Kiyojute Ryu Kempo

, meaning "spiritually positive gentle person system of martial arts", is a form of Kempo founded by William Durbin in 1982. It is a martial art in the James Mitose lineage intended to provide for all aspects of self defense. Its Hombu Dojo, or headquarters, is in Frankfort, Kentucky. It currently has nine dojo throughout the southern and midwestern United States.

History
William Durbin
The founder of Kiyojute Ryu Kempo, Durbin began his martial arts studies in Bardstown, Kentucky with instructor Richard Stone, originally learning Kodokan Judo. When he left for college in 1971, he along with Bob Sester (a Shotokan Karate student), and Bos Bosmar (also with the Kodokan) started Campbellsville College Martial Arts Club at Campbellsville University. During these years, he studied a number of martial arts including; Shotokan Karate, Kodakan Judo, Goju Ryu, Shorin-ryu, Aikikai Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Tai Chi Chuan.

In 1974, while teaching self defense in Michigan, he coined the phrase "Ki Yang Ju Te", to reflect a teaching philosophy toward the martial arts he was developing. In 1978, he (along with Richard Stone) joined with Rod Sacharnoski of Juko Kai and began to study with , a master of Shorin-ryu Karate and the World Middleweight Full Contact Karate Champion. After joining Juko Kai, Durbin demonstrated his skill to Rod Sacharnoski and was granted rank in Juko Kai and started teaching Juko Kai using his philosophy.

In 1979, Durbin moved to Frankfort and began to work as an instructor of martial arts at Kentucky State University and for the Kentucky State Police. He continued to work for Kentucky State University throughout the early 1980s.
In 1980, Durbin was awarded his Shihan ranking from Juko Kai in Kempo. Also in 1980 he experienced what he describes as a Tenshin Sho, a "divine illumination" where his perspective on religion and his practice of martial arts changed. Instead of being a minister who practiced martial arts, he now considered himself a "martial arts minister". He was encouraged by Sacharnoski to pursue this further and began to develop a curriculum and codify his philosophies and teachings in preparations for opening his own school and founding his own system. He opened his dojo in Frankfort the next year in 1981 under the auspices of Juko Kai.

Durbin has Shihan rank in Kempo, Karate, jujutsu, Aikijujutsu, Kobujutsu and a Sibak rank in Tai Chi Chuan through Juko Kai by Rod Sacharnoski, and a Shihan rank in Koga ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Ninjutsu under Nimr Hassan. He also has earned a 1st Dan rank in the Budo Taijutsu of the Bujinkan under John Willson, and a 1st Dan rank in Taekwondo. He also holds a 3rd Dan rank in Kodokan Judo.

In 2001, Durbin published Mastering Kempo, a general textbook of Kempo history, philosophy and technique. Also in 2001 he co-wrote Judo Techniques and Tactics with Jimmy Pedro. In 2004 he wrote Koga Ryu Ninjutsu, a book on the history and basic techniques of ninjutsu, and in 2007 he wrote Renzoku Ken: Combat Combinations of Kempo. Since 1989 he has also written several dozen articles for various martial arts magazines, including ten articles published in Black Belt Magazine.

Creation of Kiyojute Ryu
Between 1980 and 1982 Durbin researched the history and techniques of martial arts in preparation for founding of a school, drawing on elements of each of the arts he studied, especially those arts he held Shihan ranking in. During this time, he was awarded an unaccredited Masters and Doctorate degree by Juko Kai through their diploma mill, the University of Oriental Philosophy in Murphy, North Carolina.

In 1982 the Zen Kokusai Soke Budo/Bugei Remmei, a board operated by Juko Kai to recognize martial arts, acknowledged him as Shodai Soke (first generation headmaster) of Ki Yang Ju Te Ryu Kempo (In 1986, by request of Durbin, the board reissued the certification under the proper Japanese romanization, Kiyojute Ryu). In 1986, Kiyojute Ryu opened its first dojo in Frankfort, as Durbin's own dojo switched from officially being a Juko Kai dojo to being a Kiyojute Ryu dojo.

Recognition and Endorsements
Durbin has written that he considers it very important that his students understand that he is not a "self proclaimed" Soke and that he is acknowledged by other members of the martial arts community as a legitimate headmaster of a Kempo system. To this end he has sought recognition from other prominent martial artists, especially those in the training lineage of James Mitose.

Thomas Mitose and Bruce Juchnik of Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo and Nimr Hassan of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei-ryu (all students of James Mitose) have all given such recognition to Kiyojute Ryu. In addition, Bill Beach of Hawaiian Ju Jitsu, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace,
and most recently, in 1999, Ramon Lono Ancho of Kodenkan Danzan-ryu also recognized Kiyojute Ryu.

The back cover of his book Mastering Kempo includes quotes of endorsement from Bill Beach and Bill "Superfoot" Wallace as to the martial arts skill of Durbin.
There, Bill Wallace is quoted describing him as "one of the leading practitioners of Kempo" and Bill Beach describes him as "I have studied his methods and worked and practiced with him for five years. His skills and abilities in the martial arts, especially Kempo, are fascinating."

Expansion
The first dedicated Kiyojute Ryu dojo was opened in 1986, and as early as 1988 additional dojo began to open with Brad Gardone going on to open a dojo of Kiyojute Ryu at the University of Louisville and later a separate dojo in Louisville away from the University.. In the 1990's several more dojo would open, including Lexington, Kentucky, Cleveland, Ohio, the University of Kentucky
, Urbana, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois and Cleveland, Ohio. In 2002 a dojo was opened in Hendersonville, Tennessee by a martial artist that had been a regular reader of Durbin's magazine articles and books and sought him out for training.

Training
The instruction is in a family atmosphere, where students train as partners instead of adversaries. Training is relatively informal, with little ritual aside from formalized bowing to begin and end class and a formal ceremony involved with belt tests and promotions. This is done with the intention of recreating some elements of pre-Meiji era martial arts schools. Part of the family atmosphere is the practice that its dojo are not widely distributed, and the Ryu does not aggressively expand, and there are only (as of 2007) around a dozen dojo, spread throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Tennessee. Part of the atmosphere family and mutual respect of Kiyojute Ryu includes the members of the class hugging each other after class. Kiyojute Ryu Kempo has no "tournament" or "sport" aspects, and training for competitions is never conducted..

Another departure from the attitudes and training methods of most current martial arts schools is the free form of the Kiyojute Ryu, there are no fixed pre-set kata in Kiyojute Ryu Kempo. Students in Kiyojute Ryu are encouraged to adapt the techniques that they are taught to spontaneously respond to attacks in a free-form manner, using the techniques taught to them in the fashion which best fits their own body and style. This change of training in modernity, Kiyojute Ryu attributes to the development of the yakusoku kata (preset form) of practice created by Anko Itosu for the training of schoolchildren. Kiyojute Ryu teaches a freestyle kata wherein the student responds intuitively to imagined attacks, akin to shadowboxing.

Hierarchy
Kiyojute Ryu Kempo uses the dan-i ranking system of Kyu grades and Dan degrees. New students begin at 6th Kyu (White Belt), and progress through 5th Kyu (Yellow Belt), 4th Kyu (Green Belt) and 3rd through 1st Kyu (Brown Belt). Dan ranks wear the customary black belt, while those who have earned the title of Shihan (at least 5th Dan) wear a white and red belt, and those who have earned Hanshi title (at least 8th Dan) along with the Soke, Soke Dai and Shihanke wear a red belt. Provisions exist for the awarding of Menkyo Kaiden, primarily as a method of naming a Nidai (2nd Generation) Soke.

The uniforms of Kiyojute Ryu are the typical Gi of many martial arts schools. Either black or white gi are allowed, although most students and instructors wear black gi by tradition. A patch of the Kiyojute Ryu Tomoe is optionally worn on the left breast.

Titles
In addition to belt ranking, a system of traditional Japanese martial arts titles exists, from Sempai (Senior student but not an instructor) to Soke (the master of the entire ryu). Those who have earned a title have their title and first name embroidered on the ends of their belt in gold thread. Under normal conditions at least a first degree black belt and the title of Sensei is required to serve as an instructor. Each of these titles is considered to denote a different level of teaching responsibility and an increasing level of certain virtues treasured in Kiyojute Ryu Kempo: patience, benevolence, courage, and love. Sempai are aides to other instructors but not instructors themselves, while Sensei are considered able to instruct a student up to the point of being able to earn their 1st Dan, while a Kyoshi can prepare a student for higher Dan levels.Shihan are masters who are able to perform tests for kyu grades and the physical skills portion of tests for dan grades. The title of Shihanke ("Master of the House") is above Shihan and Hanshi, but below the Soke and Soke Dai, but has never been awarded. A Shihanke would have the authority to award any kyu or dan grade. .

Tai Chi Chuan is also taught to a minor extent of the normal curriculum, as performance of a Tai Chi form is required at the Dan rank levels. Tai Chi is also for the benefit of elderly students not physically capable of performing the throws and leaping techniques of the normal Kempo curriculum

Unlike many other martial arts, there is no sparring (in the conventional sense) in Kiyojute Ryu Kempo. Like Shorinji Kempo, Kiyojute Ryu Kempo instead practices using Embu, or "Martial Demonstration", which it considers a revival of an older training method used in some places before modern sparring became popular. In Embu, after bowing to begin, the uke begins by attacking the tori, but intentionally pulling the punch just short of contact. Ideally, the tori learns targeting and control from this, and eventually throws full speed, full power strikes, precisely controlling their location so that they do not harm their uke (harming ones uke is grounds to immediately fail a promotion test in Kiyojute Ryu). The uke responds immediately after the attack is thrown by blocking, dodging or otherwise responding to the attack, and returning with their own counterattack. This cycle continues as long as the practitioners wish, although an Embu ends when the uke is thrown, choked, or counterjointed, and placed on the ground were the tori delivers a "final blow", and the partners bow to end the exercises. Part of the defense-oriented philosophy of Kiyojute Ryu is that the aggressor (whoever throws the first punch) is the one who is defeated, so whoever begins the Embu with an attack is the one who is thrown in the end. Randori is also used in practicing akijujutsu and jujutsu techniques.

Philosophy and Religious Aspects
Kiyojute Ryu makes a point of being a martial art that combines mental, physical and spiritual aspects of training (the three parts of the tomoe are meant to symbolize this). Many of the differences from other arts come from the philosophy of its founder. As a Baptist minister, Durbin has tried to create an art that reflects his spiritual and moral values, and places an emphasis on self defense, compassion for ones fellow man, and responsible use of force rather than on aggression, destruction, or hurting others. Durbin is fond of noting that historically, great martial arts masters such as Morihei Ueshiba combined spiritual training along with physical training, and that many great masters were also clergy.Or

Durbin was inspired in what he describes as a Tenshin Sho or where he received a divine inspiration to teach the martial arts. His teachings and techniques were devised in an attempt to pass along this inspiration and as he describes it "how to love and live at peace". He describes this in his writings as "seeing the light".

As an individual advances through the dan ranks, they are encouraged to grow spiritually and develop a personal relationship with God. All promotions within the black belt ranks require tests of spiritual and moral character as well as tests of physical skills. These tests consist of essays and private conversations (called mondo) with the head of the system on such issues as "how can you improve your relationship with God?". Based on these conversations and essays, the head of the system judges how spiritually advanced the student is and promotions in rank and title are tied to the outcome of these tests.

Kiyojute Philosophy
Durbin states, I know God personally. I have met him face to face. God is not something I think exists, or believe in, but 'The Source Being' with which I have a personal relationship. Jesus has been part of my life since I was seven..The Tenshin Sho which lead to the creation of Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei, was a personal experience with Jesus. God sent him to give me the message upon which I had based the teachings of Kiyojute Ryu. This was a personal experience with Jesus..I created the Christian Martial Arts Association, so that the Christians who study Kiyojute Ryu could have an avenue for promoting unity and sharing Christ during the practice of Kempo..
Kiyojute Ryu Kempo is built on the philosophy developed by Durbin in the 1970's. He coined the term "Kiyojute" to describe this philosophy of martial arts. The stated goal of Kiyojute Ryu is to train person through martial arts to have a closer relationship with God, a positive and healthy outlook on life, and to be gentle and compassionate in their actions with their fellow man, hence "spiritually positive gentle hand/person".

Jeremy Gallagher, a 4th degree black belt in the system states, “We use the absolute minimum force necessary, We teach that you should be gentle, and not just go out and rough people up.”.

While literally translated as "Spiritually positive gentle hand", in official literature of Kiyojute Ryu they translate it as "Spiritually positive gentle person" using an uncommon double-meaning of the kanji "éË" that normally means "hand" to mean "person"

Christian Martial Arts Association
While the Kiyojute philosophy itself is non-denominational, Durbin is a Baptist minister and personally teaches Kempo from a Christian perspective and refers to his own dojo as the "Christian Martial Arts Association", which is also the name of the non-profit organization that Kiyojute Ryu is legally incorporated as. While he personally teaches from a Christian perspective, he is open to teaching students of any religion. The following is from the Ryu's FAQ and explains how religion is handled within the Ryu:

The belief that Christianity is not unlike other religions such as Buddhism for purposes of the spiritual growth required for advanced-level practitioners of martial arts is not a belief unique to Kiyojute Ryu, as Masaaki Hatsumi of Bujinkan has written that the spiritual goals with regards of the martial arts of Christianity and Buddhism are the same.

Note that neither So Doshin (being a Zen Buddhist) nor Morihei Ueshiba (being a Shintoist) believed in God and Durbin states, " A person who just does not believe in God cannot possibly reach the highest levels of the martial arts, since they are of a spiritual nature.".

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