Praying Mantis Kung Fu
History of Praying Mantis (Northern)
Praying Mantis Boxing was originally created by Wang Lang during the Ching dynasty by incorporating the strong points of 18 boxing arts in North China.
The system quickly divided into two separate and distinctly different major factions, Northern and Southern Praying Mantis. These in turn branched into several styles.
Northern Praying Mantis Boxing, characterized by traditional low Shaolin stances, leaping kicks, and long hand techniques divided into four main styles.
As legend has it, four disciples each claiming to have superior innovations sought to diverge from Wang Lang's original system. Their desires were granter on the condition that each disciple name his individualized systems after the markings on the back of a personally captured Mantis. One mantis had the appearance of a Yin-Yang symbol (Tai Ji), another looked like a Plum Blossom (Mei Hua), and one set of markings resembled the configuration of 7 Stars (Qi Xing). A fourth mantis had no markings and that style became known as the Spotless or Bare (Kwong Pan) system.
In general, the basic movements of all these branches are not much different. However, each style does excel in the development of their own characteristics, application of strength and theories.