Another look at the forms

[mantis108]

This breakdown of forms is taken from Sifu Carl Albright's site.

Here are some thoughts on them:

The 14 Route Tam Toy
This is the creation of GM LGY

The Sup Yee Kuen Jong (12 “seed” forms)
I think Bung Bo, Lan Jeet and Baat Jow would be in this category. These 3 are considered to be the original 3 from Wong Long and were passed down through Leung Shui Hueng. Don't have details on the rest of them. But I speculate that they might be of Long Fist, or Shandong Eagle Claw origin or counter part of Plum Blossom, White Apes, etc.

The Plum Blossom series
These series has about 3-4 forms and might be passed down by Jiang Hua Long

The White Ape Series
I believes these forms were Bai Yuan Tong Bei origin. footwork and 8 hard method of Mantis might have Tong Bei influence. Also 7* (both the stance and the style name) might have come from these. These might have further developed into Dai Sui Fan Che.

The Dragon Series
I have no info. on these forms. So I have no comment on them.

The Tiger Series
Might be forms from Shandong Black Tiger?

The Jak Yiu (extrapolation or selected boxing)
These would seem to be passed down by Leung Shui Hueng also.

The Yau Ling (soft energy)
I don't have information on these neither.

The Chi Gung sets
18 Louhan Gung seems to be unique to 7 Stars, Pai Da Gung and Iron Palm seems to be more common amount all PM styles. Could it be that since 7 Stars was handed down through a Taoist background, Chi Gung is essential?

Specialty Forms (i.e. miscellaneous sets)
Drunken Arhat, etc... There is a LiPi form in 7 Stars PM also. Would it be the same LiPi of 8 Step PM, which is handed down by Jiang Hua Long? If so where does this piece fit into?

It is of note that GM LGY of 7 Stars perferred the name Northern Praying Mantis which is an all inclusive term for PM. It would seem that he recognized there were more than one lineage during his time. He might have wanted to create a modern school for all mantis (northern only) based on his experience in Ching Wu. I am also of the opinion that there were more than a single mantis lineage as early as the next generation after Wong Long. That might be the obstacle to create a single school for all Mantis. The problem is still presisting as illustrated by this forum. I believe we should not be short sighted and look at the big picture for the sake of promoting PM to the world.

Mantis108

[Tainan Mantis]

14 route TanTui, (basics)
In Mimen and plum flower and 8 step there is also this type of basic exercise.
The names and techniques are different # of routes less, but the purpose the same.

Zhang of mimen required 6 months in these basics of which there were about 6-8.

Luan Hsing Fu of plum flower required nothing but a horse stance for the entire "class." He would put the student in a horse stance and go watch TV. Nobody passed three days, except my teacher of course.

Plum Blossom,
Mei Hwa Lu is the original. The others most likely from LGY. Mei Hwa Sho(hand) is taught as Black Tiger Exits the Cave in Malaysia. It is missing about 5 moves at the end and so is shorter. This is probably how LGY first taught it and the later made another form and grouped the 3 together under the Plum Flower series.

If he did indeed make these forms we can judge his understanding of PM to be very high as it is extremely difficult to put together one nice looking 2 man set not to mention several!

White Ape,
Sounds great in Chinese and so there are many forms with a common name but unrelated in techniques.
Later we should check the historical relation of White Ape and Tong Bei.

Dragon, (longfist)
I think Jiang Bing Do taught this to Wah Lum people. Not the one of southern style.

Tiger,
Black Tiger Steals the Heart.
Listed by WHF as one of the first 2 man of 5 to be taught.
Subdivided into 3 types;
1. Pluck and steal the heart.
2. Hang and steal the Heart.
3. Smash(Pi) and steal the Heart.
#3 is also known in other styles as Cover the Horse With Three Punches.
There is a variation of it in 7* Cha Chuei form 2nd route.

Ro Ling (yau Ling),
My teacher says that this should be paired with Dwo Gang(Dodging Rigid).
In Taiwan a teacher named How Geng Sheng taught this 7*.

Lipi,
Most likely, anyone who does this form traces lineage to Wei Hsiao Tang.
Some 7* people may have adapted it. It is a different type of PM then 7*
This form along with Pai An and 7 Hands were the well known 2 man sets from GM Wei. Although few people have learned Lipi 2 man.
There is a video by Su Yu Zhang with his students doing the 2 man.About half of the form is missing. But not in the beginning or end. Mostly at the turns.

It would appear that Wang Lang passed his PM to his wife's husband who brought PM back to Shandong. This is according to Jiang Bing Do.

[mantis108]

Great info, thanks. :)

Mantis108