| The History Of The Mantis Style
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Wang Lang was a superior swordsman who considered himself invincible.
Rumor was, the Shaolin monks were unconquerable in the martial arts.
Wang set out to disprove this claim. After challenging the monks
and being defeated Lang retreated to the mountains. There he
trained hard in his "Way of the Sword " (T'sien Tao) while
exercising and strengthening his body. He then challenged the
monks again. This time was able to beat the lowest monk and a monk
of even higher rank but was soundly beaten by the head monk.
With his pride wounded Wang disappeared into the forest for
contemplation. Had it not been for these defeats the Mantis style might never have been created. One day while sitting under a tree Wang heard the long shrill of a cicada on a low hanging branch just above his head. Wang spotted a fragile praying mantis in a life-or-death struggle with a heavy-bodied cicada. The cicada was pushing it's hard blunt head against the mantis nearly pinning it down with it's pincers, the mantis used it's strong spiny forelegs and biting mouth to grasp and subdue it. The mantis then consumed it's prey. Wang was impressed at what he had seen. He then captured the mantis for further observation of it's defensive and offensive moves. The mantis then became Wang's inspiration for a new system. He organized the defensive and aggressive movements of the mantis into a human fighting art. |
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