From Shaolin to Shotokan: Essays on Bodhidharma, Zen, Taijiquan and an Integral Practice of Karate Hardcover – May 18, 2025

This anthology is the result of a lifelong search for the deeper meaning of the martial arts, notably Karate-dô. The author understands Karate as a transcultural body culture and traces its roots back to China and India. The transmission via Okinawa to the main islands of Japan and its spread around the globe is chronicled and critically assessed. In the process of its Nipponization certain traditions were imposed on Karate, such as the excessive military drill, authoritarianism, the obsolete “ethical” code of the Samurai (bushidô) and a certain brand of “warrior Zen”. The author exposes their toxicity and certain distorted interpretations thereof. Ideological ballast is relentlessly addressed and discarded.Dr. Wolfgang Herbert is a cultural anthropologist who has spent more than half of his life in Japan. He can connect East with West and change perspective from insider to outsider and vice versa. One of his fields of study is comparative religion and this background informs his essays on Zen, meditation and spirituality, which are deemed to be at the core of any profound pursuit of martial arts. Delving into the primary sources, the author presents a thorough reevaluation of their significance and some hints on how to integrate them into one’s regular exercises.Dr. Herbert asserts that an integral practice of Karate comprises physical, mental and spiritual aspects, which should be equally and synergistically refined. Softer elements from internal martial arts like Taijiquan or Qigong are recommended to complement one’s practice of Karate. A holistic approach facilitates lifelong training and a wholesome personal development. Martial arts are professed to embody these principles, and the author seeks to offer guiding signposts for those embarking on a meaningful journey in this direction. The author still sees himself as a seeker and perpetual beginner, and his propositions are open to revision. Dr. Herbert strongly encourages experimentation, investigation with curiosity and skepticism, independent thinking and autonomous training. He hopes that each one of us discovers a path that is uniquely our own. Read more