Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Language

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-19-2003, 11:10 PM   #1
Paula Lydon
Dojo: Aikido Shugenkai
Location: Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 427
Offline
Confused Odd word

~~Anyone every hear of the word/title of 'hanshi'? I've been told that it means 'model samuri' but haven't come across it more than once, and don't really understand what model samuri means either.

Thanks!

~~Paula~~
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2003, 11:28 PM   #2
Bronson
 
Bronson's Avatar
Dojo: Seiwa Dojo and Southside Dojo
Location: Battle Creek & Kalamazoo, MI
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,677
Offline
Went to Jim Breen's Japanese-English Dictionary Server and searched for hanshi. This is what came up. I had to delete the kanji and whatnot as it doesn't come across after being cut and pasted.

(n) feudal retainer or warrior

(n) half dead

(n) Japanese writing paper used for calligraphy

judge advocate

(n) block copy

block copy artist

(n) all but dead; half killed

(n) Hemiptera

(n,vs) reflection; reverberation;

reflex action

That probably doesn't help but it was fun looking for it

Bronson

Last edited by Bronson : 07-19-2003 at 11:31 PM.

"A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy he chooses non-violence."
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2003, 07:56 AM   #3
Paula Lydon
Dojo: Aikido Shugenkai
Location: Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 427
Offline
~~Cool! Thanks, Bronson. I thought English could be tough with 2 or 3 meanings for the same word

~~Paula~~
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2003, 01:28 PM   #4
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
Offline
Re: Odd word

Quote:
Paula Lydon wrote:
~~Anyone every hear of the word/title of 'hanshi'?
Don't know much about it. It seems to be a rank confered by the Butokukai. Aikidojournal.com defines it as, "Sword master of high rank" although you hear karate people claiming the rank, too. It seems to be a designation given in addition to DAN ranks. Not sure what HANSHI corellates with, but I think with 8-10 DAN (fact check here, I couldn't find confirmation in the quick check I made online.)

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
------------------------
http://www.theaikidodojo.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2003, 03:20 PM   #5
Charlie Huff
Dojo: Charlotte Aikikai
Location: Charlotte, NC
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 15
Offline
In Kyudo, "hanshi" is the highest teaching rank. (In addition to dan ranks there are three specific ranks for teachers: renshi, kyoshi, and hanshi.) A hanshi is typically at least an eighth dan.

We have met the enemy and he is us.
-- Pogo
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2003, 03:33 PM   #6
The Wrenster
Location: Horsham
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 17
Offline
aaaah that sounds familiar. At my dojo, the head honcho is Hanshi, and the next most senior instructo a Renshi... i dont know if they are official though, something ill have to check in on...
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2003, 07:22 AM   #7
Dave Miller
 
Dave Miller's Avatar
Dojo: UCO Budo Society
Location: Oklahoma
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 204
Offline
When I was involved in Okinawan Karate, we used the word as basically a synonymn for "master" or "great teacher."

DAVE

If you're working too hard, you're doing it wrong.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2003, 11:18 PM   #8
Kensho Furuya
Dojo: Aikido Center of Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 341
Offline
The term, "Hanshi" as it is used in Japanese martial arts is a title indicating the level of a teacher. It is used in many of the older, more traditional martial arts such as kendo, iaido, and kyudo to name a few. There are three titles, the first being "renshi" ("ren" means training). The second is "kyoshi" ("kyo" meaning instruction). And the highest is "hanshi" ("han" meaning model). Some people equate "hanshi" with "shihan," but the term "shihan" is a more generic term or rather a more polite term for "sensei." One who attains the title of hanshi is one of great skill and seniority or who has attained great merit in his art. Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi are titles which are bestowed upon the teacher. They are bestowed separately from one's dan grade and is a special honor and title to those teachers. I hope this helps you. . . . . . thanks.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2003, 04:27 PM   #9
Kent Enfield
 
Kent Enfield's Avatar
Location: Oregon, USA
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 224
United_States
Offline
Quote:
Kensho Furuya wrote:
Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi are titles which are bestowed upon the teacher. They are bestowed separately from one's dan grade and is a special honor and title to those teachers.
While that is how it is the kendo federation, that's not how it always was or is now in the Zen Nihon Naginata Renmei. The ZNNR has the same system the ZNKR had before 1957, in which renshi, kyoshi, and hanshi, follow godan. That is, one is promoted from godan to renshi to kyoshi to hanshi. I don't know how it works in the Kyudo Renmei, Battodo Renmei, Iaido Renmei, or the like.

It's just a minor quibble. Either way, people ranked hanshi are masters of their respective arts.

Kentokuseisei
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2003, 05:40 PM   #10
Ang3LuZ
Dojo: Dojo Tenchi
Location: Lisbon
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1
Offline
"Hanshi" subject

Well I was passing by and noticed this thread and so i will try to give my little cent in here: The Dai Nippon Butoku Kai (established in the Butokuden in Kyoto) is the oldest Budo organization that gathers japanese traditional martial arts - it is held by prince Higashi Fushimi Jigo and they honor people that have achieved a high level of understanding in their art with "Kyoshi", "Renshi" and "Hanshi".

See ya soon

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2003, 08:49 PM   #11
BKimpel
Location: Alberta, Canada
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 113
Offline
That's kind of funky. Shihan means teacher, but hanshi means model teacher.

With a little flip of the words you go from generic to model.

Neat.

Bruce Kimpel
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2003, 09:47 PM   #12
Kensho Furuya
Dojo: Aikido Center of Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 341
Offline
It is just like in the English language, "God" spelled backwards is "dog." In the Chinese or Japanese language, that would never do, not at all, ever! Too impolite!

Ps: I just use this as a linguistic example and mean no offense at all to use this sacred Word. My deepest and sincerest apologies!
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2003, 09:58 AM   #13
Frederick VanStrander
Location: Albany
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2
Offline
I am new to aikido, and I just started (this week) training in Nihon Goshin Aikido. The names of the techniques are in english, so I am having a difficult time understanding alot of the posts. If anyone is familiar with NGA could you please help me out?

Respectfully

Frederick

"Common sense does not accomplish great things, simply become insane and desperate"- Lord Naoshige

"Common sense does not accomplish great things, simply become insane and desperate." - Lord Naoshige
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2003, 11:19 AM   #14
Clayton Kale
Dojo: Nihon Goshin Aikido Academy
Location: South Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 36
Offline
Quote:
Kensho Furuya wrote:
It is just like in the English language, "God" spelled backwards is "dog." In the Chinese or Japanese language, that would never do, not at all, ever! Too impolite!

Ps: I just use this as a linguistic example and mean no offense at all to use this sacred Word. My deepest and sincerest apologies!
No offense taken. After all, don't dogs have Buddah nature?

"Pefect practice makes perfect." -Steven A. Weber Godan Nihon Goshin Aikido

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2003, 12:10 PM   #15
Kensho Furuya
Dojo: Aikido Center of Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 341
Offline
Yes, dogs have Buddha Nature, even a banana leaf! Many thanks!
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2003, 11:42 PM   #16
Chris Li
 
Chris Li's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,313
United_States
Offline
Quote:
Bruce Kimpel (BKimpel) wrote:
That's kind of funky. Shihan means teacher, but hanshi means model teacher.

With a little flip of the words you go from generic to model.

Neat.
Actually, the kanji for the two terms are different. In addition, "shihan" is generally defined in Japanese (in both the Daijirin and the Kojien) as a "model" teacher, whereas "hanshi" is generally defined as a title issued in certain arts (although the "han", which both terms share, is literally translated as "model").

Best,

Chris

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2003, 07:00 AM   #17
Kensho Furuya
Dojo: Aikido Center of Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 341
Offline
This is exactly right, I am happy to see that someone is using reliable references to clear up such questions. Shihan is a general title referring to instructors of some seniority or respect. Hanshi is a specific title which must be conferred by one's head organization, (if such titles are used).

The idea of being the "model" teacher is the highest form of instruction in traditional martial arts and all other traditional fine arts in Japanese culture. This concept comes from Confucianism in which the teacher or gentlemen-scholar serves as a "model" for all others to follow, imitate and esteem.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2003, 09:44 AM   #18
akiy
 
akiy's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,049
Offline
Quote:
Kensho Furuya wrote:
The idea of being the "model" teacher is the highest form of instruction in traditional martial arts and all other traditional fine arts in Japanese culture. This concept comes from Confucianism in which the teacher or gentlemen-scholar serves as a "model" for all others to follow, imitate and esteem.
There is a fairly in-depth article written by Peter Goldsbury on this subject on this very website:

http://www.aikiweb.com/language/goldsbury1.html

Also, Jim Vance has written a follow-up on the subject from his perspective as well:

http://www.aikiweb.com/language/vance1.html

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Microsoft Word & Kanji Ecosamurai Open Discussions 7 11-07-2006 06:17 AM
A Word of Concern to all Aikidoka... antdigoh General 101 06-10-2005 06:40 PM
seeking a word... Paula Lydon Language 4 09-25-2002 11:17 AM
Word explanations JJF Announcements & Feedback 4 06-19-2002 04:16 AM
The word "Aikidoka", does it annoy you? virginia_kyu General 43 06-07-2002 04:35 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:58 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate