Chinese Traditional Kungfu School 2

Chinese Traditional Kungfu School 2

Mantis Kung fu

The Benefits of Studying Mantis Fist

Mantis Fist demands that head, shoulders, elbow, wrist and waist are flexible during practice. All the joints of the body are needed to stretch in order to improve ones' flexibility and internal abilities, so it is useful for keeping the joints strong and flexible. It is effective for strengthening your body and prolonging lifespan. The hand movements in Mantis Fist are mainly an arc or a circle; able to reduce and counter the attack of an opponent. The movements are fast and continuous, so you can protect yourself effectively and beat a stronger opponent.

Mantis Fist is an ideal martial art for both beginners and experts wishing to improve their

health and fighting ability.

The Style of the Mantis Kung fu

The Mantis Fist has several hundred years of history. It is unique and excellent, absorbing the theory of Yin Yang, hard and soft .
Mantis Fist emphasises movements to resemble the physical form of a mantis, especially taking its brave spirit, the alternation between the upward and downward movements, and coordinating the internal and external movements. It is useful for short-range and long-range attacks. Hand, step and leg techniques are often used together in order to create an effective offencive and defencive ability. The movements are stable, agile and fast, with abundant and abrupt changes, hard but not stiff, soft but with power, fast but without disorder. The movements keep complete positions for different situations. Mantis Fist uses power abruptly and fast, tense and loose, while flexible.

Mantis fist imitates the mantis’ front claw, so it is simply named “Mantis Claw”. The main hand techniques include hook(gou), embrace (lou), grab (cai), defense with mantis hook (gua), wind (chan), chop (pi), collapse(beng), cut(jie), etc. The main steps include empty step, four and six step, jade ring step. The main step techniques include slippery step, following step, triangle step, arrow step, etc. The body techniques mostly develop around the hand and arm, moving in an arc, a circle, winding inward or outward, and spinning, the waist coordinates with the body and limbs through continuously twisting, wrenching, winding, and turning. The available power is great, as hard and soft is able to move in four directions, including upward and downward spirals. Traditionally, it is seen as as soft as a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water, and a butterfly flying across the flowers. It is brave and fierce like a tiger going down hill, like a dragon exploding out from water. It is fast like lightning in the night’s sky; it is stable like a mountain when still. The movements employ Yin and Yang aspects, the power is trembling, with continuous movements. It combines both attack and defence, using fist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and foot, often leaving no way for the opponent .

The History of Mantis Kung fu

The creator and origin of Mantis Fist have been told in many different versions, but the following version is most commonly accepted.

Yantai has been found the original home of Mantis Fist through much research.

Mantis Fist has nearly 200 years of history and Yantai is verified as the original place through many kinds of researches . It’s well known that Mantis Fist was created by Wang Lang who lived in the late of Ming Dynasty and in the early of Qing Dynasty.

Yu Qi was a leader of a peasant uprising against the Manchu (Qing Dynasty). When the revolt was crushed, he was forced to seek refuge in one of the villages in the Laoshan Mountains (1133m high). Nevertheless, he was discovered by the Manchu Army and had to flee to Huayansi temple nearby. Then Yu Qi became a true monk, and the creator of Tang Lang fist. Throughout the whole time he was in contact with the peasant rebel leaders coming from all directions. The secret was kept on a piece of paper with both sides of which was written his Buddhist name: Shang Shan Xia He. After folding the paper, the characters Shang and Xia combined to create the character Wang. This is why Yu Qi used to call himself Wang. He would also say that his name is Deyizi, nickname Qian Sisan. Character Qian combined with Yi are read as Wang. The characters Deyi mean to add one or to add the symbol '', whereas Zi means 'son', 'boy', and another name for boy is Lang. That gives the full name Wang Lang. The rebel leaders, in order to avoid mentioning Yu Qi, would say that they went to look forWang Lang to practice the Mantis style.

It is said that Wang Lang went to LaoshanMountains, and he saw an ancient temple, abode of hermits and decided to enter for some food and water. The first thing he saw was Taoist monks practicing the art of boxing in the main plaza of the temple. Then a conflict broke out, and Wang Lang fought with the abbot, but Wang Lang failed. Wang Lang realized the depth of the abbot's martial skills and immediately left the temple.

Wang Lang went to the woods. He lied down under a huge tree and wondered why he lost the fight. Suddenly he saw two white praying mantises on the tree fighting for an insect. During the fight, one mantis was attacking while the other would jump from side to side, ducking and counter-attacking with the lightning speed. Wang Lang concentrated wholly on this fight and suddenly realised the hidden principles of amazing agility of mantis attacks and defence. He swiftly returned to the temple and attacked the abbot once more . Wang Lang won the fight, and the abbot, surprised,asked how it was possible. The abbot invited him to live in the temple after finding how Wang Lang had won. They spent quite a long time in observing the mantises’ fight and engaging in deadly battles.Eventually the temple developed a new, secret technique which was different from all other styles and regarded as the earliest Mantis Fist, namely Mantis Beng Bu Fist. Wang Lang continued to make his own style, perfected through absorbing the essence of other 17 famous styles, called “the Gate of Mantis”.

The Integration of 18 Styles of Fists

The following styles were integrated into Mantis Fist.

1. In the beginning there was "Long-range Boxing" (Chang Quan) style of emperor Tai Zu.

2. Master Han Tong's "Through the Back" (Tongbei) boxing, considered essensial.

3. "Rap Around and Seal" (Chan Feng) of Master Zhang En, extremely profound hand techniques.

4. The remarkable "Close-range Strikes" (Duanda) boxing of Master Ma Ji.

5. Master Huang You’s "Close Range Hand Techniques" (Kao Shou) were impossible to come close to.

6. The "Blocking Hands and Following Through Fist" (Keshou Tongquan) technique of Master Jin Xiang.

7.The hand techniques of "Hooking, Scooping and Grabbing Hands" (Gou Lou Cai Shou) of Master Liu Xing.

8.The "Methods of Sticking, Grabbing, and Falling" (Zhanna Diefa) of Master Yan Qing.

9. The extraordinary "Short Boxing"(Duan Quan) of Master Wen Yuan.

10. The reknowned "Monkey Boxing" (Hou Quan) of Master Sun Heng.

11.The lightning fast "Cotton Fist"(Mian Quan) techniques of Master Mien Shen.

12.The "Throwing-Grabbing and Hard Crashing" (Shuailue Yingbeng) techniques by Master Huai De.

13.The "Ducking, Leaking and Passing through the Ears" (Gunlou Guaner) techniques of Master Tan Fang.

14. The "Mandarin ducks kick" (Yuanyang Jiao) strong leg techniques of Master Lin Chong.

15.The "Seven Postures of Continuous Fist Strikes" (Qishi Lianquan) techniques by Master Meng Su.

16. "Hand Binding and Grabbing" (Kunlu Zhenru) techniques of Master Yang Gun which attack instantly.

17.The "Explosive Strikes into the Hollow Parts of the Body" (Woli Paochui) techniques by Master Cui Lian.

18. " Mantis Fist" (Tanglang Quan) of Master Wang Lang which absorbed and equalized all previous techniques.

The Theory of Mantis Fist

The theory of Mantis Fist is wide and profound. It includes Seven Long and Eight Short (Qi Chang Ba Duan), Eight Hard and Twelve Soft (Ba Gang Shi Er Rou), the twelve character-guiding principles. At the same time, it absorbs many principles of psychology, astronomy, sport, Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese medicine and ancient military science.

Now, here the following is the Twelve Character-Guiding Principles.

The creator Wang Lang developed the twelve character guiding principles of mantis fighting techniques: zhan (contacting), nian (sticking), bang (linking), tie (pressing), lan (intruding), jiao (provoking), shun (moving along), song (sending), ti (lifting), na (grabbing), feng (blocking), bi (locking). Also they developed formal routines of mantis technique, such as: Beng bu (crushing step), Lan jie (obstruction), Ba zhou (eight elbows), Mei hua lu (plum blossom technique) and Bai yuan tou tao (white ape steals the peach). However, this new style for a long time was a privilege of the Taoists of the Lao Shan Taoist religious community and it was kept as a part of the secret Taoist doctrines and closed to layman. Wang Lang lived in the Taoist temple practicing self cultivation, developing Mantis Fist and following the way of the Tao.

Shaolin Kung fu

ShaolinTemple was named after its location in the forest (pronounced as "lin" in Chinese) of the ShaoshiMountain. It was built in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Xiaowen during North Wei (495 AD) Dynasty.

In the year 527 AD the Bodiharma came to China from India to spread his philosophy of Zen Buddhism. On his arrival at the Shaolin temple, he was intoxicated with the charming and inspiring landscape and the fertile cultural soil there.

Alone, he entered the cave beneath the Wuru peak and sat before the cave-wall for nine years. When the feat of cultivation by facing the wall was completed, his image was incredibly printed into the wall, hence the famous "wall-facing rock" which we can still see today. It is hard to ascertain whether the "shadow-printed rock" is genuine or not. But one thing is sure, that is when Bodhi-dharma came out of that cave, a new Buddhist sect, the Zen, was brought forth into the world. This is a historical fact supported with records. From then on, ShaolinTemple became a world-famous birthplace of the Zen. At the very beginning, Bodiharma just taught Buddhism. Then began to teach fist in order to keep the monks who protected the temple strong. Finally, many high –level Kung Fu artists who came to Shaolin temple for a refuge made Shaolin Kung Fu completed.

The main steps of Shaolin Kung Fu are bow step and horse step. The range of the movements is big and powerful. Shaolin kung fu also pays attention to shouting for helping use power.

Shaolin boxing emphasizes on skill. Its practicing is not limited by space. The saying goes “a boxer can practice where only one ox can lie down". That is to say, a Shaolin boxer can beat his opponent with a space of several steps. Another saying "boxing goes along a line", indicates that when practicing boxing including raising, falling, turning sidling, huddling and jumping, all these moves should be conducted along a straight line. As to the specific movements, they should be neither "absolutely bent nor absolutely straight". Too much bend would reduce the power; to much straightness would influence the flexibility.

Attacking with boxing, both forward and backward actions are done in a "turning manner", eyes move along with hand. As to the body movements, the stress is laid on swiftness and an absolute mastery of the gravity centre so that a perfect and kinetic balance is kept. As to the kicking movements, the leg should be as light as a feather when lifting a leg; the leg should be as heavy as the MountTai when kicking.

The content of Shaolin kung fu is abundant. The main fists are Shaolin Cha fist, Shaolin DaHong fist, Shaolin Xiao Hong Fist, Shaolin Cannon Fist, Shaolin Hua Fist, Shaolin LuoHan Fist, Shaolin Liuhe fist(six combination), Shaolin Tiger Fist, etc.

There are Eighteen kinds of Shaolin martial arts weapons including broadsword, spear, straightsword, staff, etc .

Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu was developed over thousands of years. It is a collection of knowledge from the masters from the shaolin temple as well as masters of rural China. Over the years they combined their knowledge and insight to develop and improve Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. Together they have developed the five animal fists of dragon, tiger, leopard, snake, and crane, and the twelve fists through imitating the animals flying, jumping and other movements. Some high level monks combined their knowledge of the internal arts with the medical knowledge of chi flow, and developed the method for combining chi and power for martial application.

Shaolin’s focus on actual combat makes it great for sparring. It uses a combination of attacks designed to strike the opponent as well as fake the opponent out. At times it can be angry and other times extremely calm by using stirring, waving, and smashing techniques. It coordinates its speed and power to move in close to the opponent. Shaolin is also hard and soft. It uses defensive actions when attacking, and attacks when in defense. It uses external power as well as internal power to strike the opponents internal organs, tendons, and bones; giving off electric shock with the attack.

The Shaolin’s hand techniques are also very fast and move within a small scope making it difficult for the opponent to reattack. Shaolin is famous for its focus on the short distance attack. It emphasizes fast and powerful movements that coordinate the hands, eyes, and spirit. It demands that the power be continuous and contains no unpractical movements that look pretty. The movements should be fast and powerful with a solid abdomen, relaxed chest, shoulders loose and elbows relaxed. There will be power like the tiger and the agility of the dragon.

In Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu the saying is that the kick does not go any higher than the shoulder

The hand is considered as important as the leg. Punch the upper body as well as the lower body and kick in different directions. Attack the middle line of the weaker opponent and attack the legs when retreating. Attack the arms and legs first when attacking the stronger opponent.

Traditional Shaolin combines both internal energy as well as external energy. It demands that the practitioner coordinate his/her consiousness with the breathing. There is a saying in Traditional Shaolin that goes like this “practice the internal before learning the external and you will get the external when your internal strength is good enough”.

QiGong Martial Arts

The word of “QiGong” comes from modern time. In the ancient time, Qi Gong was called “guidance, sitting-meditation, inhale and exhale, etc. Early 2000 years ago,there was the theory of Qigong in <<>> “Internal Gongfu is together with the universe, controlling Yin Yang, all the spirits are concentrated and single, all the muscles is like one.” Then the most famous Chinese medicine doctor who lived in San Guo (220-265), created “Wu Qin Xi” which is regarded as the earliest, systemic and scientific “Guiding Technique” according to the life style and movements’ characteristics of “bear, tiger, deer, ape, bird” and the theory of Chinese medicine.

QiGong is generally divided into two kinds, for example, Gong Improving health, the key function is to improve health and heal the illness; Combating Gong which is developed from “Gong Improving Health”, the main function is to increase the hitting strength. The following are two kinds of Qigong techniques: Jing Gong (for example, standing and sitting-meditation); Dong Gong (for example, walking standing, guiding technique and using power), all the techniques are coordinated together closely. Jing Gong is to accumulate the power, and Dong Gong is to use power.

Qi in Kung Fu mainly includes Yuan qi( namely qi gotten from the mother when a person is born); Ying qi (from the daily food; the natural Qi ( from the nature) which is the most important one. Qi is gotten and go down to DanTian (Guanyuan point beneath the navel of body) in a scientific way, and the Qi on martial arts is gotten through continuousincreasing and purifying. When you feel Dan Tai hot and sound during the practice, the real qi can be guided by the consciousness and circulate in Du mai (on the back of body, the part from Hui Yin point, going upward and passing Ming Men point, Big Zhui point, Yu Zhen point, Bai Hui point to Ren Zhong point) and Ren mai (the part from Ren Zhong Point, passing Chan Zhong point, to Dantian). One circle (circulating from Du Mai to Ren Mai) is called Zhou Tian Gong on Kung Fu. Then you can get thefunction of breaking through Zhou Tian and points, massaging internal organs, making the blood and energy sufficient, making tendon and bone strong , increasing the hitting strength, resisting against a punch and a strike, and prolonging one’s life. There is a saying in Chinese medicine, “If it is painful, it is not through; if it is through, it is not painful.”

The content of Qigong martial arts theory is abundant, and there are different requirements in different period. The basic equipments: relax entirely, straight the upper body, sink shoulder and elbow, contract chest, down hip, control mind (get rid of distraction) , regulate breath (from natural breath to even, light and slow and long breath), regulate body (keep body coordinated naturally).

As long as you are a person who works hard and has lofty morals ( it is easier for the people who have a broad breadth of mind to come to the condition) ,

Everyone can obtain the effectiveness of improving health and healing illness if practicing Qigong in a scientific way and instructed by good guiding thought.

Taichi Kung fu

The Origin and Style of Taichi (Taiji)

At the very beginning, Taiji fist was called “Long Fist”, “Cotton Fist”, “13 Positions”, and “Soft Hand”. During the years of Qian Long emperor in Qing Dynasty, it was firstly called “Taiji Fist” in written by Wang Zongyue who lived in Shanxi province. The word of “Taiji” comes from , and it means “supreme, absolute, unique”.

There are many versions of the origin and creator of Taiji fist. The main versions are XuXuanping in Tang Dynasty, ZhangSanfeng in Song Dynasty, ChenWangting and WangZongyue in Qing Dynasty and so on. But, most of the Taiji Fist artists think the creator is Chen Wangting. Generally, the origin of Taiji Fist absorbed the essence of the artists in Ming Dynasty, especially absorbed 32 Form Long Fist of Qi jiguang, and coordinated ancient guidance, the technique of inhale and exhale, the theory of Chinese medicine, and the theory of ancient Yin Yang Five Elements, on the basis of the philosophical theory of Taoism, Zhouyi Bagua, and Taiji Fist contains abundant Chinese traditional culture and traditional philosophical thought. Firstly, the movements are very continuous which show in the whole Taiji Fist form. At the same time, Taiji Fist is one kind of contradiction movement with unity of opposites and can convert each other, there are several contradictions including hard and soft, empty and full, peace and movement, fast and slow, stretch and curl.

During moving, it demands the practitioners keep calmed, the movements are guided by consciousness, coordinate movements with breath , and breathe smoothly, even and naturally. The movements are soft, slow, natural, continuous and the route of movements is arc. At the same time, the waist is axisand the upper and lower parts of body coordinate each other, which make all parts of body the whole part. It looks soft but in fact very powerful.

Taiji fist has been developed into many kinds of sects, for example, ChenshiTaiji(taichi Chan style), Yangshi Taiji(taichi Yang style), SunshiTaiji(taichi Sun style), Wushi(武)taiji (taichi Wu style), Wushi（吴）Taiji(taichi Wu style), they are called “Five Styles Of Taiji”.

Yang style derives from Chen style. Yang Lu Chan, the creator of Yang style, studied Chen style Tai Ji from the Chen family in Chen Jia Gou. When he returned to Beijing, many people wanted to study Yang Lu Chan’s new form of Kung Fu, i.e. Chen style Tai Ji. However, many of the movements in Chen style were too difficult for many of the people who wanted to study. Therefore, Yang Lu Chan simplified Chen style Tai Ji to make it more accessible to more people. For some people, Yang style is a good way to start their Tai Ji training, especially the 24 forms which you can often see being practiced in parks around China. Yangshi sect Taiji was taught secretly by YangLuchan in the emperor garden, so it keeps the original style of Taiji different from the Taiji practiced in the park.

Xing Yi Kung Fu

Xingyi has about nearly 400 years of history. It’s recorded that Ji Long fengwho lived in Yongji zun cun, Shanxi province,got<<>> written by Yue Fei who was a national hero. He met with Yue Fei when Ji Long feng visited the great Kung Fu artists living in ZhongnanMountain in Shanxi province. Then Ji Long feng saw two cocks fight each other, from which he got the inspiration, and changed spear techniques into fist techniques, namely Xinyi six combination fist. XinYi Fistemphasizes on six combinations including three internal combinations and three external combinations. The three internal combinations is the combinations between heart and consciousness, consciousness and internal Qi, internal Qi and internal strength;the three external combinations are the combinations between hands and feet, elbows and knees; shoulders and hips. The combination means all the parts are like one part, meanwhile with the meaning “move”, so it is also called “ Xin yi liu he quan(heart and consciousness six combination Fist)”.XingYi fist was developed from “Xin Yi fist”. The creator is Li Ruo neng. Because Xing Yi fist studied our ancient significance of <> carefully on the basis of “Yin Yang xiangsheng xiangke(contrary and dependent with each other)”, coordinating internal organs and points” with 12 kinds of animals’ important techniques,like their physical forms, getting their spirits, getting their spirits through imitating their physical forms, like their physical forms for their spirits, forms turn along with the spirits, getting the spirits if the movements are like their forms, its essence is the combination of “physical forms” and “spirits or mind”, so it is called “Xing Yi Fist”.

It is a very direct style designed to attack the opponent with explosive footwork and combined techniques of attack. One Xing Yi principle states that "on meeting the opponent, movement is like an exploding volcano". Xing Yi is suitable for students of all levels.

The 5 Elements fists are the fundamental fists of Xing Yi, and are based on the 5 elements in ancient Chinese philosophy- Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. They are also rich in the characteristics of yin and yang- opposing, mutual, declining and growing, turning and transforming.

The 5 elements are also, linked to respective organs of the body on Chinese medicine. Xing Yi principles state that practice of each fist can strengthen the respective organ of the body.

It can strengthen the body externally and internally, and develop the coordinated unity of the external body and the internal- qi, power and mind. After continual practice of the 5 Elements Fists, the practitioner will obtain the power that derives from technical movements rather than physical strength, and the ability to react with coordinated lightning speed in a defense situation

Sprlitting Fist (Pi Quan ) Represent mental improve lung



Arrow Fist ( Beng Quan ) Represent wood improve liver .



Drilling Fist ( Zuan Quan ) Represent water improve kidney .



Cannon Fist ( Pao Quan ) Represent fire improve heart



Horizontal Fist ( Heng Quan ) Represent earth improve spleen.

The main contents of Xingyi fist are the Five Elements fist, 12 forms fist, Eight Words Fist, etc. The weapons in Xingyi fist are broadsword, straightsword, spear and staff.

BaGua Kung Fu

Ba Gua palm is such a fist focusing on circle walking. Its creator is Dong Hai chuan who was born in the third year of Jia Qing emperor in Qing Dynasty, and died in the eighth year of Guang Xu (1797-1882), in Zhu jia wu of Wen'an county, in Hebei province. He had been interested in Ba Gua palm since he was very young. He visited many famous artists of martial arts and absorbed the essence of them, with inspiration from “Zhou Yi” theory, he created a set of completed Kung Fu movements, which became what is known as Bagua Palm now.

Thetrigrams and their corresponding animals in martial arts are:

Animal	Trigram
		Chinese	Pinyin
Lion		乾	Qian
Snake		坎	Kan
Bear		艮	Gen
Dragon		震	Zhen
Phoenix		巽	Xun
Rooster		離	Li
Qilin		坤	Kun
Monkey		兌	Dui

Ba Gua palm focus on palm. Firstly walk, then turn body following the palm, and the steps move following body. The route of Ba Gua palm is a circle which is made by eight places. In order to practice the spirits and guide qi, the practitioner walks along the circle. The main step is“Tang Ni Bu”(Walk in Mud), namely foot is to move levelly. It is stable and powerful. The gravity center of body is on back like sitting on the chair. The step technique is “one leg on the inside circle moves straightly, and the other leg on the outside circle is buckled, so the step is also called “ Li Zhi Wai Kou（inside straight while outside turn）”. Another step is Crane Step which looks like a red-crowned crane when turning round; it is like chicken when raising leg; it is like a crane when stretching leg; it is like a camel when landing. Breathe in when raising leg, and breathe out when stretching leg, breathe out after breathing all the qi. The whole body needs to be relaxed, stable, slow, and even. It is a effective for improving health to practice in such a way. You can not practice the palm until practice you step well, because you can not coordinate with the whole body when practicing palm if the Kung Fu of lower part of body is not practiced w

There are many key points during the practice of Ba Gua, for example, look forward levelly; the neck is straight; the tongue is against the upper jaw; the back is straight; relax shoulder; the knees are inward buckled to protect the crouch; ten toes buckle into the ground. The three empties: chest is empty, the center of hand is empty and the center of sole is empty.

Three against: head is against the neck, the tongue is against the tongue, hand is against outside. Three rounds: thetiger mouth pointof handis round, the crouch is round and the back is round.Body, step and palm techniques coordinate each other. The most important principle is to twist waist and harmonize arms. The power is used through foot. You need to keep calmed, agile. Qi drops to Dan Tian, and seek the still condition when doing the walking movement. The main eight palm are eight firm palm(Ba Da Mu Zhang), 64-hand, You Shen Lian Huan palm forms, etc.The weapons are Ba Gua broadsword, Ba Gua straightsword and other Ba Gua special weapons including Ba Gua Kylin mandarin ducks, etc.

Contact Chinese Traditional Kungfu School

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