Difference between Northern and Southern Praying Mantis?

[ashley]

What is the difference between Northern and Southern praying mantis Kung Fu, because I have been told that although they share the same names, they are in fact two completely unrelated chinese martial arts styles.

Is it true that they are unrelated and share no common grounds?

[Sensei Francois]

well as far as I know they are completely different!

The only similarity they have is the name Mantis. Just because a guy in the North of China called his style Mantis (tánglángquán) and a guy 1200 miles away in the south of China called his style mantis does not mean they have any relation at all.

It’s like asking people why does the tiger form of Hei Hu Quan look so different form the Tiger form of Hebei Xingyiquan. They are different styles with different origins.

[Mikeitup]

Ok. Northern Mantis is a long and close range system. Has a lot of forms and it does help if the practitioner is very flexible as there is a lot of jumping and high kicking etc.
It uses the Northern Mantis claw with the index finger being prominant and the wrist hooked. Wong Long, the founder witnessed a mantis fighting a bird and created the style accordingly.

Southern Mantis is medium to close range style and does not feature any acrobatic techniques and is more grounded. It concentrates on hard and fast strikes using the arms, legs, head, shoulder, fist, palms , elbows, knees, wrists etc.
It uses the sounthern mantis claw. (naam pai tong long jau)
It is still uncertain why it is called southern praying mantis. some believe this was done during the Ching Dynasty (1644-1912) so as to mislead the ruling government with regards to the peoples' serect kung fu style. Some believe that like a mantis SPM players hit more than one point when they attack like a praying mantis does with its prey. It hits it in one place to shock it and then precedes to devour the head. just some theories I heard.

[Tim-Bo]

Animal or insect, Kung Fu is fun to watch.