Ryūei-ryū

Ryuei-ryu (劉衛流, Ryūei-ryū) is an Okinawan style of karate. It was originally a family style of the Nakaima family of Naha and is now one of the internationally recognized Okinawan karate styles. It is practiced in the United States, Argentina, Venezuela, Europe, and Okinawa.

History

The originator of the Ryueiryu method was the Okinawan Nakaima Norisato (also known as Kenri). Born December, 1819 into a considerably wealthy family (by the Okinawan standards of the time). He developed a passion for the martial arts at a young age, and was known throughout the village of Kumemura (Kume) as a devoted practitioner of the cultural as well as combative arts.

The area called Kume in Naha was settled by Chinese (often referred to as the "Thirty-six family names") from Fukien (Fukuken, Fukuken-sho), China about 600 years ago. Being born and brought up in the area under deep influence from China for a long time, Norisato was very familiar with Chinese cultural ways and could speak and communicate freely in at least one dialect of the language.