History

The Legend of Praying Mantis

The founder of the Praying Mantis System was Master Wong Long of the Shantung Province of China. Wong Long was a revolutionist during the Manchurian takeover of the Ming dynasty.

As with many Chinese styles of fighting, Master Wong used the movements of animals to strengthen his own fighting techniques. His approach was similar to those founders of styles like the crane, snake, tiger and dragon. The following is the legend of the Praying Mantis System.

One summer day Wong Long went out to a meadow to practice with his sword. After he grew tired, he sat down to study his books on Buddhism. Suddenly the noise of insects fighting aroused his attention and he looked up to see a praying mantis attaching a cicada. In moments the praying mantis had killed it's pray and was eating it. Wong Long watched this fierce insect intently. He was intrigued by the way the praying mantis moved and by the way it used its forearms, and so he brought it home to study the creature further.

Driven by a desire to improve on his Shaolin style of boxing, Wong Long began to incorporate the movements of the praying mantis into his fighting. He learned from the powerful insect by playing with it with a straw. He observed the way the Praying Mantis cut the straw, avoided it, tried to draw it in, and the way it jump from side to side and back and forth to avoid attacks and to launch its own. Master Wong began to realize that, while the arm movements and the stragedy of the praying mantis were powerful and cunning, the movements of the insect's legs could not be copied.

Once again Wong Long went to the forest to practice his new technique and to try to find a solution to the problem with his foot work. While practicing Wong Long saw a troop of monkeys at play. He knew in an instant that he had his solution. The monkeys speed, balance, and coordination were amazing. After he was satisfied that he understood their movements, Master Wong combined the arm movements of the praying mantis with the foot work of the monkey. At this point he found his new system to be a highly evolved system of fighting and added techniques from 17 other styles to complete his new system.