Kusanku (kata)

Kūshankū (クーシャンク, 公相君) also called Kūsankū (クーサンクー) or Kankū-dai (観空大), is an open hand karate kata that is studied by many practitioners of Okinawan Karate. In many karate styles, there are two versions of the kata: Kūsankū-shō and Kūsankū-dai. The name Kūsankū or Kōsōkun (公相君) is used in Okinawan systems of karate, and refers to a person by the name of Kūsankū, a Chinese diplomat from Fukien who is believed to have traveled to Okinawa to teach his system of fighting. In Japanese systems of karate, the kata has been known as Kankū (translated as gazing heavenward, viewing the sky, or contemplating the sky) ever since it was renamed in the 1930s by Funakoshi Gichin. This kata is also practiced in Tang Soo Do and is pronounced something like Kong Sang Koon in Korean according to the hanja pronunciation of . Due to its difficulty, this kata is often reserved for advanced students. One of its distinguishing features is the jump, which incorporates two kicks.