Aikido - Interpreting the Kanji

Dan Penrod, August 10th 2006

- AI (121)

The kanji for AI (also pronounced GO and KATSU), as an ideogram, is often interpreted historically as a rice pot with a lid.  This suggests the idea of meeting, joining or coming together.   The character is often used to indicate harmony, union and reconciliation.

- KI (11)

The kanji for KI means spirit.  It comes from the X character (201) in the lower center, meaning rice.  The radical to the top and leading down to the right represents vapor.  Together they originally indicated the vapors rising from cooked rice and now indicate the idea of spirit or unseen force.  Today it is generally used to indicate an invisible, spiritual energy or life force.

- DO (121)

The DO kanji (also DO, TO, and michi) is composed of the wavy radical to the lower left meaning movement (129) and the element to the right meaning head or chief (139).  These were used to suggest the idea of the main road and finally came to mean way or road.  In the context of aikido it takes on the common abstract meaning of way or way of enlightenment.  DO is used in many Japanese words regarding traditional Japanese martial arts including; budo, judo, kendo, kyudo, karate-do, and dojo.

Together the characters AI . KI . Do indicate a spiritual path to unionizing or harmonizing spiritual energy. 

This somewhat vague and ambiguous definition of aikido is often interpreted at several different levels.  We discuss aikido in the context of technique.  At a technical level we see that aikido offers principals or a way of applying a spiritual energy through harmonizing with our opponent.  When trying to understand aikido techniques at the application layer this concept can be very beneficial to our success.  However, at a higher and more metaphysical level the term aikido can be interpreted as a life long path of harmonizing our spirits with the universal spirit.

It's interesting to note that in the 1926 under the direction of Gichen Funakoshi and other prominent karatemen of the time, the kanji for karate (Kara . Te), was forever changed.  The original kanji, kara, as used in Okinawa, indicated China, while the second character, te, meant hand.  So the term kara.te originally meant Chinese hand, paying tribute to China, the source of early Okinawan karate.   In the newly revised writing for kara.te the replaced the kanji "kara / Chinese" with the kanji "kara / Empty".  This change was the result of layered philosophical ideas;  1.)  That karate was now embraced as a traditional Japanese, rather than Chinese, budo.  2.)  That it was a martial art employing empty handed or weaponless techniques.  3.)  That there was a philosophical shift indicating the emptying or purifying of the spirit of self, ego, & aggression.  These budo states of mind included  mushin  (the emptying of the mind of distracting thoughts and emotions, allowing us to see the true nature of things), and shoshin (the beginners mind, emptied of ego, allowing space to learn), as foundational elements of Japanese Budo spirit.  To the common person, karate was still an esoteric form of Asian pugilism, but to the active budoka the word was now wrapped in layers of more subtle meanings. The pronunciation of the word never changed.

O'Sensei was fond of this kind of double-entendre and ambiguity in the kanji, and the multiple layers of interpretation, encouraging his students to peel away at the layers of aikido like the layers of an onion.  He often referred to aikido as a spiritual love whose function is to unify the world and to reconcile the discord of the universe.   Many aikido historical sources allude to the fact that the Japanese word, 'AI' means love.  However, the kanji 'AI' - Love (417) , should not be confused with the kanji 'AI' - Harmony (121).   O'Sensei's little joke was that he could verbally interchange the 2 words at will, ambiguously, during his frequent esoteric lectures, to create a newer and more profound meaning and function  to the word aikido.

In the ASU Handbook Saotome Sensei writes... "AI - Harmony, unity; to be in accord with or to join.  KI - Spirit; life force or universal creative energy.  DO - The way or path.  ~  The movement of Aikido is the dynamic movement of the universal energy forces.  The power of Aikido is the power of a strong and unified spirit, mind and body moving in harmony with everything around it.  Its origin is Budo.  It's development is the result of two thousand years of a cultural process of change and refinement, a continuing martial contest of natural selection.  It is an evolution etched in blood."  Saotome goes on to quote O'Sensei, "Budo is not the felling the opponent by force; nor is it a tool to lead the world into destruction by arms.  True Budo is to accept the spirit of the universe, keep the peace of the world, correctly produce, protect and cultivate all beings in nature."  Clearly a path to cultivating harmony in the universe is indicated in these thoughts.

  Incidentally, the AI (417) character representing love, is interpreted by dividing the character into 4 vertically stacked elements.  The top represents a hand reaching down.  The box shape below that conveys the idea of covering.  The strokes directly below that represent the heart.  And finally the crossed element at the bottom represents a figure sitting cross-legged.  Put together, the character poetically describes a person sitting quietly, cross-legged, covering their heart with their hand... in love.

Understanding the etymological and historical roots of the aikido kanji offers insight into their multi-faceted meanings.  Reaching your own interpretation is a beneficial exercise in discovering aikido for yourself.

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