Jion (love and kindness, temple sound or temple bells), is one of three kata, that begin with the same characteristic kamae, which is, feet together, legs straight and left hand wrapped around the right fist at chin height. The Chinese monks of the old Shaolin Buddhist Jion-ji Temple, greeted each other by wrapping the left hand around the right fist, in a similar way to Jion’s yoi position. The monks practiced Kempo, so there is a possible connection between the ancient Chinese Jion temple and the shotokan karate kata, Jion. There is also a well-known Buddhist saint named Jion. The founder of shotokan karate, master Gichin Funakoshi may have studied Jion under master Itosu. This is only a few of many theories regarding the history of this kata.

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