Northern Praying Mantis (Chinese: 螳螂拳; Hanyu Pinyin:
tánglángquán;
literally "praying mantis fist") is a style of Chinese Martial Arts, sometimes
called Shandong Praying Mantis after its province of origin. It was created by
Wang Lang and was named after the praying mantis, an insect who's aggressiveness
inspired the style. Shaolin records document that Wang Lang was one of the 18
masters gathered by the Shaolin Abbot Fu Ju, which dates him and Northern
Praying Mantis to the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127).
Though small and feeble, the mantis is capable of using its forelegs to
subdue animals larger than itself. In combat, the Northern Praying Mantis style
mimics the movements of its namesake insect, particularly the use of the hands
in the shape of the "praying mantis hook" (螳螂勾; pinyin: tángláng gōu). Northern
Praying Mantis is especially famous for its speed and continuous attacks.
Another prominent feature of the style is its complex footwork, borrowed from
Monkey Kung Fu.
Styles
Widespread styles
There are several styles of Northern Praying Mantis, the most famous of
which are:
Seven Star Praying Mantis Boxing 七星螳螂拳
pinyin: qī xīng tángláng quán
This style is widespread in Shandong Province and surrounding areas.
Luó Guāngyù (羅光玉) is famous for having passed down this style to Hong Kong and
other parts of South China, where it is still practiced today. Seven Star is
known as the 'hardest' of the Praying Mantis styles.
Tàijí Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing 太極梅花螳螂拳
pinyin: tàijíméihuā tángláng quán
This style is, historically, a combination of two different lineages of
Northern Praying Mantis: Tàijí Praying Mantis and Plum Blossom Praying Mantis.
Today, the style is the predecessor of what have become three different styles
of Northern Praying Mantis: Tàijí Praying Mantis, Plum Blossom Praying Mantis,
and Tàijí Plum Blossom Praying Mantis; all three trace their lineage to the
5th/6th Generation disciple of Wang Lang, Liang Xue Xiang, who combined the
two styles in the 19th Century. This style is widespread in Shandong Province
and surrounding areas. What is now called Tàijí Plum Blossom Praying Mantis
traces its lineage to Hǎo Liányù (郝蓮玉), who was a disciple of Liang Xue Xiang.
Hǎo Liányù and his many 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.
Tàijí Praying Mantis Boxing 太極螳螂拳
pinyin: tàijí tángláng quán
This style is, like most other Northern Praying Mantis styles, based in
Shandong Province, and has since become prevalent in places such as Korea,
Hong Kong, Vietnam, and North America. This style traces its lineage to Sun
Yuan Chang, who was a disciple of Liang Xue Xiang. Its most famous 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.
Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing 梅花螳螂拳
pinyin: méihuā tángláng quán
Widespread in Shandong Province and its surrounding areas, including
Korea. Plum Blossom Praying Mantis traces its lineage to the blood brothers
Jiang Hua Long and Song Zi De, both disciples of Liang Xue Xiang. The former
is credited with refining the style by adding movements and techniques from
Connecting Arm Boxing (Tong Bei Quán) and Eight Trigrams Palm (Bāguàzhǎng).
Late in his life, Jiang Hua Long's continual refinement prompted him to
develop a new style named Eight Step Praying Mantis (bā bù tángláng quán),
which is listed below.
Six Harmony Praying Mantis Boxing 六合螳螂拳
pinyin: liù hé tángláng quán
Known as the 'softest' or most 'internal' of the Praying Mantis styles,
Six Harmony Praying Mantis was passed down by Dīng Zǐchéng (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.
Rare styles
Other, less widespread styles include:
Eight Step Praying Mantis Boxing 八步螳螂拳
pinyin: bā bù tángláng quán
This style was originally conceived by Jiang Hua Long, and was further
refined by his principle disciple of the style, Féng Huányì (馮環義), which was
passed down by his disciple Wèi Xiàotáng (衛笑堂) in Taiwan. A Praying Mantis
style that includes features of other styles, like Baguazhang and Xingyiquan.
Shiny Board Praying Mantis Boxing 光板螳螂拳
pinyin: guāng bǎn tángláng quán
Rare style of Praying Mantis.
Long Fist Praying Mantis Boxing 長拳螳螂拳
pinyin: cháng quán tángláng quán
Rare style of Praying Mantis. Influenced strongly by Chángquán
(literally "long fist").
Throwing Hand Praying Mantis Boxing 摔手螳螂拳
pinyin: shuāi shǒu tángláng quán
This style was passed down by Wáng Sōngtíng (王松亭) in Shandong Province.
Secret Gate Praying Mantis Boxing 秘門螳螂拳
pinyin: mì mén tángláng quán
This style was passed down by Zhāng Dékuí (張德奎) in Taiwan.
Seeking Leg Praying Mantis Boxing 探腿螳螂拳
pinyin: tàn tuǐ tángláng quán
This rare style was passed down by Pui Chan, who immigrated to the
United States.
Schools
There are many schools of Northern Praying Mantis. In Taiwan, there are
the students and grandstudents of Eight Step Praying Mantis master Wèi Xiàotáng,
Secret Gate master Zhāng Dékuí, Six Harmony master Zhang Xiangsan, and Wang
Songting, who is linked to multiple styles, including Long Fist Praying Mantis,
Plum Blossom Praying Mantis, Tàijí Praying Mantis, and Throwing Hand Praying
Mantis as well as Tàijíquán. In the Mainland Chinese capital of Beijing, there
are the students of Tàijí Praying Mantis and Six Harmony Praying Mantis master
Ma Hanqing. In Shandong, there are the students and grandstudents of Tàijí Plum
Blossom Praying Mantis master Hao Bin, Seven Star Praying Mantis master Lin
Jingshan and countless others in this province, the homeland of Northern Praying
Mantis. One of the successors of Seven Star Praying Mantis master Luó Guāngyù
was Chiu Chi-Man, who passed the art on to his nephew Chiu Leun and to his
student Lee Kam-Wing, whose successors include John Cheng of the United States
and Latouille Fabien of France, as well as Seven Star Praying Mantis teachers in
Germany and Italy. There are schools for seeking leg mantis (Northern Jade
Forest Seeking Leg Mantis) in Boston, MA and Rapid City, SD.
References
Ilya Profatilov. "History of Praying Mantis Kung Fu."
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