Plum Flower Mantis: Zhai Kui Removing Helmet Form

[Laviathan]

Hi people,

Just attended a three-day seminar on Praying Mantis by master Su Yuchang. Master Su taught a Plum Flower Praying Mantis hand form called Zhai Kui (Removing the Helmet). I would really like to know more about this form, its' origins, main focus etc.

Hope someone can enlighten me on this matter.

[isol8d]

Sorry I can't help out here, but perhaps you can share what you learned at the seminar?

[PaulLin]

ZhaiKui and NuoYangTo are both Shaolin ChinNa, for what I have known. My sources came form GM Han ChinTang's teaching.

They are both chin-head point holding joint lock move against neck joint. ZhaiKui would have your arms moves crossly and NuoYangTo (twist the goat's head) would have both arm paralle.

That is what I know about it, there are 34 more other foundational locks in the set I have learned.

[RAF]

Laviathan, the Zhai Kui that Master Su teaches, I believe, is a mimen praying mantis form. I am not sure zhai kui translates as you stated. Zhai Kui, the mimen praying mantis form, was taught to my teacher in the 1970s by Master Su who in turn, learned it from Grandmaster Chong.

In the 1980s, my teacher, Tony Yang put it out on tape but it belongs to a defunct company out of Perrsyburg, Ohio near Toledo. I forgot the name of the company. Wing Lam also put out his Northern Shaolin system and Hung gar system out under the same company.

In the mid 1980s, I did learn two mei hua forms one called mei hua lu and mei hua hand.

[Laviathan]

Thanks for the replies.

I just found out that the Zhai Kui form indeed came from the Seven Star/Mimen curriculum.

Master Su said that there are two versions of Zhai Kui: a Upper Basin form which has many Long Fist techniques, and a Lower Basin form which is basically Digong Tanglang (Ground Boxing Mantis). The Lower Basin form was too difficult to be taught at a three-day seminar. The Upper Basin Zhai Kui form I learned has many leg sweeps in it, a lot of techniques to break the opponent's arm, the use of the mantis claw is also very apparent. One of the most interesting techniques which is characteristic to this form is the grabbing of the enemy's head (Removing the Helmet).

When I was in Taiwan last year I spent a short time training basic Baji techniques with Master Chin Li-Yen, who is a younger kungfu brother of Master Su Yuchang. During the Zhai Kui seminar, I noticed certain (punching) techniques being executed with a strong Baji flavour. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, for Baji is a great style and it was nice to perform the basics I learned in Taipei in a Praying Mantis form.

[gojumaster]

Hey guys,

Is this this place you were talking about?

http://www.secretsoftheorient.com/secretsoftheorient/Praying%20Mantis.htm

[RAF]

Wow! I didn't know that these tapes were still on the market.

That's a psszzeer!

My teacher has no affiliation with the site but turned over the copyright in the 1980s---I guess a copyright never runs out.

Oh well!

No comment on the taiji tapes. We had nothing to do with their production or authenticity. I don't know who put them out.

[RAF]

Laviathan:

My mistake, Zhai Kui does translate as removing the helmet. Sorry.

[PaulLin]

GM Han and GM Chang both learned it back in NanJin Central Martial arts school before Communists took over China.

GM Wei knows them also, and I guess it is like you have said, link back to 7*.

I am not sure the earliest orgin should be credited to, but most likely the Central Martial Arts school collect these skills form some other people.

[MantisifuFW]

Thanks for posting the website. I have a couple of these but would like to have the whole set for my collection. I thought they had gone out of business and that the tapes were lost.

Steve Cottrell