Eight-step Praying Mantis Fist

The unique martial arts skill of one hand transforms into five hands, this is the legendary Eight-part Praying Mantis Fist

  • Introduction
  • Babu Tanglang Quan (Eight-Step Praying Mantis) is a branch of traditional Chinese Praying Mantis Boxing, primarily practiced in Taiwan. Praying Mantis Boxing is a form of Chinese martial arts that imitates the movements of a praying mantis, and is a type of animal-style boxing. It is one of the four famous martial arts styles of Shandong, and is among the first nine traditional martial arts styles officially studied and organized by the General Administration of Sports of China. The style was created in the early years of the Republic of China by Jiang Hualong, a master of Praying Mantis Boxing, in collaboration with Wang Zongqing, an expert in Bagua (Eight Trigrams Boxing), and Chen Deshan, skilled in Xingyi (Form-Intent Boxing) and Tongbei (Through-the-back Boxing). The name “Eight-Step Praying Mantis Boxing” was given by Jiang Hualong, as the style is composed of eight basic forms and eight footwork techniques. The movements combine the circular body techniques of Bagua, the soft and flowing motions of Tongbei, and the direct, forceful techniques of Xingyi, with an emphasis on continuous cutting and striking.
  • Style Characteristics
  • Praying Mantis Boxing is known for its versatility, combining both long and short-range techniques, integrating hard and soft movements, and exhibiting quick, aggressive power. It has a distinctive style that stands out among other martial arts forms. Originating from the Shaolin Longfist’s offensive and defensive techniques, Praying Mantis Boxing incorporates the strengths of the praying mantis, adapting these attributes into a comprehensive martial art. Over time, it has absorbed elements from other boxing styles, continuously evolving into an independent style.
  • Babu Tanglang Quan, being a fusion of Bagua, Xingyi, and Tongbei boxing techniques, also embodies the characteristics of these styles. It integrates Bagua’s circular body movements, the softness and flexibility of Tongbei, and Xingyi’s precise and direct strikes. During the development of Babu Tanglang Quan, besides the newly developed “Summary of Six Stages,” left master Xianfu believes that some of the original routines of Praying Mantis, such as the “Summary” and “Small Overturn,” have undergone modifications and are not exactly the same as they were in early times.
  • For example, early Praying Mantis footwork was based on the “monkey step,” which was small, fast, and agile but not very stable. This was later revised through the judgments of the three masters. Zhang Guanghong, a disciple of Wei Lao, also believes that these modifications incorporated the characteristics of Bagua, Xingyi, and Tongbei into the overall boxing intent, rather than simply combining isolated techniques. Therefore, certain techniques in Babu Tanglang Quan reflect the martial spirit of Bagua, Xingyi, and Tongbei, making it difficult to distinctly categorize a move as purely one of those styles. Furthermore, Praying Mantis emphasizes the technique of “cut and strike in one motion,” meaning that one uses the opponent’s attack against them by applying force in the opposite direction, much like the destructive power of two cars colliding head-on being greater than one car crashing into a wall. In terms of combat application, Praying Mantis practitioners do not treat the opponent as a passive target but anticipate their responses, using continuous techniques to corner the opponent into a helpless position. This is known as “one hand turns into five” in Praying Mantis, which is why the style is also referred to as “Meihua Quan” (Plum Blossom Boxing).
  • Techniques and Movements
  • Babu Tanglang Quan involves foundational training in stances and footwork, with eight basic forms and eight footwork techniques. The “eight forms” are derived from a complex array of movements and distilled into eight basic techniques. Once mastered, these forms help practitioners achieve correct positioning and establish the necessary force and power for striking in combat. The eight forms are as follows:
  • Qima Shi (Horse-riding Stance)
  • Dengshan Shi (Mountain Climbing Stance)
  • Zuo Hu Shi (Sitting Tiger Stance)
  • Zuo Pan Shi (Sitting Plate Stance)
  • Bu Chan Shi (Catching Cicada Stance) [Empty Stance]
  • Hu Tou Shi (Tiger Head Stance)
  • Ta Ji Shi (Collapsing Machine Stance) [Defeating Stance]
  • Han Ji Shi (Cold Chicken Stance)
  • The eight footwork techniques are exercises focused on improving the transition between stances and maintaining stable, agile movement, ensuring that the body can adapt to different positions and achieve the requirements for both form practice and combat application. The eight steps are:
  • Ba Bu (Pull Step)
  • Cuan Bu (Leap Step)
  • Die Bu (Stacked Step)
  • Ru Huan Bu (Entering Ring Step)
  • Deng Ta Bu (Mounting Collapse Step)
  • Nuo Bu (Sliding Step)
  • Xing Bu (Walking Step)
  • Tuo Bu (Dragging Step)
  • Since the eight steps play such a crucial role in training and are unique to Babu Tanglang Quan, they are the reason for the name “Eight-Step Praying Mantis.”
  • Babu Tanglang Quan also emphasizes the balance of hard and soft techniques. In its foundational theory, there is a concept of “8 hard and 12 soft” movements. The 8 hard techniques are methods for striking the opponent, while the 12 soft techniques focus on defending oneself and controlling the opponent’s vital points (the “three gates” — upper gate for the head, middle gate for the chest, and lower gate for the groin).
  • The 8 hard techniques include:
  • Chong (Charge)
  • Zhuang (Crash)
  • Beng (Burst)
  • Cha (Thrust)
  • Gun (Cudgel)
  • Tiao (Lift)
  • Pi (Chop)
  • Zha (Smash)
  • The 12 soft techniques include:
  • Gou (Hook)
  • Bo (Clinch)
  • Cai (Seize)
  • Gua (Hang)
  • Zhan (Stick)
  • Nian (Adhere)
  • Tie (Stick)
  • Kao (Lean)
  • Shan (Evade)
  • Zhuan (Turn)
  • Teng (Jump)
  • Nuo (Slide)
  • It should be noted that “Hook,” “Clinch,” “Seize,” and “Hang” are basic techniques for opening the opponent’s defenses, while “Stick” and “Adhere” refer to the application of sensitivity or “listening” energy. “Evade,” “Turn,” “Jump,” and “Slide” are basic body movements used in coordination with footwork. “Lean” and “Stick” are principles for closing the distance and advancing on the opponent.

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