The Naming and Philosophy of Goju Ryu

In 1930, Shinzato Jin'an, a student of Miyagi Chojun, the founder of Goju Ryu, gave a demonstration of kata at an All-Japan Martial Arts Tournament celebrating the emperor's coronation. When a master of kobudo (traditional martial arts) asked him the name of his karate style, he was unable to answer, for at that time there was still no need to have names for the various "schools" in Okinawa. When Miyagi Chojun heard about this, he decided that a name would be beneficial in order better to promulgate his style of karate throughout the world.  He chose the name Goju Ryu, meaning "hard and soft," based upon the "Eight Precepts" of traditional kempo (or kung fu) and which are found in the Bubishi, the classic Chinese work on philosophy, strategy, medicine, and technique as they relate to the martial arts. (For more, see here)

The Eight Precepts in Chinese (right to left)

The eight precepts are:

1. The mind is one with heaven and earth.
2. The circulatory rhythm of the body is similar to the cycle of the sun and the moon.
3. The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness.
4. Act in accordance with time and change.
5. Techniques will occur in the absence of conscious thought.
6. The feet must advance and retreat, separate and meet.
7. The eyes do not miss even the slightest change (see the unseen) .
8. The ears listen well in all directions (expect the unexpected).

Based on these precepts, I think it is important to see that the cyclical unity of opposites is not limited to hard and soft alone, but extends to in and out, strength and suppleness, motion and stillness, advance and retreat, seen and unseen, and so on.  This reconciliation of opposites has a common expression in oriental philosophy as Yin and Yang.  For more on this idea, listen to philosopher Alan Watts here.