Northern Praying Mantis (martial art)

Northern Praying Mantis (Chinese

Chinese:螳螂拳 ; pinyin: tánglángquán;; literally "praying
arts sometimes called Shandong Praying
mantis fist") is a style of Chinese martial arts, ying Mantis
after its province of origin. It was created by Wang Lang ( 王朗 ) and was named after the
praying mantis,, an insect, the aggressiveness of which inspired the style. One Mantis legend
places the creation of the style in the Song Dynasty when Wang Lang was supposedly one of
18 masters gathered by the Abbot Fu Ju ( 福居 ), a legendary persona of the histor
historical Abbot
Fu Yu ( 福裕 1275), to improve Shaolin martial arts.[1] However, most legends place
) (1203–1275),
Dynasty.[2][3]
Wang Lang in the late Ming Dynasty

Contents
• 1 Features
• 2 Origins
o 2.1 Connection with General Yue Fei
• 3 Styles
o 3.1 Widespread styles
o 3.2 Rare styles
• 4 Media
o 4.1 Film
o 4.2 Television
o 4.3 Books
o 4.4 Video games
• 5 References
o 5.1 External links

Features
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Comparison of a technical drawing of a mantis arm and the "mantis hook" hand posture.
The mantis is a long and narrow predatory insect. While heavily armoured, it is not built to
withstand forces from perpendicular directions. Consequently, its fighting style involves the
use of whip-like/circular motions to deflect direct attacks, which it follows up with precise
attacks to the opponent's vital spots. These traits have been subsumed into the Northern
Praying Mantis style, under the rubric of "removing something" (blocking to create a gap)
and "adding something" (rapid attack).[4]

One of the most distinctive features of Northern Praying Mantis is the "praying mantis hook"
螳螂勾
( ; pinyin: tángláng gōu): a hook made of one to three fingers directing force in a whip-
like manner. The hook may be used to divert force (blocking), adhere to an opponent's limb,
or attack critical spots (eyes or acupuncture points). These techniques are particularly useful
in combination, for example using the force imparted from a block to power an attack. So if
the enemy punches with the right hand, a Northern Praying Mantis practitioner might hook
outwards with the left hand (shifting the body to the left) and use the turning force to attack
the enemy's neck with a right hook. Alternately, he/she might divert downwards with the left
hook and rebound with the left wrist stump to jaw/nose/throat. The "praying mantis hook" is
also part of some of the distinctive typical guarding positions of the style.

Northern Praying Mantis is especially known for its speed and continuous attacks. Wrist/arm
techniques in particular are emphasized, as well as knee and elbow strikes. Another
prominent feature of the style is its complex footwork, borrowed from Monkey Kung Fu.

Origins
There are many legends surrounding the creation of Northern Praying Mantis boxing. One
legend attributes the creation of Mantis fist to the Song Dynasty when Abbot Fu Ju ( 福居 ), a
legendary persona of the historical Abbot Fu Yu ( 福裕 ) (1203–1275), supposedly invited
Wang Lang ( 王朗 ) and seventeen other masters to come and improve the martial arts of
[5]
Shaolin. The Abbot recorded all of the techniques in a manual called the Mishou ( 祕手 –
"Secret Hands") and later passed it onto the Taoist priest Shen Xiao. This manual supposedly
disappeared until the Qianlong reign era when it was published under the name "Arhat
exercising merit short strike illustrated manuscript" (Chinese:罗汉行功短打 ; pinyin: Luóhàn
Xínggōng Duǎn Dǎ).[5] Some sources place the folk manuscript's publication on the
"sixteenth day of the third month of the spring of 1794".[6] The manual records Wang Lang
"absorbed and equalized all previous techniques" learned from the 17 other masters.[2][6]

The 18 Masters Invited to Shaolin

# Name Technique Master
Emperor Taizu of
1 Changquan Long-range Boxing
Song
2 Tongbeiquan Through the Back Han Tong
3 Chan Feng Wrap Around and Seal Zheng En
4 Duanda Close-range Strikes Ma Ji
5 Keshou Tongquan Blocking Hands and Following Through Fist Jin Xiang
6 Gou Lou Cai Shou Hooking, Scooping and Grabbing Hands Liu Xing
 7 Zhanna Diefa Methods of Sticking, Grabbing, and Falling Yan Qing
8 Duan Quan Short Boxing Wen Yuan
9 Hou Quan Monkey Boxing Sun Heng
10 Mien Quan Cotton Fist Mien Shen
Shuailue
11 Throwing-Grabbing and Hard Crashing Gao Huaide
Yingbeng
Ducking, Leaking and Passing through the
12 Gunlou Guaner Tan Fang
Ears
13 Chuojiao Mandarin ducks kicking technique Lin Chong
14 Qishi Lianquan Seven Postures of Continuous Fist Strikes Meng Su
15 Kunlu Zhenru Hand Binding and Grabbing Yang Gun
Explosive Strikes into the Hollow Body
16 Woli Paochui Cui Lian
Parts
17 Kao Shou Close Range Hand Techniques Huang You
18 Tong long Praying Mantis Wong Long

A third of the masters listed all come from fictional novels. Yan Qing (#7) and Lin Chong
(#13) come from the Water Margin and Emperor Taizu of Song (#1), Han Tong (#2), Zheng
En (#3) and Gao Huaide (#11) come from the Fei Long Quan Zhuan ( 飞龙全传 – “The
Complete Flying Dragon Biography”), which was published prior to the aforementioned
manual.[7]

Another legend connected to the Song Dynasty states Wang Lang participated in a Lei tai
contest in the capital city of Kaifeng and was defeated by General Han Tong ( 韩通
), the
founder of Tongbeiquan. After leaving the fighting arena, he saw a brave praying mantis
attacking the wheels of oncoming carts with its "broadsword-like" arms, Mantis fist was born
shortly thereafter.[8] However, most legends place Wang Lang living in the late Ming
Dynasty.[2][3]

Connection with General Yue Fei

The "Four Generals of Zhongxing" painted by Liu Songnian during the Southern Song
Dynasty. Yue Fei is the second person from the left. It is believed to be the "truest portrait of
Yue in all extant materials."[9]

As previously stated, the Water Margin bandits Lin Chong and Yan Qing, the adopted of Lu
Junyi, are said to be part of the 18 masters supposedly invited to Shaolin by the legendary
Abbot Fuju. According to the folklore biography of Song Dynasty General Yue Fei, Lin and
Lu were former students of Zhou Tong, the general’s military arts teacher.[10] One martial
legend states Zhou learned Chuojiao boxing from its originator Deng Liang ( 邓良 ) and then
passed it onto Yue Fei.[11] Chuojiao is also known as the "Water
"Water Margin Outlaw style" and
"Mandarin Duck Leg" (Chinese:: 鴛鴦腿 ; pinyin: Yuānyāng Tuǐ).[12] In the Water Margin
Margin's
twenty-ninth
ninth chapter, entitled "Wu Song, Drunk, Beats Jiang the Gate Guard Giant", it
mentions Wu Song,, another of Zhou's fictional students, using the "Jade Circle-Steps
Circle Steps with
Duck and Drake feet".[13] Lin Chong is listed above as being a master of "Mandarin ducks
kicking technique".

Lineage Mantis Master Yuen Man Kai openly claims Zhou taught Lin and Lu the "same
school" of martial arts that was later combined with the aforementioned seventeen other
schools to create Mantis fist.[14] However, he believes Mantis fist was created during the
Ming Dynasty,, and was therefore influenced by these eighteen schools from the Song. He
also says Lu Junyi taught Yan Qing the same martial arts as he learned from Zhou.[15] Master
Yuen further comments Zhou later taught Yue the same school and that Yue was the
originator of the mantis move "Black Tiger Steeling [sic]
[ Heart".[15] Note that the various
branches of Yue Jia Quan (Yue Family Boxing) do indeed have an analogous postural
movement named "Black Tiger Steals the the Heart". Also various Yue Jia Quan sets feature a
"Preying Mantis Pounces on Prey" claw hand posture as well.

Styles
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sources. Unsourced material may be
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Widespread styles

There are several styles of Northern Praying Mantis, the best known of which are:

• Seven Star Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 七星螳螂拳 ; pinyin: qī xīng tángláng
). This style was created in the late 1890s and is widespread in the Shandong
quán).
Province and surrounding areas. Luo Guangyu ( 羅光玉 ) is known for having passed
down this style to Hong Kong and other parts of Southern China, where it is still
practiced today. Seven Star is considered
considered by many as the 'hardest' of the Praying
Mantis styles, however it still utilizes soft-hard
soft hard principles and is classified as a soft-
soft
hard style.

• Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 梅花螳螂拳 ; pinyin:: méihuā

tángláng quán).). Is the oldest among all Northern Praying Mantis styles, it is
widespread in Shandong Province, Jilin, Liaoning and South Korea.. Though heavily
influenced byy the development of Taiji Mantis of Cui Shoushan and Wang Yushan,
Taiji Plum Blossom of Hao Family, Taiji Mantis of Zhao Zhuxi and Babu Mantis of
Wei Xiaotang in the early 1900s, the art traces its lineage directly from Li Bingxiao
(b.1700s) to Zhao Zhu to Liang Xuexiang (1810 (1810–1895).
1895). Liang Xue Xiang (1970
(1970-1860)
was mentioned prominently by the Korean Branch of the Mei Hua Tang La Lang as the
"creator of the Plum Flower Branch of Preying Mantis Boxing and was the first
master use the name "Plum Blossom". Liang Xuexiang's disciples, mainly Jiang
Hualong, Liang Jingchuan, Sun Yuanchang, Hao Hong and Xiu Kunshan are
responsible for popularization
arization of this style in the 20th century while Lin Ping Jiang,
 an emigre of the 1940-s is known to have come from Shantong province to teach Prey
Mantis in the area of Seoul, Korea.

• Taiji Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 太極螳螂拳 ; pinyin: tàijí tángláng quán).
Today this style is represented by two distinct lineages. The first one is that of Cui
Shoushan and Wang Yushan and is based on Song Zide and Jiang Hualong's Plum
Blossom teachings in Laiyang, Shandong Province. It is popular in Laiyang, Yantai,
Qingdao, Dalian, North America, Russia, France and Spain. The second lineage can
be traced to Sun Yuanchang's Blum Blossom, who was yet another disciple of Liang
Xuexiang. Its best known progenitor is Zhao Zhu Xi, who is said to have taught (both
directly and indirectly) thousands of students during his lifetime in Vietnam and Hong
Kong, who have since spread to all corners of the globe. He was given the Cantonese
nickname Chuk Kai, meaning "Bamboo Creek", for a famous battle he fought with
bandits at that location. This style has since become prevalent in places such as Korea,
Hong Kong, Vietnam, and North America.

• Taiji Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 太極梅花螳螂拳 ; pinyin:

tàijí méihuā tángláng quán). This style is, historically, a combination of two different
lineages of Mantis: Taiji Mantis and Plum Blossom Mantis. This style is widespread
in Yantai, Qingdao, Beijing, Dalian, Harbin, etc. What is now called Taiji Plum
Blossom traces its lineage to Hao Lianru ( 郝蓮茹 )—a disciple of Liang Xuexiang, his
sons Hao Henglu, Hao Hengxin and his grandson Hao Bin. The later three combined
both Taiji Mantis and Plum Blossom in the early 20th Century, creating the current
style. Hao Lianru's five sons have since spread the style elsewhere. This style is well-
known for its large, two-handed sword, and for being somewhat 'softer' than Seven
Star Praying Mantis.

• Six Harmony Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 六合螳螂拳 ; pinyin: liù hé

tángláng quán). Known as the 'softest' or most 'internal' of the Praying Mantis styles,
Six Harmony was passed down by Ding Zicheng ( 丁子成 ), whose students taught in
Shandong Province as well as Taiwan. Six Harmony Praying Mantis has a very
different curriculum, with unique routines not found in other Praying Mantis styles.

Eight Step Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 八步螳螂拳 ; pinyin: bā bù tángláng

姜化龍
•
quán). This style was originally conceived by Jiang Hua Long ( ), and was
馮環義
further refined by his principle disciple of the style, Feng Huanyi ( ), which
was passed down by his disciple Wei Xiaotang ( 衛笑堂 ) in Taiwan. Which was
passed down to his disciple Shyun Guang Long ( 荀廣龍 ) the style is taught in Taiwan
by Master Tso Hsien Fu,a disciple of Wei xiaotang..

Rare styles

Other, less widespread styles include:

• Shiny Board Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 光板螳螂拳 ; pinyin: guāng bǎn
tángláng quán). Also known as "flat plate" or "hidden grip" Praying Mantis.
 • Long Fist Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 長拳螳螂拳 ; pinyin: cháng quán
tángláng quán). Influenced strongly by Long Fist boxing.The style is taught in
Taiwan by students of master Gao Dao Shen.
• Throwing Hand Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 摔手梅花螳螂拳 ; pinyin:
shuāishǒu méihuā tángláng quán). This style was passed down by Bao Guangying
from Shandong Province. He taught in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
Secret Gate Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 秘門螳螂拳 ; pinyin: mì mén
張德奎
•
tángláng quán). This style was passed down by Zhang Dekui ( ) in Taiwan and
is a variation of Taiji Mantis.
Ma (Horse) Family Praying Mantis Boxing (Chinese: 馬家螳螂拳 ; pinyin: ma jia
馬黑龍
•
tángláng quán). Passed down by Ma Hei Long ( ) in Northern Canada after
fleeing the cultural revolution. His top student Ma Qing Long was the first to teach
the style to the public.

Media

The card sharp performing the "Fat Mantis" style.

Mantis fist is usually the main antagonist's style of choice in various forms of media.

Film

David Chiang learns this style from the Mantis in The Deadly Mantis a.k.a Shaolin mantis
(1978)

The Style is performed in Yuen Siu-tien's starring Dance of the Drunk Mantis (1979)

In The Tricky Master (1999), Stephen Chow's apprentice beats an overweight card sharp in a
"fixed" high-stakes poker game. When taunted, the card sharp jumps onto the playing table
and defeats Chow's deaf, cross-dressing bodyguard with a "long lost kung fu" called "Fat
Mantis", which is the "most powerful...and kills without blood." (Note the card sharp’s
shadow cast upon the wall in the shape of an overweight mantis with a big round belly.) In
the end, Stephen Chow sprays the card sharp with a can of insecticide. He falls to the ground
dead with his hands and legs held into the air like a bug.

In The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), the "Silent Monk" (Jet Li) employs mantis fist in his
battle over the Monkey King's magical staff with Lu Yan, the "Drunken Immortal" (Jackie
Chan). But his Mantis boxing is shortly thereafter overpowered by Lu's Tiger boxing. The
movie's screenwriter, John Fusco, is a long-time student of Northern Praying Mantis and
worked closely with Jet Li during production.
In the animated movie Kung Fu Panda,
Panda, one of the six kung fu students is an actual praying
f [16]
mantis who uses Northern Praying Mantis kung fu.

Television

In Hung Hei-Gun:
Gun: Decisive Battle With Praying Mantis Fists ( 洪熙官 决战螳螂拳
: ) (a.k.a.
The Kung Fu Master, 1994), Donnie Yen plays the titular role of legendary martial arts hero
Hung Hei-Gun.. After being beaten up as a Child, Hung's
Hung's parents send him away to study
Kung Fu. He returns eight years later to find his father (who is secretly an anti-Manchu
anti Manchu rebel
leader) working as the military arms instructor for the Qing government,, much to the chagrin
of the local villagers. Despite his years of training, a rakish manchuu Prince easily overpowers
Hung with the mantis style. After the supposed death of his father, Hung faces the prince
once more. When the prince shoots poisonous arrows from his sleeves, Hung twirls his staff
to collect the projectiles and then flings them back. The Prince dies from his own poison
arrows.[17]

Books

Mantis is about a half-Vietnamese

Vietnamese serial killer who murders erotic dancers because he
believes his pet praying mantis tells him to do so (which is quite similar the real life case
involving the "Son of Sam").
"). He uses this style of fighting utilizing his fingers to attack the
neck veins and the eyes.[18]

Video games

Lion Rafale, a character from Sega's

Sega Virtua Fighter series, uses Praying Mantis style. He was
introduced in Virtua Fighter 2.. It is also used by Kung Lao and Shujinko in the Mortal
Kombat series. Wulong Goth, the leader of the evil "Black Mantis" sect, employs Praying
Mantis in the game Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
Lotus. Gen, from the Street Fighter series of video
games, uses this technique, which he can change at will with the Crane style. In the Eternal
Champions series, Praying Mantis is used by Larcen Tyler.

References
This section uses citations that link to broken or outdated sources.. Please
improve the article or discuss this issue on the talk page. Help on using footnotes is
available. Consider using the Checklinks tool to find, resolve and repair links. (May
2012)

1. Jump up ^ Kohn, Livia (2000). Daoism handbook. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004112087
9789004112087.
2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Creation of the Praying Mantis".
Mant Plum Publications.. Archived from the
original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
3. ^ Jump up to: a b Blanco, Fernando. "Praying Mantis".. Atlanta Martial Arts Directory.
Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
4. Jump up ^ "Northern Mantis Barrage Training!".
Training!" Inside Kung-Fu Magazine.. Beckett Media
LLC. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
5. ^ Jump up to: a b (2001). Luohan Xinggong Duan Da. JOURNAL OF SPORT HISTORY
AND CULTURE ( 体育文史 ), No.1, P.36-37,9 [ISSN 1671-1572]
6. ^ Jump up to: a b What's Praying Mantis Kung Fu?[dead link]
 7. Jump up ^ Xuan, Wu (1998). Fei long quan zhuan (Di 1 ban. ed.). Chang chun: Ji lin wen
shi chu ban she. ISBN 780626258X.
8. Jump up ^ (Spanish)(English) SHANDONG WUSHU TAIJI TANGLANG QUAN[dead link]
9. Jump up ^ Xiaoyi, Shao. "Yue Fei's facelift sparks debate". China Daily. Archived from the
original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
10. Jump up ^ Qian, Cai. General Yue Fei. Trans. Honorable Sir T.L. Yang. Joint Publishing
(H.K.) Co., Ltd. (1995) ISBN 978-962-04-1279-0
11. Jump up ^ "Chuo Jiao Fist". Archived from the original on 4 April 2009.
12. Jump up ^ "Chuojiao (thrusted-in feet)". Archived from the original on 16 December 2007.
13. Jump up ^ Nai'an, Shi; Sidney Shapiro, Luo Guanzhong; translated by Shapiro (1993).
Outlaws of the Marsh (1st ed.). Beijing: Foreign Languages Press. ISBN 7-119-01662-8.
14. Jump up ^ Man Kai, Yuen (1991). Northern Mantis Black Tiger Intersectional Boxing.
Wanchai, Hong Kong: Yih Mei Book Company. p. 7. ISBN 962-325-195-5.
15. ^ Jump up to: a b Yuen: pg. 8[clarification needed]
16. Jump up ^ Reid, Dr. Craig. "KUNG FU PANDA: Big Bear Cat was "PO-fect"". Kung Fu
Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
17. Jump up ^ "The Kung Fu Master movie review". Hong Kong Digital. Retrieved 17 May
2012.
18. Jump up ^ La Plante, Richard (1993). Mantis (1st ed.). New York: Tor Books.
ISBN 0312855311.

External links

• Profatilov, Ilya “The traditional history of Plum Blossom Praying Mantis

boxing ”Journal of Martial Arts, Volume 10 Number 4.[dead link]
• Taiping Martial Arts - Methodologies of Praying Mantis Kung Fu.
• Ilya Profatilov. History of Praying Mantis Kungfu.[dead link]
• Eight Step. History of Eight Step Praying Mantis Kung Fu.
• Mantis Boxing Demonstration San Diego Mantis Boxing.
• Hong Kong Academic Library Link