Chu Family Praying Mantis

Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu had its origins during the Ming Dynasty and was taught only to members of China's royal family. At the time, the system was known as Jew Gar (sometimes pronounced Chu Gar, Chuka or the royal family kung fu).

With the advent of the cold-blooded Ching Dynasty, the Emperor and his family fled to the Northern Shaolin Temple to escape certain death at the hands of the Manchurians. But the forces of the Ching followed. Knowing that the revolutionary spirit was being nurtured within the confines of the Shaolin monastery, the Ching burned the Northern Temple to the ground. The royal family escaped and moved to the Fukien Shaolin temple of Southern China.

Knowing the forces of the Ching were looking for Chuka practitioners, the system's name was changed to Southern Praying Mantis, in hopes of fooling the Manchurians into believing that their style was the same as the popular Northern Praying Mantis. Still, the Manchurians pursued and burned the Southern temple also. A number of the royal family escaped and went into hiding. They became known in Southern China as "Hakka", or northern guests.

From that time on, the art of Southern Praying Mantis was taught secretly to Hakka only, for fear that Manchurian spies would betray them. In Hong Kong, Southern Praying Mantis was primarily taught only to Hakka descendants. This rule was later expanded to include students that were of Chinese heritage. It is only in the past 25 years that occidental students have been taught the Southern Praying Mantis system.

Unlike Northern Praying Mantis, the Southern style bears no resemblance to the insect, and is strictly a short-hand system. It is both an internal and external style, capable of delivering internal force similar to a compressed spring that has an explosive force when released. It follows internal principles such as using condensed breathing for energy, flow-relaxed hand techniques, and borrows the enemies’ strength to uses against them. The style also follows external principles, as it features dynamic tension-type exercises to build power and develop muscular strength for attack and defense.

Although recognized as an in-fighting style with the ability to explode power in any direction form short distances, the system's method also extends the arm longer than most northern styles by constantly rounding the back and stretching the arms, shoulders and rib cage, and also by shifting body angles for extension. Hence, the ability to use explosive force at short and longer than usual distances is developed.

Southern Praying Mantis is quick, direct, and effective. Chuka practitioners do not give their opponent a chance to deliver more than one blow. The practitioner attacks rapidly until his opponent falls and is disabled. The theory is to get your opponent off balance and not let him regain it. At the same time, the practitioner shifts in close and attacks with many rapid-fire short strikes. The opponent must desperately try to ward off this barrage of machine-gun like blows; however, the Chuka practitioner will not stop until the attacker is down.

Speed is essential. All attacks come from the elbows. The fist is not withdrawn to the waist as in karate and other Kung Fu systems, as the practitioner must be able to hit many times from the same position.

Chuka practitioners do not, themselves, draw back either – this is too slow. Instead, the practitioner slides forward and shifts his weight from side to side, backward and forward with each attacking punch. Instinctive reaction is vital due to the speed of the attack. The exponent of this art is hard to defend against. At one moment he may be upright, dodging quickly to one side. The next moment he may drop into a kneeling stance to attack lower areas without thinking what his opponent's next move will be. He then acts quickly to close all avenues of attack.

Basically a close-in fighting system, Southern Praying Mantis is known for its one-inch punch, similar to the punch Bruce Lee used so much. It also uses a variety of open-handed techniques and specialized hand movements, such as the ginger-fist, three-finger spear, and bamboo slicing hand, all of which attack the body's vital points. These strikes can cause paralysis, as well as cut off blood flow and distribution of chi to vital areas of the body.

At the heart of the rare Chuka Shaolin style is the phoenix-eye fist. The Chuka art makes no use of the popular clenched-fist attack seen in other styles, rather preferring to exclusively use this extended index-finger knuckle to strike the enemy. This single-knuckle attack allows the Chuka exponent to focus his energy to the one small area covered by the knuckle, rather than the larger area covered by the entire fist. It might be referred to as "acupuncture boxing", due to the fact that the phoenix-eye fist is used to strike vital acupuncture centers in rapid succession. When used in combination with various kicks, palm and finger strikes, Chuka Shaolin becomes a very effective art that aims its attacks only at an opponent's vital points.

Southern Praying Mantis kicks are all low and below the waist. This is done in order to maintain balance and speed. Low kicks are harder to block, because the practitioner always uses them with simultaneous hand techniques. Chuka Southern Praying Mantis is a complete and effective fighting system with soft and hard aspects uniquely interwoven into the style. It is ideal for men and women of all ages. Simple, basic mechanics make it easy to practice regardless of age, physique, or sex. It is a highly effective, easy-to-use method of self-defense. It is also a superb form of training for health and overall physical fitness.