Qin Shi Huangdi's name, Qin (Chin), is the origin of the word China, and with good reason - he was the man who unified the states that collectively formed China. A vicious madman, his dynasty lasted for only about 15 years, but set the tone and structure of China's civilisation for more than two thousand years.

Sumo is by far the oldest martial art from Japan. In this episode we explore how it changed over time and examine its intimate links with Shinto and Shamanism.

Is Aikido a cult? In this episode we divert our attention briefly to the difficult subjects of Aikido and Omotokyo, examining in particular the darker side of Aikido's origins.

In the final part of the origins of Jiu Jitsu and Kempo we look at the role of the Yakuza in the 80s and 90s, as well as the background to Yukio Mishima's protest ritual suicide (seppuku).

In part 4 we examine the time period between 1960 and 1980 in Japan, and discuss topics such as martial arts marketing and the different ways in which the Japanese created and promoted a wide range of new martial arts.

Continuing our examination of the origins of Jiu Jitsu and Kempo, covering the years 1850 to 1963. We also branch out into lots of other areas, including the arrival of Boxing, Xing Yi, Karate and Professional Wrestling in Japan, as well as the modern phenomenon of the Ninjas.

We continue to explore the origins of Jiu Jitsu and Kempo, covering the role of Kano Jigoro and others at the end of the Nineteenth Century.

In the first episode we explore the development of the concept of heresy by two early christian teachers, Valentinus and Irenaeus. We then begin a multi-part series on the origins of Jiu Jitsu and Kempo, addressing some of the myths surrounding the samurai class in the process, as well as talking about some of the other, less famous, inhabitants of feudal Japan.