6 HARMONY Praying Mantis Boxing

Demonstrator/Teacher: Zhang Dao Jing is a 7th generation practitioner of 6 Harmony Praying Mantis Fist and currently Vice President of the Yen Tai Wushu Association. .
Six Harmony is one of the newest yet most respected forms of Praying Mantis. The movements are a blend of the famous Mantis Fist and the ancient art of Six Harmony Boxing which resembles Xing Yi. The Harmony flavor considerably softens the fist in comparison with the more popular Seven Star Mantis. Some people even call 6 Harmony "Soft Mantis" while referring to Seven Star as "Hard Mantis".Under the creator, Wei De Lin, the emphasis in 6 Harmony was reversed and the famous leaking techniques gave way to more "sticking" and touching actions. Six Harmony is so soft it barely uses the famous Mantis Hook position preferring soft hands instead. From our standpoint we see Seven Star as more Heng "horizontal" in energy, and Six Harmony as more vertical: more imbued with Pi Gua, one of Mantis' sources. Many practitioners learn both styles when they can.

We are fans of this branch of Praying Mantis having a slight familiarity with its loose and sophisticated actions which, to the uninitiated, don't always look like mantis. The demonstration here is by Wang Sheng Hu, a gold medalist of the BeiJing "Ma" style developed by Ma Han Qing. To our eyes his performance is mixed. The essential movement of the LHPM, the Pi Gou motion, he executes well. He is loose, relaxed and fast. His stances, however, lack some of the straight, vertical rigor and concentrated power classically associated with the Liu He influence on this branch. But definitely worth adding to your collection if you have an interest in Lie He Tang Lang. No applications.

VCD#177 6 Harmony Mantis Lightning Strikes
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Zhao Mien Deng: Legs and hands fully correspond with this form. Pi and Gua (Split and Rise) are both coupled with lifting kicks. Press is introduced. Very fluid and relaxed actions. Flicking hands. Palm attacks. Big and small movements mixed completely: all the "harmonies" working.

VCD#178 6 Harmony Mantis Tuan Chui
A Double VCD, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Short Punches : This is a pure Six Harmony form and one can see the difference. More emphasis on the harmonies less on rapid Mantis like hand changes. This form much resembles very fluid Xing Yi. Short Strike is consider one of the essential forms for capturing Six Harmony? unique application of power to the mantis system. A Double VCD.

VCD#179 6 Harmony Mantis Hidden Flowers
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Tsang (Cang) Hua: A short form which actually emphasizes An or "hidden" energy. Everything here moves together but actions come from multiple angles. Soft and hard are gracefully mixed . Though not lengthy, Hidden Flower is considered to be representative of the essence of Six Harmony Mantis.

VCD#180 6 Harmony Mantis Double Seal
A Double VCD, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Shuang Feng: A middle level set with emphasis on horizontal actions both inward and outward. Also much sophisticated elbow usage with definite folding actions (hence the name of the set) and quick short bursts. More looking like a San Shou ( Miscellaneous Hands) form. A Double VCD.

VCD#181 6 Harmony Mantis Intercepting Hand Circle
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Jie Shou Chuan: Introduces the middle knuckle Mantis fist. There is particular emphasis on plucking, hooking, pulling and the key actions of Pi and Gua. Rolling punches. The important Six Harmony footwork, fluid and fast, are demonstrated.

VCD#182 6 Harmony Mantis Iron Thorn
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Tie Ci: Hidden hands are one aspect of this short form. Mantis stepping is shown along with many examples of splitting fist. This set attempts to unify the upper and lower body. Uppercuts (cheng) are especially underscored.

VCD#183 6 Harmony Mantis Immortal Dashing Hands
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Xian Shou Ben: this is a more sophisticated form consolidating and augmenting previous movements. Definitely more Splitting moves, more kicking with short cutting actions and side steps, more developed soft blocking technique and soft hand attacks. Introduction of (Pai) pat or slap.

VCD#184 6 Harmony Mantis Pure Yang Sword
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

Chun-Yang Jian. This is an example, and a nice one, of the Straight Sword play in the Six Harmony Mantis style. One of the classic weapons demonstrated with distinctive movements by a good practitioner. About the name "Chun Yang."

VCD#185 6 Harmony Mantis Survey
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing, Chinese Only

This survey VCD shows all seven hand sets of Six Harmony Mantis along with the straight sword. Each form is shown once at normal speed and then again in slow motion. No instruction.