Sanchin like many katas comes from Chinese kung fu. This kata is taken from Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, and the Tiger-Crane Combination style associated with Ang Lian-Huat. Tam Hon taught a style that was called simply "Saam Jin" ("Sanchin" in Cantonese). The name Sanchin, meaning three battles, is sometimes interpreted as the battle to unify the mind, body, and spirit.

A great book that uses many references on the subjest is;
Barefoot Zen: the shaolin roots of Kung Fu and Karate by Nathan J. Johnson.

The book also explores the mis-interpretension of modern karate bunkai.

Sanchin Kata may be the oldest kata. The kata is performed very slowly and emphasizes dramatic deep breathing with dynamic tension or isometric muscular contractions. Sanchin Kata is the only Issuing empty-handed kata with no kicks. Also, there are no kicks in Sanchin Kata.

Looks very much like a kata that is easy to learn but hard to master. Simple but highly technical at the same time.

Added a link to a Shito Ryu version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKLKMAr3sos

and one to a chinese version (mute the music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbHQiuA2i...ature=fvwp

Interesting to see what is the same and what is different. The flow and tension say a lot about the differences in the martial arts.

Sanchin Kata may be one of the oldest kata whose origins are believe and believed to go all the way back to Bodhidharma and the exercises he taught Chinese Buddhist monks at the Shaolin Temple.