| SouthernMantisPress™ - Your Hakka Mantis e-Source! (Best Viewed with Firefox) |
| Item Categories |
Welcome to Southern Mantis Press! |
- chinamantis.com
- bambootemple.com
- bambootemple-chicago.com
- btcba.com
- kwongsaimantis.com
- somdotmantis.com
- chugarmantis.com
- ironoxmantis.com
- mantisflix.com
- tientaoqigong.com
- southmantis.com
- oriental-secrets-series
2014 - Autumn / Winter China Hakka Mantis NewsVideos may load slowly depending on your net connection. Best viewed with Mozilla Firefox.In this Article:
Hong Kong, October 2014, RDH --
Sean W. Robinson is a private student of mine. He lives with his Chinese wife and son, in nearby Shenzhen City, and has been training twice a week with me privately for the last couple of years. In October, he accompanied me to Hong Kong on some business and visitation. We stopped by, out of curiosity, to visit the Chin Woo Association, established in 1910 by the late Huo Yuanjia. In the photo left of Sean, that is Huo's death photo above Sean's head. When I was living in Beijing, circa 1989, and published the Martial Arts of China Magazines, I featured Huo Yuanjia and some of his students and acquaintances, so it was a pleasure to stop by this Hong Kong martial art hermitage which was established circa 1918-22.
Here is the address:
Hong Kong, October 2014, RDH --
I trained Plum Flower Northern Mantis circa 1976-78, in South Korea, and the Hakka Southern Mantis legend states a connection to a mysterious figure named Xie, who traveled to the Northern five provinces and influenced North Mantis. Lee Sifu had a couple of USA students who had been training in Hong Kong a few weeks and Lee was heading to Wudang Mountain to lead a tour the next day. We had a short chat and I reminded Lee that he and I had last met at my Hong Kong Chu Gar Sifu's celebration, in 2002. Lee Sifu was the Master of Ceremonies for the celebration and a friend of my Chu Gar Sifu, the late Cheng Wan.
VIDEO 2002: That is Lee Sifu, in the background, as Master of Cermonies for Cheng Wan Sifu's 2002 Celebration, in this video, and RDH demonstrating as Guest of Honor:
Here are the addresses - visit them when in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Chinese Martial Art Association
Dr. Simon Han from Taiwan, is a cardiologist and teacher-historian of several styles of martial art. He is also an avid Mantis man, both Northern and Southern Hakka Mantis. He maintains a website on Hakka Mantis: http://www.jltmantis.weebly.com and also is affiliated with Simon's Kwongsai Mantis site has a version of the Eighteen Hands in Chinese and although, it isn't exactly what Mark or Louie Sifu wrote for each hand, I think Dr. Han's version is an excellent academic look. We must remember, when Lam Sang began teaching in the 1940s, in the USA, many of the hands didn't have names. It was his disciples, in an effort to remember and associate the actions, that gave names to each skill. You can reach Dr. Han at simonclh@gmail.com
James Roselando is well known in the Wing Chun community as an historian and Ambassador, of Old Fung's Gulo Side Body Wing Chun today. In fact, I was with him, in Gulo, the day Old Fung appointed Jim, as an Ambassador by ceremony. He is opening a new School in the Boston area teaching:
What many don't know is that Jim is also an avid Hakka Mantis man. He traveled to study with me extensively during the late 1990s and sometimes visits me here, in China. He remains a good friend and student of mine today! I appreciate Jim. If you are in the Boston area visit his School or if you just want to chat then email him at: jjr1969@gmail.com Who knows? You might be able to persuade him to teach you Mantis too! Here is the address: Park Ave Wellness - "Energy-Meditation-Life"
Dr. Dale Dugas AP DOM MAOM Dipl.OM
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Services offered at:
Jade Tree Wellness Center 3039 49th St N St. Petersburg FL 33710 Community Acupuncture Services offered at:
Seminole Heights Community Acupuncture 6420 N Central Ave Tampa FL 33604
Hakka Martial Arts Instruction offered in Tampa: 813-237-0350
A formal Study Group / School established 2015 in Lima. Contact Mr. Talavera getalavera@hotmail.com
RDH Teaching Ground Under Renovation
Pingshan, December 2014, RDH --
For the last year, I've been teaching Sean Robinson and sometimes a few natives twice a week, at the local Hakka Museum. It is a large estate of several acres and dozens of rooms and buildings dating back more than 200 years. Recently, we discovered an article was featured in the local travel newspaper about our training there. Although, the museum is officially closed for the next year, they allow us into the main hall to train. Just because it is closed with a notice posted outside the main gate doesn't stop a steady flow of tourism though, and one day a local man happened in and engaged me in conversation while we were training. He brought with him the travel newspaper and came to see for himself that foreigners were teaching and studying Hakka Mantis in the local museum! We had no idea about the story or newspaper and so he presented it to Sean and I snapped the shot above. (The guy wasn't as small as he appears, Sean is a big guy!) In fact, the newspaper was doing an article about the Hakka Museum which is a well known tourist destination. People not only travel from all over China but by bus loads from Hong Kong as well. The red check mark begins the story of RDH teaching at the Hakka Museum. The picture at the bottom actually shows a side view of the front gate and the duck and fish pond in front of the museum.
During a typical two hour training session we may see a dozen visitors and I usually have a brief chat with them all. Ocassionally, we have some martial artists who engage me about boxing but so far, all encounters have been positive. In fact, we have had a number of people who want to pop in for a class and a few that train farily regular. One of the curators says his grandfather and relatives were tenants in this museum and that his grandfather trained Hakka Mantis there. Below is Sean teaching a couple of locals how to walk the Hakka Mantis horse.
As a result of the continuing renovations at the Hakka Museum, we've been training at a nearby local reservoir and Pagoda. This image doesn't do justice to the locale. It is a large area and that is a hiking-bike path that I've heard extends all the way to Shenzhen, some 40 kilometers or more away! One day, I'm going to skip training Mantis, get my Gatorade and see how far I make it. Perhaps, I'll discover some hidden Hakka Mantis or gain some new students along the way. You never know until you try! Come here and join us.
Pingshan, November 2014, RDH --
Some Tuesday or Thursday mornings before training, Sean and I stop by the Martial Hall (Kwong Wu Tang) of the Wong Yuk Kong Clan for tea and a short chat. Sean seems to have become a respected figure now in both Kwongsai and Chu Gar circles. (Last year he traveled 3.5 hours a day roundtrip to train with me when I opened the Chu Gar School in Huizhou. This year he has shortened his travel to 2.5 hours per day by coming to train with me in Pingshan Town.) I went to present a gift - a Hakka Mantis Wall Clock to Wong Yu Hua. I told Wong the clock was to remind him of our 22 years of friendship and also to remind him that we had better get busy - our time now, nearing 60 years of age, is on the down side of 12 noon! Note: This custom Hakka Mantis wall clock will be available soon on Amazon.com and this website for 29.99. It is quality made with a crisp Mantis image and hangs in the Kwongsai Mantis Kwong Wu Tang in Pingshan Town! Now it can add ambience to your wall too! (Actually the clock image is the logo of our Huizhou Chu Gar Mantis School - the seal states Hakka Praying Mantis.) Older Brother Wong Yao Hong was also there and so after a cup of tea, I asked the two Wong Brothers to enjoy Sean and me playing Som Bo Gin Two Man Form. At once, we played both the Loose Hands One and Som Bo Gin Two Man Sets to great applause. It seems they were sufficiently impressed. (I am reminded of the maxim, "the more one tries to impress, the less impressive he is.") Some time ago, I was asked by Wong Yu Hua to teach a couple of his students the Som Bo Gin two man form transmitted by Lam Sang. There are some subtle differences between Lam's USA and China's Kwongsai Mantis. I will elaborate on those someday soon. One picture, of the thousand hanging on the Kwong Wu Tang wall, caught my attention this last visit. It was a picture from the 1960s of Zhang Gun Hai, the producer of the Wong Fei Hong and Jook Lum Temple movie. Zhang was also student of Wong Yuk Kong's Kwongsai Mantis. It seems Zhang's Bil Jee Spearing Fingers are full of spirit! Have a look:
Zhang Gun Hoi Sifu, Producer of Wong Fei Hong and Jook Lum Temple Movie, Circa 1960s, I do plan further projects with Kwong Wu Tang and the Wong Clan in 2015. Meanwhile, they welcome your visit! Let me know when you will arrive!
Kwongsai Jook Lum Temple Mantis
In addition to the above programs mostly completed now, there are several new media such as 1st Generation Lao Sui teaching (Chu Kai Ming-Anthony Chan) in book and DVD, Secret Kungfu Societies of Old China Book, VOLUME 11 Loose Hands One Two Man Set DVD which are slated for 2015 publication. Additionally, Chu Gar Instructional Fundamental Skills on DVD and Single Man forms of both, Chu Gar and Kwongsai Mantis, are scheduled. So stay tuned if you are interested in Hakka Mantis.
PS. I am always behind schedule - the old maxim - "I'm three months behind on three week's of work", always applies to me; slow but sure. Eventually, I will release on MANTISFLIX DVDs all of the 100+ hours of Hakka Mantis Events and Celebrations dating back to the 1950s, which were left to me by late Sifu Cheng Wan, Hong Kong.
Happy 2014 Holidays and 2015 New Year (Feb 19) of the Sheep!
Start Training today: VOL ONE PS. I know that I've mentioned Sean W. Robinson, a number of times in this issue. He deserves the recognition. Few, of the thousands of students I've trained, have exhibited his interest and dedication. He will likely become a next generation Mantis Man! Only time will tell - time is the deciding factor - dedication and interest without protracted time will fail. It is rare when interest and dedication meet opportunity and time. Sean is already a lifelong martial artist having trained the world over. There is a saying in Mantis, "if you like Mantis, it will like you". That is to say keep single-minded and focus on your goal and you will reach it! Persevere. | ||
About UsSouthern Mantis Press is a POD publisher of books, DVDs, eBooks, and various media and printed matter related to Kwongsai, Chu Gar and Iron Ox Southern Praying Mantis Kungfu. Our books are distributed by Ingram Book Company, the largest book wholesale distributor in the world. Distribution partners include Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Gardners and Bertrams among others. |
What We DoPreserving and Promoting Kwongsai Bamboo Forest Temple, Chu Gar and Iron Ox Southern Praying Mantis through an ongoing |
News and EventsThe Southern Mantis Press complete website and more new media is scheduled to be online July first. Keep an eye for more details. And a new blog will replace our news column on this site. If you haven't, then check the latest China Mantis news and our news archive going back several years! |
The plan was to next visit the 
The image below shows the locale and that is my long time associate and companion Ms. Huang Yan and puppy Lucy Mae in the picture! Both of them also train Hakka Mantis!
