Zhai Yao Yi Lu - Comparisons

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Northern Praying Mantis
1

Recently I have been studying the similarities and differences found in the Zhai Yao Yi Lu (Essentials #1) sets of the Taiji Meihua, Babu, and Qixing Tanglangquan systems.

I thought this might be an interesting discussion for the PM practitioners here.

Here is my “clear as mud” descriptions of the first few moves of the set in each system:

Taiji Meihua Tanglangquan

  1. Raise & Separate Hook Hands & Right Front Kick
  2. Qi Lin Step, Right Chopping Block/Left Reverse Punch (awl shaped fist)
  3. Slant Stance, Left Outward Block & Right Sideward Punch
  4. Qi Lin Step, Right Crushing Strike
  5. Right Close Door Kick
  6. Retreat Step to Right Ride Tiger Stance, Right Lift Palm
  7. Retreat Step to Left Ride Tiger Stance, Right Grab/Left Wrist Lock
  8. Step forward to a Right Qi Lin Step, Right Insert Strike
  9. Right Hook Hand, Left Gathering Strike
  10. Right Circle Strike
  11. Right Kick Leg
  12. Lift Left Rear Leg, Right Crushing Strike
  13. Ride Tiger Stance, Right Lift Palms

Babu Tanglangquan

  1. Left Hill Climbing Stance, Left Grab
  2. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Right & Left Punch
  3. Right Ride Tiger Stance, Left Downward Block
  4. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Right Splitting Punch
  5. Hill Climbing Stance, Right Crushing Strike
  6. Close Door Kick, Double Sweep Hooks
  7. Retreat Step, Right Lift Palm
  8. Left Hill Climbing Stance, Right Grab/Left Wrist Lock
  9. Left Hill Climbing Stance, Right Lifting Fist
  10. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Left Lifting Fist/Right Insert Strike
  11. Left Hill Climbing Stance, Left Grapple/Right Gathering Strike
  12. Left Hill Climbing Stance, Left Hang Block/Right Gathering Strike
  13. Right Front Kick, Left Splitting Strike

Qixing Tanglangquan

  1. Double Outward Circle Blocks & Right Front Kick
  2. Left Transitional Step
  3. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Left Seal/Right Splitting Strike
  4. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Seal Gathering Strike
  5. Horse Pattern, Steal Heart Strike
  6. Right Close Door Kick Method
  7. Right Ride Tiger Stance, Right Lift Palm
  8. Retreat Step to Left Ride Tiger Stance, Left Straight Strike
  9. Right Forward Step, Left Grab/Right Straight Strike
  10. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Left Gathering Strike (Wild Goose Exits Flock)
  11. Right Hill Climbing Stance, Right Splitting Strike
  12. Right Front Kick
  13. Lift Left Rear Leg, Right Crushing Strike
  14. Right Ride Tiger Stance, Right Lift Palm

I will be glad to explain any moves that are not clear in my descriptions.

Feel free to add your comments and insights into these sets!

2

Tjmh

Reading the TJMH description, it doesn’t seem accurate to the one I know. Of course, the versions of all the Mantis Froms is as varied as the leaves on a tree.
I would offer my own description, but I’m a poor describer when it comes to traditional names of moves an techniques.
The version I know comes down from the Zhang Bingdou lineage.

It is similar to this, but with a chop from the initial blocking hand and then into frame punch, instead of just block with frame punch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0lBeiB6YwY

cheers!

ps. if those moves reflect your description, I apologize for my ignorance. :o

3

Junojupiter,

Thanks for the correction! I was aware of the move but left it out of my description erroneously. I changed the description to reflect your input.

The video you posted is very similar to what I am familiar with except:

  1. It does not include the initial kick, as taught by Lin Hongyi.
  2. The second punch is preceded by a left outward block and a side-ward step of the left foot. In other words, the second stance is perpendicular to the first stance, as taught by Zhang Zhen Yuan. Some TJMH PM peeps I have seen leave out the second block that I described.

Thanks again!

4

Just glad to be of service for once! :wink:
Thanks to you Richard for you excellent postings as always.

5

Application of the First Five Moves: TJMH

Here is one application of the first five moves of the TJMH version of zhai yao yi lu:

When the opponent reaches for Mantid, the practitioner raises and separates the mantis hooks to deflect the opponent’s hands outward. Mantid follows with a front kick to the opponent’s exposed bladder area.

The opponent drops his forearm to block Mantid’s kick and executes a reverse punch. Mantid executes a diagonal downward block with his right forearm and thrusts a left middle knuckle protruding punch (“awl shaped fist”) to the opponent’s eye socket. Then follows up with a right middle knuckle protruding punch to the opponent’s xiphoid process (“steal the heart”).

If the opponent is able to block Mantid’s steal the heart technique, Mantid quickly grasps the opponent’s blocking arm with lou shou (“grapple hand”) and executes a beng chui (“crushing strike”) to the bridge of the opponent’s nose.

Finally, Mantid disables the opponent with a bi men tui (close door kick) to the inner surface of the opponent’s forward knee.

Another excellent explanation of these moves in a slightly different form can be found here: http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/2009/hide%20the%20peach.htm

6

Out of curiosity

I’m wondering, which styles have a complete two man set for Zhai Yao Yi Lu?
Is it just the TJMH or all/most styles?

7

Here’s my two cents (if worth even that)

[QUOTE=mooyingmantis;1063833]Here is one application of the first five moves of the TJMH version of zhai yao yi lu:

When the opponent reaches for Mantid, the practitioner raises and separates the mantis hooks to deflect the opponent’s hands outward. Mantid follows with a front kick to the opponent’s exposed bladder area.

The opponent drops his forearm to block Mantid’s kick and executes a reverse punch. Mantid executes a diagonal downward block with his right forearm and [B][U]thrusts a left middle knuckle protruding punch (“awl shaped fist”) to the opponent’s eye socket. Then follows up with a right middle knuckle protruding punch to the opponent’s xiphoid process (“steal the heart”).

If the opponent is able to block Mantid’s steal the heart technique, Mantid quickly grasps the opponent’s blocking arm with lou shou (“grapple hand”) and executes a beng chui (“crushing strike”) to the bridge of the opponent’s nose.

Finally, Mantid disables the opponent with a bi men tui (close door kick)[/U][/B] to the inner surface of the opponent’s forward knee.

Another excellent explanation of these moves in a slightly different form can be found here: http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/2009/hide%20the%20peach.htm[/QUOTE]

In bold above from Richard is what I have that matches, for the most part, almost exactly to my version of Zhai Yao Yi Lu. Below is my description, as I see it in my mind when trying to describe it.

Opponent attacks with left cross, Mantid uses right arm inward gwa (sp?) block, then steps out into small hill climbing while chopping to opponents head with right hand, followed immediately with left hand frame punch to opponents head. Opponent should duck the chop and right hand block the frame punch.
Opponent will then jab with their right hand, causing the Mantid to retract the frame hand punch and guide/deflect the punch while simultaneously shifting to monkey stance (reverse small hill climbing?) and punching to opponents mid section. Opponent should hook the punch out of the way.
Opponent will then follow the hook with a punch to Mantid’s mid section which mantid will block with a downward pat of the left hand (while shifting to small hill climbing) followed immediately by a back fist with the right hand to the opponents head. Opponent will cover the head to block the back fist.
Mantid will then close the door kick and retreat which the opponent will double block and return their own close the door kick and retreat. Mantid will block kick if necessary while retreating.
Begin section 2!

I apologize for my lack of traditional naming of techniques, but my brain is Swiss cheese when it comes to that part of my training. I have severely let my Sifu down in that department I’m afraid… I need to take better notes.
I can memorize and perform a set easily enough, but don’t ask me to tell you the word formula for each technique.

If someone can break that down into traditional terminology, it would be wonderful to me. I realize Richard has done most of that already, but some of your phrasing doesn’t sound familiar to me.

** As a side note, all punches by Mantid would be the awl shaped fist where applicable.

8

Junojupiter,
In answer to your question, the book A Discourse on the History of Praying Mantis Boxing in China for the Last One Hundred Years by Hon-chiu Wong lists twelve Seven Star sets that have a ling (partnered) version. Only Zhai Yao Er Lu is mentioned as having a ling set. Perhaps someone else can provide more information.

9

Miscellaneous

Here are some Chinese characters and words used to describe moves found within the TJMH PM version of Zhai Yao Yi Lu:

			qi lin step			        (qi lin bu)
			awl character fist		(zhu zì quan)
				frame punch			(kuàng chuí) 
			steal heart strike		(tu xn chuí) 
	                hide peach under leaf      (yè  l cáng táo)
			close door leg			(bì mén tu)
10

[QUOTE=iunojupiter;1063839]I’m wondering, which styles have a complete two man set for Zhai Yao Yi Lu?
Is it just the TJMH or all/most styles?[/QUOTE]

Originally no two person set exists for any Zhai Yao.
It is a collection of short combinations.
Zhang Bingdou reported to my Shifu that his two person set was his creation. Most two person sets are recent creations whether in Mantis or other styles.

The oldest two person set I have found comes from the Ming Dynasty Shaolin Temple, it is two person stick.

Kevin

11

That was my understanding as well about the zhai yao two man sets, that Zhang Bingdou and his father created them.
I was just wondering if any other system had done the same as them.

12

Josh & Kevin,
Is there an initial front kick executed in your styles before the chop and frame punch? Both Lin Hongyi (MH TLQ) and Wong Hon Fan (NPM) taught it as a part of this form. Though Wei Xiao Tang (BB TLQ), Zhang Bingdou (TJMH), Xia Zhao Long (TJPM) and Zhang Zhenyuan (TJMH) apparently do not include it in their forms.

13

Zhang Bingdou’s TJMH starts with the initial inward block, right into chop/frame punch.
No kick at the start.
:smiley:

14

[QUOTE=mooyingmantis;1064402]Is there an initial front kick executed in your styles before the chop and frame punch? [/QUOTE]

I learned both ways.
Li Kunshan left behind two hand writeen manuscripts. One contains the kick in front and one doesn’t.

It seems to me that there is more of a tendency to add toa form, not to subtract from it as time goes by. Maybe there was no kick in the beginning? And later one was added?

On the other hand, as teachers get older they may leave out a move that is uncomfortable for them to perform. In that case later students may or may not learn the move.

15

[QUOTE=Tainan Mantis;1065108]I learned both ways.
Li Kunshan left behind two hand writeen manuscripts. One contains the kick in front and one doesn’t.

It seems to me that there is more of a tendency to add toa form, not to subtract from it as time goes by. Maybe there was no kick in the beginning? And later one was added?

On the other hand, as teachers get older they may leave out a move that is uncomfortable for them to perform. In that case later students may or may not learn the move.[/QUOTE]

Both theories make sense! Thanks for your input!

To me the kick makes perfect sense in the combination:

  1. Execute the kick to create a bridge to your opponent and focus his attention downward,
  2. Chop downward with the right arm to the opponent’s blocking arms and execute the reverse punch (frame punch) to the opponent’s face,
  3. Drop, shift and execute a powerful sideward punch to the opponent’s bladder area.
  4. Backfist to splatter the opponent’s nose or to the back of the head if he is bent over from the bladder punch.
  5. Double hand grab and pull the opponent’s lead arm to bring his weight over his lead leg while kicking to the opponent’s lead inner knee to incapacitate him. The kick can also work as a leg reaping throw or trip.

That is how we practice the technique in my school.