Praying Mantis Kung Fu Collection

PRAYING MANTIS - TANG LANG

A great style with many branches such as Seven Star, Mei Hua, Eight Step and others. Check out our information page on the style and learn about its history and character.

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#EPM79 Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu
by Leung Ting
English/Chinese , 194 pages, softbound, lots of photographs
US $ 15.95

TIn many ways this is one of our favorite books on the Mantis. It is a Leung Ting book but really the instruction of a young Lee Kam Wing. In this we are NOT introduced to a form other than a selection from the Praying Mantis wooden dummy set. Instead teacher Lee shows the applications, but single, defensively and often partnered of the basics "formulae" of the Mantis style. In other words this book shows the hands on workings of what makes Mantis Mantis. It is an excellent text for someone wanting to absorb the flavor of the style through real exercises though, if you haven't seen much mantis, the flavor will be the most elusive aspect of this fine boxing form.

#EPM93 SEVEN STAR MANTIS #1
by Lam Wing Kit & Ying Fun Fong
English/Chinese , 96 pages, softbound, undersized
US $ 16.50

This is the FIRST VOLUME in a little series. Here's the question... why pay $16.50 for an undersized (about 3 1/2 X 6 1/4) with less than 100 pages? Because the photographs, though small are excellent. The page quality is superior. The covers are wrap arounds. All this is usual for a martial arts book. In addition it covers photographically with terse instruction THREE mantis forms. These are: Da Fan Che (Big Turning Cart), Xiao Fan Che (Little Turning Cart) and Li Pi Quan (Strong Split Boxing ). Side by side Chinese (traditional) and English and some Applications are thrown in. These first three are said to represent the Gang or Hard Mantis. Li Pi though uses principles from Tai Chi. All use smashing energy.

#EPM94 SEVEN STAR MANTIS #2
by Lam Wing Kit & Ying Fun Fong
English/Chinese , 96 pages, softbound, undersized
US$ 16.50

This is the SECOND VOLUME in a little series. Now here's the qucoversestion. Why pay $16.50 for an undersized (about 3 1/2 X 6 1/4) with less than 100 pages? Because the photographs, though small are excellent. The page quality is superior. The are wrap arounds. All this is usual for a martial arts book. In addition it covers photographically with terse instruction THREE mantis forms. These are: Da Jia Shi (Big Structure), Xiao Jia Shi (Little Structure) and Tang Lang Chui (Mantis Punch). Side by side Chinese (traditional) and English with some Applications thrown in.

#EPM91The Secret of SEVEN STAR MANTIS
by LEE KAM WING
English , 239 pages, softbound
US $ 15.50

This is a survey book and quite complete. It shows a couple of forms such as Black Tiger Crossing and Mantis Comes from Cave sketchily and with some applications. But, more importantly, it gives a wide overview of the complete Mantis training including Iron Palm, Wooden Dummy, the essential Mantis theory (which is quite interesting), applications, basics training, history and more. A very good book to understand what Seven Star, probably the most widely practiced school is all about. Click for alternate cover.

#EPM86 Tai Chi Mantis Peng Pu Chuan
by Tse Wing-Ming
Chinese/English en face, 85 pages, softbound,
US $ 11.95 Plum price $10.50

Printed in Hong Kong this neat little book is EN FACE, that is, both Chinese and English versions are represented. Not only a nice set with clear illustrations but a good book for those wanting to improve their martial translation skills.
One of the key Mantis sets. This is the major surviving set from the creator Wang Lang (at least according to some). Every major style of Mantis has a version with - considering its 300+ year history - minor variations. Peng Pu or Beng Bu is most often translated as "thrust leg" but in the early days of Mantis more implied "capture leg". This essential set introduces some of the core concepts of Mantis: high and low simultaneous attacks, entering, complex angles and "hidden" moves. Peng Pu is the basic dictionary of Mantis. This is the rarer Tai Chi Mantis version.

#EPM87 Northern Mantis Black Tiger Intersectional Fist
by Yuan Man-Kai
Chinese/English en face, 72 pages, softbound,
US $ 11.95 Plum price $10.50

Hei Hu Tiao Chai. Yuan Man Kai was a direct student of Wang Hon Fan. His sets follow the method of Northern Mantis Boxing , of which he is considered an inheritor. Printed in Hong Kong this neat little book is EN FACE, with both Chinese and English versions represented. THE BLACK TIGER is an intermediate set in the Praying Mantis system. It generally follows Beng Bu, 18 Old Men and Zuo Gang. It is not difficult to learn and the postures are relatively simple and straight forward. Mantis hooking actions are emphasized and it is said to have more hook hands than any other mantis set. It also has some more severe strikes such as eye shots. A relatively short set with 38 postures. This slim book is nicely filled out with notes about the mantis style and the authors comments on its history and place in the martial world.

#EPM89 Tai Chi Mantis Volley-Catch Fist
by Tse Wing-Ming & Yan Sang
Chinese/English en face, 134 pages, softbound
US $ 11.95 Plum price $10.50

Lan Chieh Chuan. This book is EN FACE:, both Chinese and English versions are represented. Not only a good form with clear illustrations but a nice book for those wanting to improve martial translation skills. One of the more advanced Mantis sets. This is another version from our Northern 7 Star Intercepting Fist. The footwork is of the "rushing" variety. Of the first three core sets of Mantis this is said to be the one with the most "Mantis flavor". This is due to its complex and ingenious multiple layered movement, very representative of mantis.

#EPM88 Northern Mantis Intercepting Boxing
by Yuan Man Kai
Chinese/English en face, 73 pages, softbound,
US $ 11.95 Plum price $10.50

Yuan Man Kai was a direct student of Wang Hon Fan. His sets follow the method of Northern Mantis Boxing, of which he is considered an inheritor. This book is EN FACE, that is, both Chinese and English versions are represented. Not only a nice set with decent photographs but a good book for those wanting to improve their martial translation skills.
INTERCEPTING FIST is a higher level Mantis form. As the program goes it is a compact, highly coordinated set that utilizes the "seven long and eight short" motions in a closely linked manner. There is a lot of leg Chin Na hidden in the "seizing leg actions." The hand emphasis is on compact motion which interrupts on the beat of the opponent's attack. This boxing, one of the major mantis sets, is also known as Lan Jie Quan. There are only 36 postures in the set but each has a level of complexity. The form is demonstrated by the author.

#EPM82 T'ai Chi Tanglang Killing FanPlay
by Tse Wing Ming
Chinese/English en face
83 pages, softbound
US $15.95 Plum price $13.50

This little book is EN FACE - both Chinese and English versions are shown face-to-face. Not only a nice volume with clear illustrations but a good piece for those wanting to improve their martial translation skills. An intermediate set in the Praying Mantis system. Mantis hooking actions and fist actions are coordinated with a lot of hooking steps (Seven Star stances). A relatively short set with 53 postures.In case you are unfamiliar with Mantis it specializes in "point striking" that is, acupuncture points used in martial application. The design of the fan allows this along with its "fanned out" form to confuse the eye. This is not a fancy or balletic version but an authentic mantis form with conservatives moves mostly relating to self defense.Tse Wing Ming claims lineage from Chui Chuk Kai .

Pryaing MantisThe Tang Lang Praying Mantis Sytem Kung Fu

#EPM98 The Tang-Lang Praying Mantis Martial System
History and Introductory Forms
Edited by James I. Wong, 90 pages, photographs, softbound and ovesized,
US $16.50

This is a reprint and compilation of a series of books that came out in the early 80's by Koinonia Press in association - as we recall - with Leo Fong (the well known Choy Li Fut stylist and one of the first full-contact Kung Fu stylists in America). For a long time the Koinonia books were about all you could get on certain subjects. This large book has Four Directional Fist and Intercepting Fist in pretty clear photographs. James Wong wrote one of the first scholarly pieces about Kung Fu in English which started, we recall, as a college thesis. This book, too, is a cut above in text; more in the tradition of William C.C. Hu. Unfortunately Wong didn't write in the characters but he takes the translation of key elements of the mantis system a step further than most. This book is bound black and white so no matter how perfect the condition is when we mail it will look worn. Black covers are the worst!

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#EPM95 Chinese PRAYING MANTIS Boxing
Volume #1
Translated and compiled by H. C. Chao
76 & 167 pages respectively
softbound with photos,
US $9.50

Here's the thing with McLisa who originally published this book many years ago. They would translate a Chinese text on Kung Fu then go out and hire the two least talented practitioners they could find to pose in the same positions as the earlier photos or line drawings. They would then CUT OUT the photos so they floated, as though in a Kodak limbo, on the page. They probably felt this increased the reality of the presentation but they were terribly wrong. Nonetheless these are not only somewhat collector's items but they do show some interesting basic mantis work. Volume One is graced with Jab and Punch fist. In Volume Two it is Beng Bu and Two Person Beng Bu (which they just call routine one). It's all pretty basic Seven Star and is of interest mostly to the collector as some of the first Mantis in English (the book is entirely in English). The practitioners, though definitely Kung Fu stylists, may not have sullied themselves with actual practice in the Mantis Fist itself. On the other hand it could just be the fault of bad layout and somewhat muddy photography.

#EPM96 Chinese PRAYING MANTIS Boxing
Volume #2
Translated and compiled by H. C. Chao
76 & 167 pages respectively
softbound with photos,
US $10.50

Here's the thing with McLisa who originally published this book many years ago. They would translate a Chinese text on Kung Fu then go out and hire the two least talented practitioners they could find to pose in the same positions as the earlier photos or line drawings. They would then CUT OUT the photos so they floated, as though in a Kodak limbo, on the page. They probably felt this increased the reality of the presentation but they were terribly wrong. Nonetheless these are not only somewhat collector's items but they do show some interesting basic mantis work. Volume One is graced with Jab and Punch fist. In Volume Two it is Beng Bu and Two Person Beng Bu (which they just call routine one). It's all pretty basic Seven Star and is of interest mostly to the collector as some of the first Mantis in English (the book is entirely in English). The practitioners, though definitely Kung Fu stylists, may not have sullied themselves with actual practice in the Mantis Fist itself. On the other hand it could just be the fault of bad layout and somewhat muddy photography.