Tang Lang Bu Suan

[mooyingmantis]

Here are my notes for the Seven Star set Tang Lang Bu Xuan (Praying Mantis Whirling Steps). This form is also known by some as Tang Lang Bu Chan (Praying Mantis Catches the Cicada).

On his website, Lee Kam Wing lists this set as form number 17. It is followed by Praying Mantis Exits the Cave and Praying Mantis Steals the Peach. Perhaps one of his students can tell us if this is of significance or not.

Note: Like most Praying Mantis tao lu, I have seen slight differences in this set depending on who was performing it.

螳 螂 步 旋
Tang Lang Bu Xuan
Praying Mantis Whirling Step

FIRST ROAD
01. Middle Level Twins Store Up Power
02. Seven Star, Left Hook Hand
03. Ascend Mountain, Right Splitting Strike
04. Ascend Mountain, Hook Grapple Pluck
05. Ascend Mountain, Left Thrust Palm
06. Seven Star, Right Insert Strike
07. Ascend Mountain, Hook Grapple Pluck
SECOND ROAD
08. Ascend Mountain, Hang Gathering Strike
09. Front Kick, Right Splitting Block
10. Enter Ring, Right Observe Arm
THIRD ROAD
11. Ascend Mountain, Right Circle Strike
12. Ascend Mountain, Right Crushing Strike
13. Middle Stance, Double Seal Hands
14. Horse Pattern, Right Sideward Strike
15. Ascend Mountain, Right Yang Palm
16. Right Closed Door Kick Method
17. Tiger Riding, Right Lifting Palm
18. Ascend Mountain, Hook Grapple Palm Strike
19. Front Kick, Left Thrust Palm
20. Horse Pattern, Right Splitting Strike
FOURTH ROAD
21. Ascend Mountain, Left Hook Hand
22. Double Hooks, Right Seize Leg
23. Ascend Mountain, Right Overturn Palm
24. Penetrating Palm, Right Stride Step
25. Collapse Stance, Double Seal Hands
26. Ascend Mountain, Grab Gathering Strike
FIFTH ROAD
27. Ascend Mountain, Left Wheeling Strike
28. Ascend Mountain, Right Circle Strike
29. Seven Star, Catch Cicada Pattern
30. Double Hook Hands, Take Eyes
31. Following Hand, Work Shuttle Pattern
32. Seven Star, Left Hook Hand
33. Seven Star, Right Insert Strike
34. Ascend Mountain, Right Uppercut Strike
35. Enter Ring, Right Waist Cut
SIXTH ROAD
36. Ascend Mountain, Hang Gathering Strike
37. Ascend Mountain, Right Splitting Block
38. Ascend Mountain, Right Circle Strike
39. Front Kick, Right Splitting Block
40. Enter Ring, Right Observe Arm
41. Enter Ring, Right Crushing Strike
42. Right Close Door Kick Method
43. Tiger Riding, Right Lifting Palm
44. Ascend Mountain, Single Goose Exits Flock
45. Ascend Mountain, Right Circle Strike
46. Ascend Mountain, Hook Grapple Pluck
47. Tiger Riding, Grab Gathering Strike
48. Horse Pattern, Right Sideward Strike
49. Tiger Riding, Catch Cicada Pattern

[Paul T England]

I cant speak for my sifu or sigung (Lee Kam Wing) but i think the correct name is whirlling or turnaround step. Because Chinese names can sound similar it can be confusing. Same problem with Lok Ying Palm.....Also we seem to have lost lots between translating Shandong'ese to Mandarin and Cantonese and then to English.

Don't worry about the number 17 as its just a list.

Paul
www.moifa.co.uk
www.nemartialartsupply.com

[mooyingmantis]

I cant speak for my sifu or sigung (Lee Kam Wing) but i think the correct name is whirlling or turnaround step. Because Chinese names can sound similar it can be confusing. Same problem with Lok Ying Palm.....Also we seem to have lost lots between translating Shandong'ese to Mandarin and Cantonese and then to English.

Don't worry about the number 17 as its just a list.

Paul
www.moifa.co.uk
www.nemartialartsupply.com

Paul,
Thank you for sharing!
Do you mind telling us in which order you teach the following sets: Praying Mantis Whirling Steps, Praying Mantis Exits Cave, and Praying Mantis Steals Peach? Is there any significance in the order taught? Is one more or less advanced than the others?

Tanglang Bu Xuan has about 50 patterns, and Tanglang Toutao also has about 50 patterns, while Tanglang Chu Dong has about 70 patterns. Is there a significance in the length of the patterns?

As always, others are free to chime in if you have any thoughts on these questions or these forms.

[Paul T England]

I generally teach the forms Whirlling step, stealing peach and exists cave but only as thats the way they are listed. Many of my student swill learn forms out of the syllabus order at workshops and seminars.

I once asked my sigung why a form was classed as advanced compared to a similar form in the system and he said it was because of the difficulty in the actions i.e. lots of back and forth movement or up and down.

So my understanding is that you can learn the forms in any order but being able to do them well with the right flavour will require practice/skill.

You got me thinking with the exit cave forms as both the white ape and mantis exit cave forms are longer than than counterpart stealing peach forms.


Paul

[mooyingmantis]

I generally teach the forms Whirlling step, stealing peach and exists cave but only as thats the way they are listed. Many of my student swill learn forms out of the syllabus order at workshops and seminars.

Paul

Thank you for sharing your method with us!

I once asked my sigung why a form was classed as advanced compared to a similar form in the system and he said it was because of the difficulty in the actions i.e. lots of back and forth movement or up and down.

So my understanding is that you can learn the forms in any order but being able to do them well with the right flavour will require practice/skill.

Paul

That was also my thought.

You got me thinking with the exit cave forms as both the white ape and mantis exit cave forms are longer than the counterpart stealing peach forms.
Paul

Yeah, that is what I was getting at too. Hei Hu Chu Dong is also quite a bit longer than Hei Hu Jiao Cha. Though I do not know how it compares to Shang Shan Hu or Xia Shan Hu, since I do not yet have these two forms.