The Shaolin Praying Mantis

[Mark Blohm]

I think it happened most likely like that. Great past Masters always encouraged their students to grow by their own with their help.

Very interesting

[Chiahua]

Okay I watched the video a few more times. Sifu's statement,

One would think that the patterns must be very complicated or complex, but they are surprisingly simple. In fact, this set is not particularly impressive to watch. But of course it is exceedingly valuable; it consists of the best 18 kungfu features of the time. There is much profundity in the apparently simple-looking patterns.

It reminds me of his comments regarding the Four Gates set:

It is inspiring to have further confirmation from the Shaolin murals that “Four Gates” was directly from the Shaolin Temple. It is not a well known set — not many martial artists know about it — and it is not spectacular to watch. But it is profound, and can be appreciated at different levels from novices to masters. Those invited to attend my coming Special Shaolin Kungfu Course will learn both “Four Gates” and its Combination Set, and will be likely to be amazed at its profundity in simplicity.

From a beginner's perspective, the Eighteen Collection set does have the same "flavor" as the Four Gates set; I can see why Sifu's statements regarding these two sets are similar. Both seem relatively simple and direct; I don't have the experience to see the more profound aspects of the set.
Being a northern style, there are some moves that are in common with the Tan Tui set; the kick-punch move found in Sequence 2 of Tan Tui, and possibly lift strike.
There's the characteristic qinna demonstrated with the mantis hook hand. Yet, it reminds me of the "supporting role" that gripping plays in Eagle Claw; whereas in tiger claw it can be used as an offense on its own, the "mantis claw" here would be used to trap the opponent to clear the way for a strike.
Regarding the "mantis stance" used in this clip, it gives the set a "short bridge, narrow stance" flavor, though longer stances are represented too.
I invite corrections to my far-flung observations...

Casting stones to attract jade,
Chia-Hua

[Luo Lang]

Dear Chiahua,
Your observation is very interesting!

Praying Mantis is indeed a collection of simple but very effective techiques and skills. It may have some similarities to the Cross Roads Set another famous fundamental Set. The differences in my humble opion lies in the roots. Praying Mantis is a Northern style, allthough there are as you know also Southern styles, which have not too much connection to the original Norhtern One. This may be a result of the spreading. Shen Yiao spread the Art in the country and out of that many different styles out of the origin would have been established.

Then the Praying Mantis was not a basic fundamental Set. It was a new creation, invented by Wang Lang with his Sifu's help and developed by the Shaolin monks. As the traditional style was the Lohan Kung Fu, or the Shaolin Long Fist, Praying Mantis Kung Fu was not the fundamental training at the Temple. I am not sure wheater it replaced the Shaolin Lohan Kung Fu completey. I guess not. I believe, that Praying Mantis within the Shaolin temple was regarded as a advanced style and therfor only selected advanced monks would spend their time training it. I may be wrong on this though. But I believe not all students would have been able to train it.

The Cross Roads Set though was the most fundamental Set in the Southern monastery. All students would train this Set as it was the basic of all following.


As PM, the 18-collection Set represents a Northern style, there may be some similar characetristics with the Tan Tui.

Interesting though that you have mentioned Eagle claw Kung Fu! This is highly interessting. This traditional style of kung fu was used by the famous military General, Ngok Fei, to train his soldiers. Do you think it has also some relation to Praying Mantis?

Regards,

Roland

[Chiahua]

Well, I should say that any comparisons I make are just based on appearance. So, I definitely agree that Four Gates and the Eighteen Elders set are very different in their origin, but that both are relatively simple. As you said, Four Gates is a fundamental set, yet very rich with application.

I'm not sure why I mentioned Eagle Claw. I think it's mainly because the qinna doesn't seem to stand alone, but is used for supporting a strike attack. Thinking more about it, I wonder if that is common in Shaolin kung fu, where as the grip as an attack by itself is a specialty of tiger claw and more unique to southern styles.

As for its relation to Eagle Claw, I just read on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norther...s_(martial_art)
Apparently there is some sort of connection between General Yue Fei's teacher and some of Wang Lang's contemporaries, but these are literary connections made in the Water Margin. Makes for a nice story

Best,
Chia-Hua

[Luo Lang]

Dear Chia-Hua,
You're my man! Let us put Yue Fei's possible connection a little aside though for the time beeing.

Let's get a step back, we all know now about 18 features in this style! Now it would be interessting to find out all together what these features are!

What are the 18 features of Shaolin Praying Mantis style?

[Luo Lang]

18 features of Praying mantis Kung Fu

Dear all,
I won't make it too easy for you

Finding out the 18 features is most important to understand this wonderful Praying Mantis style.

To give you a little information to get the things rolling I shall privide one feature:

Wang Lang's Praying Mantis

Confused? Not at all, it's very interesting. Wang Lang's Praying Mantis is only one feature within this style. Actually together with another feature it is base of this style.

So let us put the features together....

[Luo Lang]

And some more for you to get even more excited:

There is a poem in kung fu classics, where these 18 features are mentioned as well. Lucky us to have Sifu, he told me that later on he will try to translate this classic for us, to share the invaluable information with us!

[Andrea]

Can it be that the first feature is Changquan or Long Fist, the second Tongbei or "Through the Back" and the third Chan Feng or "Wrap Around and Seal"?

Well I might be far off, but it is a try .

Andrea

[Luo Lang]

This is a very good start!

Please continue with the information!

[Andrea]

If so , then the 18 features must be the techniques absorbed and integrated from the previous masters:

1 Changquan or Long Fist - from Emperor Taizu
2 Tongbei or "Through the Back" - from Han Tong
3 Chan Feng or " Wrap Around and Seal" - from Zhang En
4 Duanda or "Close-range Strikes" - from Ma Ji
5 Keshou Tongquan or "Blocking Hands and Following Through Fist" - from Jin Xiang
6 Gou Lou Cai Shou or "Hooking, Scooping and Grabbing Hands" - from Liu Xing
7 Zhanna Diefa or "Methods of Sticking, Grabbing, and Falling" - from Yan Qing
8 Duan Quan or "Short Boxing2 - from Wen Yuan
9 Hou Quan or "Monkey Boxing" - from Sun Heng
10 Mien Quan or "Cotton Fist" from Mien Shen
11 Shuailue Yingbeng or " Throwing-Grabbing and Hard Crashing" - from Huai De
12 Gunlou Guaner "Ducking, Leaking and Passing through the Ears" - from Tan Fang
13 Yuanyang Jiao or "Mandarin ducks kicking technique" - from Lin Chong
14 Qishi Lianquan or "Seven Postures of Continuous Fist Strikes" - from Meng Su
15 Kunlu Zhenru or "Hand Binding and Grabbing" - from Yang Gun
16 Woli Paochui or "Explosive Strikes into the Hollow Body Parts" - from Cui Lian
17 Kao Shou or "Close Range Hand Techniques" - from Huang You
18 Tanglang or "Praying Mantis" by Wang Lang

Sources:

http://www.plumpub.com/info/knotebook/boxmantis.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norther...martial_art%29

[Luo Lang]

Sifu generously provides this list:

1. First Emperor’s Long Fist
2. Han Tong’s Extended Arm
3. Zhang En’s Close and Cover
4. Wen Yuan’s Short Strike
5. Ma Ji’s Close Combat
6. Sun Heng’s Monkey Style
7. Huang Nian’s Hand-Anchor
8. Mien Shen’s Cotton Palm
9. Jin Xiang’s Deflect and Strike
10. Huai De’s Grab and Throw
11.Liu Xing’s Hook and Grip
12.Tan Fang’s Ear-Strike
13. Xan Qing’s Felling Techniques
14. Lin Chong’s Continuous Kicks
15. Meng Su’s Seven-Step Pressing Attacks
16. Cui Lian’s Strike from Bosom
17. Yang Gun’s Gripping Techniques
18.Wang Lang’s Praying Mantis

You may find it surprising, but many Praying mantis practitioners are not aware of these 18 features. Furthermore many people are not aware of the Masters names.

I think in honour, to respect these Masters hard work, it's more than normal to have a sound knowledge of it! If One just train Praying Mantis without this knowledge, he may miss the essence of this wonderful style.

Wang Lang went back to the Shaolin temple where his own Sifu, the Venerable Fu Ju helped him to incorporate these features into the Sap Pat Sau Set, which means the "Eighteen-collection" Set or the "Eighteen-search". Search because of the search of Wang Lang.

Now the great fun starts: I would like to ask our members and guests to look at Chia-Hua's link to youtube, which he kindly shared. The Set may be a little different than our Set, but it provides all features.

Now can you tell, where you may see these features?

[Luo Lang]

Here the link again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySXiTK9cG4A

Happy research!

[AlexBaranosky]

Hi,

Here's my attempt at identifying some of these 18 features. The numbers in red are the times in the youtube video where I think he may be using some of the features.

1. First Emperor’s Long Fist
2. Han Tong’s Extended Arm 0:06
3. Zhang En’s Close and Cover
4. Wen Yuan’s Short Strike
5. Ma Ji’s Close Combat
6. Sun Heng’s Monkey Style
7. Huang Nian’s Hand-Anchor
8. Mien Shen’s Cotton Palm
9. Jin Xiang’s Deflect and Strike 0:49
10. Huai De’s Grab and Throw 0:32
11.Liu Xing’s Hook and Grip 0:03
12.Tan Fang’s Ear-Strike
13. Xan Qing’s Felling Techniques at 0:51
14. Lin Chong’s Continuous Kicks starting at - 0:44
15. Meng Su’s Seven-Step Pressing Attacks
16. Cui Lian’s Strike from Bosom
17. Yang Gun’s Gripping Techniques
18.Wang Lang’s Praying Mantis 0:57

[AlexBaranosky]

5. Ma Ji’s Close Combat 0:10
12.Tan Fang’s Ear-Strike 0:53

[Luo Lang]

Very nice Alex,
At 00:06 Do you mean the reverse Hanging of Golden Lotus like technique, which you would say is belonging to Han Tong’s Extended Arm?

So I think your point are very interesting, let's see what others may say!