For those who are intrigued by the old and mysterious I have written an article on the Praying Mantis Striking from the era of Shengxiao Daoren.

He writes
Seventh Step Mantis Strikes.

Defeating palm chops from top to bottom.
Just one more instance where the 'strikes of Mantis' are chops.

Oddly enough, within the manual of Liang Xuexiang the term 'praying mantis-tang lang' means to grab with your hand, not to chop down.

The reasoning behind this difference is beyond the scope of my article. This month I take a closer look at the writings of Shengxiao Daoren and 'praying mantis strikes.

The Heavenly Taoist's Praying Mantis Strikes