The origins of Praying Mantis

[china mantis]

Praying Mantis was originated from the later Ming and early Qing periods. (Another legend says it was originated from Northern and Southern periods when Emperor Wu of Liang was the king.)

One day, a martial artist named Wanglang challenged a friend who was incredibly great in martial arts but he failed to defeat him. While figuring out on how he could overcome his good friend, he saw a mantis stalking for a cicada with great speed and extraordinary movements, the mantis caught the poor insect and became its prey. Since that time, he started collecting mantises, let them fight, and started to observe and study their movements carefully.

Wanglang learned a lot of things about mantis’s behavior and killer- instinct-skills on how to destroy a prey and how to defend itself to protect from a predator.

Eventually, he applied these spectacular movements and skills in real life situation: protecting himself and destroying oneself.
The mind: he learned that one has to possess high determination, fortitude, and quick-wit.
The hands: speed and dexterity (when it moves with forward arms to hook、hug、hang、chop)
The Body: Flexibility and diversity (when it moves its wrist to face upward、face downward、twist、revolve)
The foot: steady、firm, and how it breaks up when jumping from all sides.

After a thorough study of these movements, hard work and determination, he visited his friend again and he proved the tremendous skills he learned from the mantis. His friend became a prey and he got his revenge.

Wanglang made some improvisations of these mantis’s movements, experimented and applied these movements to other friends, whom most of them, lost against him.

Later on, he decided to make a foundation of mantis’s movements and he called it “The Praying Mantis”.




http://www.traditionalshaolins.com/

[xiao yao]

Here is another version, written by my shifu, Zhou Zhen Dong, and translated (badly) by me

http://www.monkeystealspeach.co.uk/h...-of-mantis.php

[Tainan Mantis]

Have been following the mantis/Wang Lang origin story for some time now.

I have been sure that it was full of falsehoods for over ten years, but lacked the research documents and materials to provide a believable option.

That changed bit by bit until I was able to put the complete story together.

Before I leave the states, which is in a couple of weeks I plan to submit a long article in several languages, Chinese, English and Portugese to give an outline of the story of Wang Lang.

After that time, with the help of interested parties, it should be translated into other languages; German, French, Spanish etc.

The above mentioned story, outlined by China Mantis, exists in different versions throughout most styles of Mantis, some may see it a pity to find it untrue. I can promise you that the available facts paint a picture a hundred times more interesting.

Though I would like to share it with you all now, I have been advised to go through a more formal publication process.