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Khahan
22nd July 2002, 17:46
What is the difference in translation between these 3 words?

Jussi Häkkinen
22nd July 2002, 21:52
Cannot say much about Shorei. However, it's commonly connected to Naha-te and Kanryo Higashionna.

Shorin = "Shaolin" when pronounced in japanese. Writing style varies (first letter usually). While Sukunaihayashi/Shobayashi is a correct way to write "Shaolin", also other Shorin-styles point towards the Shaolin monastery in their name. Nowadays Shorin-styles are formed on the base of Shuri-te and Tomari-te.

Shorinji = "Young Forest Castle". In chinese: Shaolin Tzu, which means "Shaolin temple" in martial arts terms.

Practically Shorin- and Shorinji -names have been used in same occasions very often. For example, followers of Kyan Chotoku have been known to use both ways of writing. Nowadays writing forms have been fixed (for example: Joen Nagazato's Okinawa Shorinji-Ryu and Zenryo Shimabukuro's (now headed by his son, Zenpo) Shorin-Ryu Seibukan).

I used my "home ground" for examples, I hope that is OK.

Khahan
23rd July 2002, 13:09
Thank you Jussi.
Its my understanding that Shorei means Shaolin in Japanese.
Perhaps they are just different dialects.
Either way, it appears they do all refer to Shaolin in one way or another.

Kimpatsu
25th July 2002, 09:26
"Shorei" as a word is nothing to do with the Shorinji. It is written with completely different kanji. The similarity of the first syllable is just coincidence. Shorei is actually a proper noun, with the "sho" sometimes meaning, "monk", and the "rei", etiquette, or politeness.
HTH,