Style: Mantis Fist

Tanglang Quan, or Mantis boxing, imitates the form and actions of the praying mantis and combines them with the attack and defense skills of martial arts. Mantis boxing has both Northern and Southern variations.

The Northern-style mantis is said to have been created by Wang Lang of Jimo county in the Shandong province at some point during the end of the Ming dynasty. Legend has it that Wang was very fond of martial arts and went to study kung fu at the Shaolin Temple. After the temple was burned down by the imperial army, Wang Lang returned to Jimo.

In Jimo, he would frequently duel with his taller senior apprentice who would beat Wang again and again. As a result, Wang decided to practice as hard as he could for three years, but to his great disappointment he lost the duel again. One day, while he was walking in a forest, he happened upon a mantis which was fighting a big cicada in a tree. Before long, the mantis had dispatched the cicada, killing it with little trouble. Having observed the fight very closely, Wang noticed that the mantis had a good rhythm in attack and defense and controlled its catch and release. It fought both from a distance and up close with hard and soft blows characteristic of martial arts.

Inspired by the small predator's victory over its larger foe, Wang captured several praying mantises and took them home. Watching them closely while they fought, he compiled a theory and style of mantis boxing by adding the essentials of Shaolin kung fu to the actions of the mantis.

Since then, Mantis boxing has evolved into many routines and branches:

Seven-Star Mantis, also known as Arhat mantis, features seven-star steps, hard hitting, and vigorous movements. It tends more towards hardness than suppleness and its stances are extended. Waist technique, leg technique, shoulder technique, as well as standing and hitting skills are all essential to this school.

Plum Blossom Mantis, also called taiji plum blossom mantis boxing, uses small steps and its movements are continuos and quick, like blossoming plums. It is almost an exact copy of mantis, but uses more sideways, rather than straightforward, force.

Six-Combination Mantis, also known as monkey mantis boxing, uses the three inner and the three outer combinations which make six combinations. It emphasizes hidden, rather than overt hardness. Thus this variation relies more on inner force instead of outer strength.

Hand-Wringing Mantis, also known as plum blossom hand-wringing boxing, is a variation on Plum Blossom Mantis. But, because it incorporates hand wringing techniques into its routine, it came to be called hand-wringing boxing.

Twin Mantis boxing also comes from Plum Blossom Mantis boxing. However, its movements have a delicate symmetry to them, from which it derived its name.