The serious bugeisha (martial artist) should examine the following text with a view to realising its significance within the Kata Seisan.

".....It has long been said that there is no first hand (sen-te) in Karate (the meaning is that in Karate there is no advantage to the one who makes the first attack), and whether performing kata or kumite, the front fist is used for defence and the fist held to the back is used for offence. Consequently, immediately following (without a hairbreadth delay) the blocking of an opponent's attack with the front fist, the rear fist is used to destroy the opponent. It at this moment there is even the slightest delay in the movement, one will then be forced inescapably into the predicament of maintaining a defensive role."

Such a description describes, the sequence of events within the first line of the contemporary Kata Seisan where there occurs a series of three block-punch strategies (Horse 1-3). This is common practice of course, but I wonder how many practitioners have considered and analysed Funakoshi's following words carefully? .....The Japanese phrase 'go no sen o toru' means simply "defence equals offence." This should give an insight," (says Funakoshi), "into the relationship between defence and offence. However, there are times, depending upon the moment, or adjusting to a changing situation, when the defensive hand becomes an offensive hand. This is called "hente" ("changing hands"), and frequently in actual cases it is more effective than the orthodox use." Funakoshi continues, "The effective use of this technique will indicate one's technical level. The front hand held in defence and the hand held back in the offensive position are variously contrasted as follows:

"It has been said by our elders that "the essence of combat lies between sei and ki (or the regular and the irregular), and without attaining the ability of changing sei into ki and ki into sei how can one attain victory ?" And also, "As yin and yang have no beginning, and movement or non-movement do not appear, who can win but one who knows the Do?"; thus, says Funakoshi, "since the essence of the way is found truly between ki and sei or between 'in' (yin) and 'yo' (yang), those who study the way must diligently muse upon these words".

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Front hand (defence)	Rear hand(offence)
death hand (shi-te))	life hand (katsu-te)
female hand (me-te)	male hand (o-te)
yang hand (yo no te)	yin hand (in no te)
regular hand (sei no te)	irregular hand (ki no te)