Pyung Ahn Sam-Dan

The Pyung Ahn forms (also called Pyong An, Pinan, or Heian) originated in Okinawa. They were adapted by Anko Itosu from older Karate kata such as Kusanku and Channan into forms suitable for teaching karate to young students. When Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to Japan, he renamed the kata to Heian, which is translated as “peaceful and calm”.

The Pinan kata were introduced into the school systems on Okinawa in the early 1900s, and were subsequently adopted by many teachers and schools. Thus, they are present today in the curriculum of martial arts styles such as Shitō-ryū, Wadō-ryū, Shōrin-ryū, Kobayashi-ryū, Kyokushin, Shinki-Ryu, Shōrei-ryū, Shotokan, Matsubayashi-ryū, Shukokai, Shindo Jinen Ryu, Kosho-ryū Kempo, and Kenyu Ryu. From Shotokan Karate they were adapted into use in Tand Soo Do.