Contents

Acknowledgments

Praying Mantis Kung Fu

Brief History of Praying Mantis Kung Fu

The Story of Wang Lang Creating Praying Mantis Kung Fu

Praying Mantis Kung Fu Lineage …

Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu Styles

Theory and Practice of Northern Praying Mantis

1. Twelve Principles for Self-Defense and Offense

2. The Eight Hard and Twelve Soft Ways I

3. The Eight Hard and Twelve Soft Ways II

4. The Twelve Ideals for Body Movement

5. Eight Training Divisions

6. Eight Striking and Eight Non-Striking Points

7. Eight Long and Eight Short

8. Five Internal and Five External Activities

Student and Teacher Requirements

Student Requirements

Teacher Requirements

Skills Acquired from Practicing

Activating the Qi

Developing the Breath

Intrinsic Energy

Gaining a Root and Agility

Skills of the Eight Hand Uses

The Process of Internal Refinement

Advice on Practice Sessions

PART ONE
Eight Kung Methods

Exercise 1: Iron Ox Ploughs the Earth

Exercise 2: Riding a Horse, Single Fist Pulling

Exercise 3: Riding a Horse, Double Fist Pulling

Exercise 4: Mantis Colliding Its Arms

Exercise 5: Tyrant King Raises the Cauldron

Exercise 6: Immortal Pushes the Void

Exercise 7: Planting Flowers, Left and Right

Exercise 8: Pushing Over a Mountain to Uproot a Tree

PART TWO
Eight Stance Methods

Song of the Eight Stances

Stance 1: Riding the Horse Stance

Stance 2: Mountain Climbing Stance

Stance 3: Seated Tiger Stance

Stance 4: Seated Coil Stance

Stance 5: Empty Stance

Stance 6: Tiger’s Head Stance

Stance 7: Pretending to Be Defeated Stance

Stance 8: Chicken Standing in the Snow Stance

PART THREE
Eight Footwork Methods

Footwork Method 1: Up-Rooting Step

Footwork Method 2: Striding-Over Step

Footwork Method 3: Folding Step

Footwork Method 4: Encircling Step

Footwork Method 5: Shifting Step

Footwork Method 6: Backward Crossing Step

Footwork Method 7: Walking Step

Footwork Method 8: Long-Striding Step

PART FOUR
Eight Kicking Methods

Kicking Method 1: Pulling the Yin Kick

Kicking Method 2: Mandarin Ducks Kick

Kicking Method 3: Axe Blade Kick

Kicking Method 4: Penetrating the Heart Kick

Kicking Method 5: Knocking Over the Tablet Kick

Kicking Method 6: Sweeping Away the Lotuses Kick

Kicking Method 7: Closing the Gate Kick

Kicking Method 8: Whirlwind Kick

T’ai Chi Ch’uan Master Liang Tung-Tsai

About the Author

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