Pre-Chin Woo Praying Mantis

[WenJin]

Hello,

I have been doing some research into praying mantis and am in awe with the amount of forms. As a result I have become curious as to :
Which forms were there in Praying Mantis? prior to the whole Lou Guang Yu and Chin Woo association where heaps were developed.

I mean I have gathered that as examples Lan Jie and Beng Bu are definately pre-modern mantis. But am curious as to what was the curriculum say 200 yrs ago. Any ideas on this one.

Any help would be very appreciated.

I guess I am referring to seven star more than the others (though if the others where developed before then they might contain an indication of the old curriculum)

[Kiasyd]

Hi!

I've read somewhere that Bung Bo was the only form developed by Wang Lang, all the other forms were developed later, mostly at the 4th and 5th generations...

-- Kiasyd

[Lost_Disciple]

There are a lot of people around (especially on the authentic kung fu/seven star pm mailing list) who've met people of Fan Xu Dong (Fan Yuk Tong) lineage- not Lo Kwang Yu. If any of them are around, maybe they can say what forms the Fan practisioners play. I'm curious too.
.

Just some thoughts from an ignoramus.

[mantis108]

Well... I believe the sucess, which the 7 stars (Northern Praying Mantis for that matter) enjoys, has something to do with Ching Wu's orginazed structure in transmitting Kung Fu in a class format. Organized martial arts have helped booster the popularity of the arts. Good art and Good promotor makes a pair of ace. :D

As far as the forms in PM goes, depending on which branch and which lineage, they all seem to have different veiws. One form, the Bung Bo, is the indisputablely Josi Wong Long's creation. In TCPM, it is said that Josi Wong Long created 3 forms in total - Bung Bo, Lan Jeet, and Baat Jow. In other branches, Baat Jow is said to be part of Jak Yiew. If that's the case Jaw Yiew would be a very looooooong form 7 to 8 roads altogether (just imagine the cardio work out on this one) ;) Personally, I go with the old adage/couplet which said "From Bung Bo to Baat Jow, even immortals find it hard to escape." :D

Mantis108

Contraria Sunt Complementa

[Inquisitor]

One must admit that the vast number of forms in the Praying Mantis systems (I believe Seven Star holds the record at some 45 empty-hand forms, which doesn't include the weapons forms) is somewhat ludicrous... I am thinking that after learning and mastering a form, many Praying Mantis sifu only go back to it sporadically (to teach it or just to make sure they still know it). This is of course excluding the foundation forms such as Bong Bo, Lan Jeet, etc.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Won't you say that besides the foundation forms, the rest are redundent. Who among you can seriously say that you have the time to memorize 45 sequences let alone learn their applications! Chin Woo has built a great deal of frivolity to the mantis system.


Maximus Maximize!
ego_maximus@hotmail.com

[WenJin]

Some are for Chinwoo contributions, some are against.....well it does not matter. But it would be interesting to know exactly what is pre and what is post chinwoo.

Yes seems to be much (45 Forms) but some have over 120 like Carl Albright. So that is even more radical.

Though, Ego your statement of applications is peculiar as forms sometimes are different combinations of similar logic or differentiation of a strategy. So it wouldn't be learn form learn appl, learn form learn app,.....over and over....Your basics have the strategies that are indicators of the style.
Anyways,
So then give a choice :
What are Pre- ChinWoo and what are after ChinWoo ?