Ask The Teacher
Do you have a martial arts question you would like to have answered?
We can't promise we have all the answers, but FightingArts.com's staff
and contributors will try to help. Just fill in the form at the bottom
of this page.
Topic: "meijin"
Can you give me a detailed definition of the Japanese term "meijin"?
Perry
Answer:
Meijin means great master. In the martial arts a meijin is a term used
to refer to a truly unique and distinguished master of an art who is considered
to have achieved mental, spiritual and physical perfection. In modern
budo (karate, aikido, kendo, judo, etc.) a meijin is thus one who achieved
a level beyond just excellence in technique but has entered a spiritual
realm towards self-perfection -- achieving a quiet mind (fudoshin) and
often experiencing enlightenment. The well known martial arts writer and
historian Donn Drager notes in "Modern Budo & Bujitsu" that
"all genuine meijin of classical disciplines, without exception,
studied a wide range of different disciplines, never specializing in one
alone, at least before achieving meijin status."
|
