allow that to occur in our Universe.

The yin-yang exist or coincide by complementary existence where fluctuation occurs naturally as does the circular path of the sun and moon as they move naturally with the Earth toward the duality of day and night with all its gradations between making it one whole. 

The martial arts only exists as a whole when there is the complementary of the physical and academic whole, i.e. yang = physical, yin = academia. This too will have gradations according to the particular practice and training involved. True classical martial arts cannot exist without bunbu-ryo-do, the yin-yang concept and essence that is martial arts. The sun and moon of martial practice and training. 

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