Praying Mantis or Tang Lang Quan (螳螂拳) is one of the most well-known systems of traditional Chinese martial arts. The style originated in Shandong Province, China, during the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. According to martial arts tradition, the system was founded by Wang Lang, who is said to have observed the fighting movements of the praying mantis insect and integrated those principles with techniques from several existing martial arts systems.
Baji Quan (八極拳 — literally “Fist of the Eight Extremities”) is one of China’s most ancient and formidable martial traditions. Its verifiable history traces to the early Qing Dynasty (c. 17th–18th century. Baji Quan is classified among China’s external hard styles (外家拳), though its internal power development belies a simplistic label. Its essence lies in close-range explosive force — smashing through the opponent’s defenses using the integrated power of the whole body, driven from a rooted stance. It is a warrior’s art stripped to necessity: no flourish, no performance, only devastating function.
Pigua Zhang. The name 劈掛掌 (Pī Guà Zhǎng) is built from three characters that together describe the art’s entire technical logic with extraordinary precision. Zhǎng (掌) means “palm” — signifying that open-hand techniques dominate over the closed fist, giving the art its characteristic sweeping, whipping, chopping quality. The first two characters name the art’s twin foundational actions.
Bagua Zhang (八卦掌 — “Palm of the Eight Trigrams”) stands as one of China’s three great internal martial arts (neijia quan 內家拳), alongside Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is unique in the entire world of martial arts for one radical organizing principle: the practitioner moves continuously in a circle — walking, turning, spiraling, reversing — while executing technique. Combat never ceases its motion. This circling walk is not a delivery mechanism for technique but the technique itself.
Xing Yi Quan. The three characters of 形意拳 (Xíng Yì Quán) encode the art’s entire philosophy in a single breath. Xíng (形) means “form” or “shape” — the external manifestation of movement, the visible body taking on the postures and qualities of animals, elements, and natural forces. Yì (意) means “intent” or “mind-will” — the internal directive power that precedes and governs all physical action. Quán (拳) means “fist” or “boxing.” Taken together: the fist in which outer form and inner intent are unified as one.