Shoshin Nagamine was the last of the legendary pre-war karate masters and a well-known disciple of peaceful non-violence. His classic work, ''The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do, '' documents eighteen of the Okinawan karate kata and seven partner exercises (kumite), as well as a number of basic techniques, transmitting the secrets of Okinawan karate from its greatest masters to the modern reader. Used for generations as a practical and pictorial guide, it contains over rare 1,000 photographs of pre-war masters demonstrating their martial arts. But it is an unusual reference in another way as well: Shoshin Nagamine's wisdom integrates stunning martial arts capability with non-violence and spiritual peace.