MANTIS HISTORY:

It is important to understand the history of where our style came from and how it began. This article briefly explains the generally-accepted history of our style of Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and how it came to be known as "Praying Mantis".

The Praying Mantis style of Kung Fu originated in the Shaolin Monastery about 350 years ago, between the Ming and Ching dynasties. History recalls that a Buddhist priest named Wong Long created the Northern Praying Mantis style, after watching a fight between a Praying Mantis and a Cicada. He was so fascinated by the aggressiveness, speed and strength of the apparently overmatched mantis that he caught it for further study.

He watched its movements and how it reacted to various situations and then copied the actions. Slowly the system evolved. This led to the development of the Praying Mantis style of Kung Fu, with its characteristic strong and rapid movements. When Wong Long was satisfied that his studies were complete, he added to it the best movements of seventeen other styles, and used the footwork of the Monkey to give it maneuverability. Wong Long passed the art to Sing Sil who in turn passed the art to his disciple Lee San Chine. Lee San Chine ran an escort guard service in Shantung Province. His achievements in the martial arts were outstanding and he had many followers. Lee San Chine accepted Wong Wing Sang as a disciple; Wong was a third degree martial arts graduate under the imperial system. Wong taught the art to Fang Yuk Toung who in turn passed the art to Lo Kwang Yu.

Lo Kwang Yu practiced hard and became one of the "Four Super Lords" of the Ching Mo Association in Shanghai. He was later sent to Hong Kong to teach the Seven Star Praying Mantis style at the Hong Kong branch of the Ching Mo Association. His disciple Chiu Chi Man joined the Ching Mo Association in 1924; Grandmaster Chiu studied the Tam Tui, Eagle Claw and Taiji styles.

On Master Lo Kwang Yu's arrival in Hong Kong he began the study of Praying Mantis Kung Fu. Under Master Lo Kwang Yu's personal instruction and through laborious practice, Chiu Chi Man achieved remarkable results. In 1933 Chiu was appointed as master Lo's assistant instructor, in the same year he was also nominated as the department head manager of the Chinese Martial Arts division of the Ching MO Association.

In 1938, Master Chiu Chi Man and his Kung Fu brothers set up the Man Keung Athletic Association in Hong Kong. Master Chiu was elected as the first chairman while Grandmaster Lo was appointed Chief Instructor of the executive committee. Some time later, the Pacific war broke out, the Man Keung Athletic Association was forced to close down and Grandmaster Lo returned to his home in Shantung province China where he died shortly after the war. After the war the majority of Grandmaster Lo's students went into the commercial field. Those who remained were few and scarce; Chiu Chi Man has been the outstanding promoter of the Seven Star Mantis system.