LEGENDARY ORIGINS
Wang Lang, is credited as the founder of Praying Mantis during the Northern Song Dynasty (969-1126), A renowned fighter at the time, Wang Lang enhanced his skills by observation of the mantis insect and was inspired to develop skills and techniques which later became known as Praying Mantis Boxing. Legend also indicates that Wang Lang participated in a martial arts gathering organised by the Shaolin Temple at the time (in which the Emporer Zhao Kuangyin also attended), where he and 17 other masters imparted their skills. From this event Wang Lang also incorporated some of the key or best techniques of the other masters and enhanced the Praying Mantis style even further.
After Wang Lang, it is said that there were a few different transmission lines, one being by the Shaolin disciples which passed on to legendary Shen Xiao Dao Ren (Wandering Taoist) which is of the 7 Star Mantis Fame and by his latter disciples which evolved into the Plum Blossom Style. It is however likely that the styles are all later evolutions and that various elements were cross developed in the various lines. As a result the histories of the three main styles shall be briefly outlined below:
DEVELOPMENT OF TAI JI MEI HUA TANG LANG QUAN
(Grand Ultimate Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing)
In the 1700s Li Bingxiao who resided in Xiao Chishan village in Laiyang County, Shandong became the standard bearer of Praying Mantis Boxing. It is said that after failing the civil service examinations of the Qing government, he went into seclusion. His greatest pleasure then lay in meeting with passing travelers. It so happened that he had the company of many different warriors and royal guards alike. This resulted in Li Bingxiao being able to learn equally well the best of both the internal and external schools of boxing. He himself came only to practice the art of Tanglang Quan and thereby mastered the quintessence of the style. Thereafter he chose to lead the life of a nomad, not revealing his name to anyone he encountered and it was for this reason that almost no one knows of him today. Soon, Li Bingxiao became known as Li Ergou or "Two Hooks Li" and sometimes was called "Old Man with Two Hooks" (Ergou Ye) for his unique manner of applying certain Praying Mantis "hooking" techniques.Grandmaster Li Bingxiao taught only one disciple - Zhao Zhu.
Zhao Zhu also known as Zhao Qilu was from Da Chishan village in Laiyang County, Shandong. As a young man Zhao Zhu heard about his famous neighbor Li Bingxiao and pleaded to him in order to learn Tanglang Quan, becoming Li Bingxiao's only disciple. Eventually Zhao Zhu completed his training and became the third generation of inheritors of this boxing style. It is known that his family was very poor. Zhao Zhu's family business was running a slaughter house and as a result Zhao Zhu would often send fresh pork to his teacher Li Bingxiao as a token of respect. Once when Zhao Zhu was an old man, he was sitting cross-legged on top of his bed when a notorious bandit, Wei San, suddenly entered the room and attacked Zhao Zhu, attempting to gouge out his eyes. With a wave of his hand, Zhao Zhu threw Wei San under his bed. The bandit was so shocked that he did not dare to make even the slightest movement. Zhao Zhu passed on his art only to his disciple Liang Xuexiang. (some records suggest he had also taught his son)
Liang Xuexiang (1810-), also known as Liang Shupu was born in the nearby Yushan Kuang Village, situated on the border between Haiyang and Laiyang Counties of Shandong Province.As a young man Liang became Grandmaster Zhao Zhu's disciple and quickly mastered the art of Tanglang Quan. Liang Xuexiang was a man of fairly average stature but remarkably agile. His striking power was also extraordinary. He once killed a challenger with one punch thus people called him the "Iron Fist Liang" (Liang Tiechui). Nevertheless his physical strength was below the ordinary he could not even lift a heavy basket of grain thus was frequently criticized by his father for the inability to be productive during the daily agricultural labor. Liang Xuexiang spent working as a Biaoshi (Security Officer) in a Biaoju (security logistics excortbureau). He also travelled around China seeking out other famous boxing masters.
Liang Xuexiang was the first Tanglang Quan master, to break from the tradition of passing the art of Tanglang Quan only to one disciple. He eventually passed his art of Tanglang Quan to several disciples - his son Liang Jingchuan, Jiang Hualong, Song Zide, Hao Hong (Lianru), Xiu Shankun, Sun Ying, Zhu Yongxiu, Jiang Laoqi, Tong Kunjiang, Sun Yuanchang and Sun Yuancai. Among these men Jiang Hualong became the most famous.The legend says that one day aged Grandmaster Liang practiced the form "Chaotically Connected" (Luan Jie) went into his house, quietly set down, closed his eyes and passed away.
Jiang Hualong (1855-1924), also known as Jiang Yunsheng, was born to a poor family during the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign (1851-1862) in Huangjin Gou Village, Laiyang County, Shandong Province. Song Zide (1855-1933/34) had the name Yaokun. He was born to a wealthy family in Zhaoge Zhuang Village, Laiyang County, Shandong Province. He was also called Song Erye - Song "The Second Elder". Song Zide and Jiang Hualong further developed theory and practice of traditional Tanglang Quan. They are credited with developing such open-hand form as "Plum Blossom Road" (Meihua Lu) which was later adopted by the other styles of Tanglang Quan. Grandmaster Song Zide also created the seventhsection of the set called "Essentials" (Zhaiyao) as a combination of Tanglang Quan and "Ground Boxing" (Digong Quan). Jiang Hualong and Song Zide are the most important figures in the development of Tanglang Quan at the turn of 20th century. They together raised eight of the most famous disciples of this lineage of modern times. They are known as the "Eight Great Disciples" (Ba Da Dizi) - Wang Yushan, Cui Shoushan, Li Kunshan, Jiang Huanting, Zhao Shiting, Jiu Zhuyuan, Zang Yunsheng and Jiang Yulong.
One of Master Liang’s first disciples was a man named Hao Lianru (1865-1914), also known as Hao Hong. Hao Lianru was from Miaohou Village, Mouping County, Shandong province. Since the childhood Hao Lianru was practicing family "Arhat Boxing" (Luohan Quan). As a young man he moved to Beijing and became famous in his peculiar spear techniques getting a nickname "Magical Spear Hao" (Shenqiang Hao). When in Beijing Hao Lianru met Praying Mantis boxing master Liang Jingchuan (a son of Master Liang Xuexiang). Soon, two men became blood brothers, and later Hao Lianru became a disciple of master Liang Xuexiang himself in order to learn Praying Mantis Boxing. After Master Liang Xuexiang’s departured from the capital Hao Lianru continued learning and exchanging skills with Liang’s son Liang Jingchuan. It also said that later Hao Lianru learned some of his skills from the famous Praying Mantis master Jiang Hualong. Eventually, he moved back to Yantai and started teaching Praying Mantis Boxing, in Yantai area. Subsequently, he gained fame under the nickname " Hao Hong — the Praying Mantis" (Tanglang Hao Hong) and was one of the founders of the three great boxing quarters of Yantai city (Yantai San Da Quanfang). When Master Hao Lianru was in his forties he passed way leaving the legacy of Praying Mantis Boxing almost exclusively to his six sons and a few other relations becoming a founder of Hao Family Praying Mantis Boxing (Haojia Tanglang Quan) also called "Taiji Meihua Tanglang Quan"(Great Ultimate Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing).
Hao Henglu (1887-1948). second son of Hao Lianru, his boxing skills were the best of all of Hao Lianru’s sons. Hao Henglu also studied other styles of Chinese Boxing such as the Shengyuanmen (Ape Sage Gate) and eventually modified the name of his family style calling it "Great Ultimate Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing" (Taiji Meihua Tanglang Quan). He taught both in the north and south of China, living at times in Beijing and Harbin while in the north. In Harbin he stayed with one of his first and most famous disciples, Cao Dekun. In 1926 Hao Henglu wrote a book entitled "Discourse on Great Ultimate Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing" (Taiji Meihua Tanglang Quan Lun) which contained photographs of Henglu performing the eight basic stances of Praying Mantis. These are the earliest photographs of Praying Mantis boxing in existence. Hao Henglu had numerous students and a few initiated disciples such as: Cao Dekun, Song Haoli, Ding Xiangting, Wan Dean, He Shiguang, Chen Yuntao , Hao Bin (Hao Henglu’s son), Lu Chongren, Lu Chongzhou and He Xianlong.
DEVELOPMENT OF QI XING TANG LANG QUAN
(Seven Stars Praying Mantis Boxing)
Li Zhizhan, also known as Li Sanjian, and Li Kuaishou , was born in 1821 in Pingdu, Li family village, Shandong Province. Li Zhizhan was a Biaoshi (Security Logistics Officer) who was famed throughout China, travelling and fighting as far a field as Fujian Province and Beijing. After a lengthy combat career Li took only three major disciples (Da tudimen), his nephew Li Taibao, Hao Shunchang, and most famous of all Wang Yongchun, 1854-1926 (also known as Wang Rongsheng, Wang Yunsheng).
The majority of the existing curriculum of Qixing Tanglang Quan was developed by Wang Yongchun. Boxing sets such as Cha Chui Quan, Xiao Huyan Quan, Hei Hu Jiao Cha Quan (Hei Hu Quan), Shuang Chui Hua and Si Lu Benda arise from this period and are largely absent from the Quan pu (boxing scrolls), of the other Tanglang sects such as Meihua/Taijimeihua Tanglang.
Wang Yongchun is regarded as the source of the Shaolin influence that becomes so strong in the Qixing Tanglang tradition, especially evident in the next generation of disciples. Wang taught three major disciples; Wang Yunfu, Wang Jie and most famous of all, Fan Xudong. Fan Xudong was a Yantai resident (born in Dahai) and went on to gain fame as the first Tanglang Wang (king of Mantis Boxing). A giant, weighing in at around 130kg, he is one of the most influential figures in the Qixing tradition.
Fan Xudong's four major disciples were Gou Jialu, Yang Weixin, Lin Jingshan and Lou Guangyu. Yang Weixin was the most senior disciple, having spent the most time with Fan Xudong, who went on to run Fan's boxing school (on his behalf) in Yantai. Penglai born, Yang Weixin was a fierce man with a short temper who had a bad reputation for being heavy handed. He crippled many opponents (even severely injured some of his own students) and was eventually prosecuted in 1910 for the killings of two rival boxers from the Meihua Tanglang sect. Fan Xudong was invited to coach in the Shanghai Jingwu Athletic Association but declined as he was a busy silk merchant with many interests in Yantai, his disciples Lou Guangyu, and Yang Weixin travelled to the Jingwu Hui in 1928 to represent Qixing Tanglang, they were later joined by Wang Chuanyi (student of Lin Jingshan).
Luo Guangyu was born in 1888 in Penglai and went on to become perhaps Tanglang Quan's most famous figure. He began his mantis career quite late, at the age of 18 and studied with Fan Xudong until the age of 25, nevertheless excelling in free fighting and developing devastating iron palm skill. Under Fan's patronage Luo Guangyu flourished in Shanghai and became famous for his fighting ability. Luo moved to Hong Kong in 1932 and helped to establish the Jing Wu Hui as the strongest martial association to arise from the south. Luo's most famous students, (all of which went on to spread his particular branch of Qixing throughout the world), were Huang Hanxun, Zhao Zhimin, Huang Jinhong and the previously named Ma Chengxin amongst others. Luo Guanyu is the father of the Jing Wu Qixing Tanglang Quan, which in fact differs significantly from the Tanglang taught after Fan Xudong in Yantai. His was a composite mantis style containing elements of Meihua and Guangban Tanglang Quan plus Luo's own innovations and personal flavour.
Lin Jingshan was born in 1885 in Laiyang, Shandong, moving to nearby Yantai City as a small child where he lived until his death at the age of 86. Lin Jingshan barely scraped a living in the markets and streets of Yantai labouring as a cook's helper and street hawker. Working as a shop assistant Lin Jingshan yearned to study boxing and secretly watched and imitated Fan Xudong and his students until Fan discovered him practicing and apprehended him. Surprised by his natural ability and keenness to learn, Fan Xudong took Lin under his wing where he faithfully remained till his death. Lin Jingshan became the most highly developed disciple and Fan Xudong officially passed his school into Lin's capable hands. Lin Jingshan taught for a short period in Tianjin as the Chief instructor to the military but spent the rest of his life teaching in Yantai where he produced many famous disciples. The best known are; Hu Yongfu, Xiao Huating, Wang Chuanyi, Wang Chunshan, Wang Qinggang, Yu Zhenhai, Yu Tiancheng, Yu Tianlu, Yu Renzhu, Yu Tiantang (Yu Hai), Zhong Lianbao and Lin's son Lin Chunsheng.
DEVELOPMENT OF LIU HE TANG LANG QUAN
(Six Harmonies Praying Mantis Boxing)
The founder of Six Harmonies Mantis Boxing was Master Wei Delin (~1780-1873), who was native of the Wei Family village in the west of Laiyang county, Shandong Province. Sometimes also referred to as Duck Palms Wei San, due to his hands that had deformity from birth. It is said that Master Wei studied from two famous boxing Masters Jin and Long from Cangzhou, the Liuhe boxing style. He had a natrually ability for the martial arts and picked up the skills quickly. years later he returned to Laiyang county and had an encounter with Master Li of the Tanglang (Mantis Boxing) Style, after an exchange the two could not find a weakness in each others techniques, as a result they became close friends. The exchanges thereafter through their ongoing friendship resulted in the development of the Liuhe Boxing Mantis Hands Style (Liuhe Quan Tanglang Shou). In his later years Master Wei taught a few students, The main disciple being Lin Shichun.
Ding Zicheng, a student of Lin Shichun, is the key propagator of the Longkou Six Harmonies Mantis Boxing style during the second half of the nineteenth century, in Huang Xian (Huang county now known as Longkou city). The first boxing style he was exposed to was his family style called " Boxing of the Three Tongs " (San Tong Quan). The so called "Three Tongs" (Ding Jietong, Song Yongtong and Chuan Ertong). Ding Zi Cheng also learned Luo Han Quan and Iron Sand Palm (Tie Sha Zhang). His key mentor was however, Lin Shichun of the Liuhe mantis boxing fame.
In 1926 Master Ding Zi Cheng, inspired by the people of his town, established "The Martial Arts Research Organization of Huang County" (Huang Xian Guo Shu Yan Jiu Suo). The Organization was situated in the North-eastern part of town in the park that belonged to the Ding family clan. The students and disciples, whom Master Ding taught there were his friends, relatives, children of merchants and officials etc.
Master Zhao Tongshu, the elder disciple of Lin Shichun, was the propagator of the Zhaoyuan Six Harmonies Boxing style (Zhaoyuan was Lin Shichun's hometown). There are two key classics in Liuhe Mantis Boxing - the Zhaoyuan branch "Liuhemen" (Six Harmonies Gate) and the Longkou branch's "Liuhe Tanglang Jiji Jiushisan Shou: (Six Harmonies Mantis Techniques 93 Hands).
