Dynamics of Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis

chief108 · #1 (**permalink**) November 17th, 2005, 07:56 AM

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Dynamics of Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis

“	<div class="flexinode-body flexinode-1"> Author: Robert Hui <div class="flexinode-textarea-5"><div class="form-item"> Article: About 350 years ago, in Shandong province, China, a person named Wang Lang found the Praying Mantis Kung Fu style during his quest for excellence in his combat skill. Through his observations of nature, he combined the predatory skills of the Praying Mantis and the agile footwork of the monkeys with his extensive experience in martial arts to create a style that is known as Praying Mantis (Tanglang). It is believed that Master Wang prior to the creation of his own style was proficient in 17 various northern styles.<br /> <br /> Since Shandong is a northern province, Praying Mantis Kung Fu is often categorized as a northern style. There are as many versions of the birth of various Mantis styles as there are the numbers of the Mantis branches. Four major Praying Mantis branches, which are Grand Ultimate (Taiji/Tai Chi in Cantonese), Plum Blossom (Meihwa), Seven Stars (Qixing), and Six Harmonies (Liuhe) still remain in Shandong, China today. Besides these four major branches, there are also many other hybrids of Praying Mantis styles that are practiced worldwide.<br /> <br /> Documentation from Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis (CCK TCPM) shows that 5th generation Master Sun Yuan Chang called his branch Taiji Praying Mantis which can be traced back to the classical praying mantis style of 4th generation Master Liang Xuexiang (CE 1810 - ?) that was originated in Laiyang County, Shandong. At that time, Taiji Praying Mantis had no affiliation at all with Taijiquan that is now famous and practiced around the globe. It was until Master Chiu Chuk Kai (7th Generation, CE 1900 - 1991), who was deeply impressed by the ability of the Taijiquan practitioners, whose six internal disciplines allow them to manipulate energy to defeat their opponent with much ease, that he sought after Chen style Taijiquan (small circles) as well as a Daoist monastery Taiji system. Master Chiu Chuk Kai, whose name is also romanized also as Zhao Zhu Xi, created a Taijiquan corpus consisted of 4 forms and incorporated them into the Taiji Praying Mantis curriculum. Tens of thousands of people nowadays enjoy the grand vision and effort of Master Zhao Zhu Xi which is now more commonly known as CCK TCPM. <br /> <br /> Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis or CCK TCPM as a style that is evolved from the Taiji Praying Mantis is a unique blend of Grandmaster Chiu	”