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The name of this kata means 'four directional battle' and the form seems to take its name from the four palm heel strikes delivered in different directions seen in the video below from 0:28-0:34. The kata covers a lot of ground though and the practitioner is constantly moving in different directions throughout.
As with the other kata found in Goju ryu there is no clear line of descent from any kung fu style in Southern China. The typical school quoted is White Crane, but others have argued for Tiger or Dragon influence and one even for a Mantis / Cricket kung fu influence. Despite orthodox opinions (see The History of Karate) that Kanryo Higaonna brought this form back from China, that is doubted by some. In fact, the kata may even have been being practiced on Okinawa before any of the conventional dates Higaonna is said to have sailed to China. There is a record that Seisho Aragaki publicly performed a kata named Chisaukin or Chishoukiun, both of which names have a similar pronunciation to Shisochin.
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