Bung Bu is similar in Wah Lum and CCK Taichi Mantis?

[LanJie]

I have read on a number of occasions that Wah Lum's Big Mantis (Their
version of Bung Bu) is very similar to CCK Tai Chi Praying Mantis' Bung
Bu. There are a number of postings on this subject on the Kung Fu
Magazine Forum.

I have been practicing CCK Tai Chi Praying Mantis for over nine years.

I have studied a little Wah Lum in the past and I have never seen
this set myself. It is taught very near to Sifu level in the Wah Lum
system. I was wondering if anyone has seen it or knows of an Internet
video of it.

This clip is almost exactly how Bung Bu was taught to me. This is how I was taught CCK Tai Chi Mantis Bung Bu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HemoGlneH-s


I was wondering if anyone thinks that it is similar to Big Mantis.

Yours truly,

Steve

P.S. I do remember that there was an endorsement for the Wah Lum Double Broadswords Book by Sigung Chui Chuk Kai. I believe that he said that he met a number of Master Chan's students. I do not know if this has anything to do with anything but it is a small connection between the two mantis styles.

 

[Taiji_Mantis]

Hi Steve.
I am a practitioner of Taiji Mantis as well. Though not active for nearly five years (seven children got in the way), I still practice Beng Bu, Gong Li quan, Dan Jap Mei Hua, and Ba Zhou daily. My shifu taught beng bu a little differently than the other schools I have seen videos or demonstrations of. I have found it quite interesting that the forms are taught differently from other CCK TJPM schools to ours.

There are pictures of Shifu Chan with my Shifu, and I hear that Chan's teacher and Shigong were friends. FWIW.

 

[LanJie]

Dear Craig,
Sifu Chiang and Sifu Li are friends to the best of my knowledge. I would really be interested to see the difference between our forms. I was told that Sifu Li specialized in Iron palm and Iron body skills and that his students used a lot of jing in their forms.
If you get my private e-mail contact me at that address and we can talk about CCK Tai Chi Praying Mantis a length.

Sincerely,
Steve

 

[Mantismaster]

Hello Steve

I practice 7 Star Mantis under Grandmaster Lee Kam Wing and my Shifu is friends with Shifu Chan of Wah Lum. The funny part is that Wah Lum can't be found in China and in all of my travels to China I have yet seen anyone do Wah Lum. That is not to say that Shifu Chan doesn't produce great students, cause he has.

I saw the video clip of your Bong Bo (Crushing Step) I don't understand where "Big Mantis" name comes from, but never the less the CCK TCPM "Bong Bo" has all the similar techniques with lots of different ones also. "Bong Bo" is a very important form in any northern mantis style, it has the 12 key formula that Wong Long created.

What I don't understand is why does anyone think that they should change the form that Wong Long created? do they feel that by adding extra moves it makes the form better or the practitioner, or were extra techniques added to the forms so they would be longer for tournament? Mantis form for the most part are short and sweet (straight to the point). The only link that all northern mantis styles have is "Bong Bo" so shouldn't all northern mantis styles do "Bong Bo" the same way.?

I believe that Shifu Chan borrowed techniques from other mantis schools to create his Wah Lum (please before anyone starts to attack me, I respect Master Chan very much like I said he has produce some very good students, but facts are facts never the less).

I know certain sects changed their forms in order to identified themselves as a different clan. My teacher always said if the instructor understands the principles of mantis then it's not wrong. I myself know 9 different variations of "BONG BO" but only teach the traditional one.

So the bottom line is you will always find someone who does something a little different then you, take what is useful and discard the rest.

Peace
Mantismaster

 

[LanJie]

I just think it would be interesting to see a version of Crushing Step (Bung Bu) that is similar to mine but is from a different school. I think most mantis students can see the similar techniques in most versions of Bung Bu. I can see most of the same techniques that I have learned in 7*Bung Bu, Mui Fa Bung Bu e.t.c.

What I do find is strange is that Wah Lum Bung Bu (Big Mantis) is taught as an advanced form in Wah Lum and it is taught early as a core form in almost every other form of Bak Tang Lang Chuan.

I would guess that Bung Bu was renamed Big Mantis because there is a form taught in the begining of their system called Little Mantis.

Steve

 

[Mantismaster]

Lanjie

If you go on youtube you can find my teacher Grandmaster Lee Kam Wing doing Bong Bo. Why does Wah Lum call their form Bung Bu (Big Mantis ) I have no idea when the words and character both mean "CRUSHING STEP" this is where people start getting confused.

Most students that have a Chinese teacher start learning to speak or read chinese characters so that they can actually understand the true meaning of the techniques. (it kind of looses it's meaning when translating and sometimes people don't use the proper translation.

Either way it doesn't matter what he wants to call it as long as you know the difference (this is important for people who want to pass on the tradition and for historical facts only).

Peace
Mantismaster