Mantis Temples

[blackmantis]

Hey everyone,

What are the top Mantis Temples in China? I know of Shaolin and Wah Lum, but in what way are they different? Are there any other major mantis temples? Does Wudan come into the equation at all?

Thanks,

S

[MantisifuFW]

Black Mantis,


Actually Shaolin has not taught Tanglang much at all in it's history. About AD900 Fu Ju, the shaolin abbot at that time recorded the techniques of Tanglang and taught no one according to Meihua legend. Wong Long who was at the meeting and started Mantis Boxing, has no decendants. Around Shaolin there are no stories of Mantis Boxing monks or laymen. In the 1980's Qixing Tanglang was brought back to Shaolin by Qingdao representatives of the art but it soon faded.

Outside Shaolin:
The Taoist, Sheng Xiao Dao Ren, taught either:
(an unknown person) according to Meihua legend or...

Li Kuaishou (only one known) according to Qixing legend, at a Taoist temple at Laoshan. (It has not been found).

At Mt Laoshan, the other legendary birthplace of Tanglang, (Qixing legend) there are no records of it ever being taught at any of the temples. Wong Long is reported (in the 1700s) to have been there and one temple reports that he became an abbot of a guanyin temple there but taught no one. But around Laoshan there are many many stories of Tanglang, both Meihua and Qixing fighting, competing and such.

As for Wudan, that association happened in Taiwan as far as I know, (I am open to correction on that point if someone knows better).

Most of Tanglang history is among caravan guards, revolutionaries.

Hope it helps, wish I knew more.

Steve Cottrell