The Patch
The Shape
The sides and roof are curved to send evil back where it came from, whenever it tries to enter. The bottom forms the shape of an ax, used to sever anyone who betrays the art.
The word Kenpo
Meaning "first law", this represents the system that we study. The red color of the letters signifies the advanced stages of learning.
The word Karate
Japanese for "Empty Hand." Reflects part of the heritage of the Martial Arts.
The Dragon
The dragon represents the intellectual and spiritual part of our art: Spiritual strength, humility, and self-restraint. This is the goal that we work to obtain. The red color represents the higher levels of black belt. The yellow reminds us of the beginning lovels of Kenpo, and is a representation of from where we all began.
The Tiger
The tiger represents the earthly strength of the early stages of learning. This is the stage where the individual is more impressed with his or her own physical prowess. The red in the mouth represents the higher levels of the art.
The Circle
The circle is symbolic of several things:
(1) It depicts life itself, a continous Cycle where there is no beginning and no end. So it is with the art of Kenpo-- it too is a cycle of perpetual and unending movements or motion. Techniques follow a cycle; movements are part of a cycle; humility, self-restraint, and physical prowess are no more than components of a progressive learning cycle.
(2) The circle is the base from which our alphabet stems.
(3) The black lines on the circle represent the clock principle, a mental and visual aid used when teaching.
The Universal Pattern
The lines found within the circle represent the various paths of motion as envisioned by Ed Parker. The three diminsional aspect represents not only potential paths of motion, but the depth of our System.
The Chinese Writing
This is a reminder of the originators of our art, the Chinese. It shows that we respect them, though we do not serve them. The lettering on the left (by the tiger's head) means "Kenpo Karate" (the law of the fist and the empty hand), the art that we practice. The lettering on the right (by the dragon's head) means "spirit of the tiger and the dragon", a constant reminder that we want to attain the spiritual level and that the physical level is only a stepping stone, or vehicle, that we use to reach the higher or spiritual level.
The Colors
The white background is symbolic of the many beginners who form the base of our art. The yellow stands for the first level of proficiency, the mechanical stage. The gray is symbolic of the brain, reminding us that this is a thinking art.
