Praying Mantis Kung Fu: The Insect-Inspired Fighting System

A praying mantis can strike faster than the human eye can track. Praying Mantis Kung Fu (螳螂拳, Tanglangquan) was designed to do the same — and it has been doing it for over 400 years.

Born in Shandong

According to legend, a martial artist named Wang Lang observed a praying mantis defeating a much larger cicada during the late Ming Dynasty. Fascinated by the insect’s efficiency, Wang spent years studying mantis behavior and codified its movements into a complete fighting system in Shandong Province.

The style spread rapidly across northern China and spawned numerous sub-styles. The two major branches are Seven-Star Praying Mantis (七星螳螂拳), emphasizing long-range power, and Six-Harmony Praying Mantis (六合螳螂拳), focusing on close-quarters combat. Other notable variants include Taiji Mantis, Plum Blossom Mantis, and Wudang Mantis.

The Hook Hand: Signature Technique

The most distinctive feature of Praying Mantis is the hook hand (勾手). Practitioners curl their fingers and wrist to mimic the mantis’s forelegs, creating a tool that simultaneously blocks, grabs, and strikes. The hook hand catches incoming punches, redirects them, and instantly counters — all in one fluid motion.

Key techniques include:

• Tanglang Buxue (螳螂捕蝉) — “Mantis Catches Cicada”: intercept and counter
• Bengbu (崩补) — “Crushing Step”: explosive forward pressure
• Jie Gou (截勾) — “Intercepting Hook”: parry and strike simultaneously

The style emphasizes continuous attack — a mantis does not retreat. Practitioners train to maintain relentless forward pressure, overwhelming opponents with rapid combinations.

Fighting Strategy

Praying Mantis Kung Fu operates on three core principles: speed over strength, angle over distance, and simultaneous defense and attack. Unlike Wing Chun, which focuses on the centerline, Mantis attacks from angles — circling, hooking, and striking from unexpected directions.

The footwork is distinctive: short, quick steps that keep the practitioner in optimal striking range. Low kicks target the opponent’s legs to destabilize them, while the hands deliver rapid combinations to the head and torso.

Modern Relevance

Today, Praying Mantis is practiced worldwide and remains a staple of Chinese wushu competitions. Its emphasis on practical efficiency has made it popular among MMA fighters exploring traditional Chinese striking arts. A soft training rope dart can help develop the wrist flexibility essential for mantis hook-hand techniques.