Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu is a Northern Praying Mantis style. The Praying Mantis System was created by Wong Long, a student of Sil Lum (Shaolin in Mandarin dialect) Kung Fu, in the seventeenth century. Wong Long could not get the best of his senior brother, monk Feng, in sparring practice. While monk Feng went and travelled across China for three years, Wong came across a Praying Mantis fighting a Cicada that was much larger than the Mantis. The Praying Mantis easily beat the Cicada, and Wong was intrigued by the fierce attributes of the Praying Mantis insect. Wong saw in the praying mantis a way to improve his own fighting ability. He caught the praying mantis and used a stick to see how the insect would react. Within a few days of examining the Praying Mantis insect's methods of combat, Wong began to synthesize them into human terms. He classified the arm movements into twelve character principles. He then added strength to the footwork by observing the monkeys of China. He adopted their extremely efficient movements into a method of footwork that complimented his Praying Mantis hand skills. To complete his new art, Wong incorporated techniques from seventeen other systems to formulate a complete style. When monk Feng returned, Wong easily defeated him.

 

The Seven Star Praying Mantis style through Master Henry Chung incorporates a lot of basic training, which will increase the student?s flexibility, strength, and overall ability to use praying mantis techniques affectively. The school has a solid foundation into the traditional way of training, meaning what you learn can be used to defeat an attacker. While we are not a tournament school, participation at kung fu tournaments is incorporated from time to time. The basic program will start a student learning a form called Sap Yi Lo Taam Tuui (12 Sets Springing Legs). This is a Sil Lum form that teaches a student how to develop long range power, strong legs, and good kicking power. Many styles teach this form, utilizing their own specific styles attributes into the form. The school also has weapons training. A student will learn the traditional Chinese weapons through drills as well as forms. 

 

The Praying Mantis family genealogy is as follows:

 

Wong Long

Monks

Sing Shui

Li San Chen

Wong Wing Sung

Fan Yuk Tung

Lo Kwon Yuk

Wong Hon Fun

Chung Ho Yin

Henry Chung

John Wicker