Southern Praying Mantis Six Short Powers

Grandmaster Henry Poo Yee

The root of the Southern Praying Mantis kung fu style known as "Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang" is
the qigong (also called chi kung) of Gum Jong Jow - Tit Bo Yee (hard chi kung of Golden Bell Iron
Shirt). This produces the system's short-range powers. The Southern Praying Mantis kung fu system
has six of this kind of short-range powers: guen-hon-dew don gang, guen-hon-jet don gang, guenhon-har gang, chung moon gang, yuh moon gang, and jaw moon gang.

The short-range powers are only developed by daily practice. The feet, the body, and the hands
must balance each other before you can have true strength. This is especially true within the Jook
Lum Temple style of Southern Praying Mantis kung fu in the 18 Points Striking system. With this
short-range power training, a Southern Praying Mantis kung fu practitioner produces yam yan - yul
gon (yin and yang of opposite strength) of kuen fat (hand movement abilities).

Using the Short Powers

For a skilled practitioner in a defense position, it is not necessary to block an attacker's punch.
Instead, the short-range powers can be used initially to control the attacker's force. It is difficult for
a non-Southern Praying Mantis practitioner to understand this kung fu fighting concept, but a
skillful Southern Praying Mantis practitioner, if attacked, won't block for defense, though he will
follow through with his own punch.
As he completes the action, he uses the following three motions: guen (contact); hon (using and redirecting the incoming force); and don (then following through with a punch).
Within Southern Praying Mantis kung fu, these motions are learned at various levels, including the
short-range powers in Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang; Som Dim Bum (Three and Half Points
Contact system); Ng Dim (Five Points system); and the Chut Dim Lin Wan (Seven Points
combination system). Combine kuen fat with Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang, and you can achieve
this defensive strength in mobility.

Beginning Practice
There are several steps to practicing Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang in the short-range powers of
guen-hon-don gang.
First, position the Southern Praying Mantis stance in the footwork of Ding Bud Ding, Bot Bud Bot.
The body posture should be in the shape of Dew Tung Dip Guat Show Kay Bui, with the hands in
the Southern Praying Mantis kung fu fighting position of Tun Sao.
At this point, you must learn how to form the kung fu style of Fun Non Choi (Phoenix Eye Fist). To
make a Jook Lum style of Phoenix Eye Fist, the footwork must balance the upper body posture,
with the two supporting each other like a strut.
From the fighting position of Tun Sao, slowly pull the body inward, curling in from the last fingers
on both hands. Slowly tighten up the body - except joints - with tension as you would generate in
motion. When both elbows are curled in front of the body, make a reverse grip motion with both
hands in a Phoenix Eye Fist. Then release the grip's tension in a controlled motion over a count of
three.
This kind of qigong from the body produces the yam yan - yul gon powers. It should not be
confused with brute force. The short-range power of guen-hun-don gang is generated from the body
through controlled release. A truly traditional Southern Praying Mantis kung fu practitioner must
master the short-range power of guen-hon-don gang - it is the base for strengths in the mobility of
balance with the system's yam yan - yul gon in kuen fat. It is especially necessary within the system
of Jook Lum style of the Southern Praying Mantis kung fu of Mu Far Sop Bot Dim Siem Kuen, a
system of training under Jook Lum. This uses the Phoenix Eye Fist like a hammer, striking into a
human body's pressure points or joints. Without this kind of guen-hon-don gang, the kung fu's
results will not be deadly.

Continued Exercise
Three exercises develop the short powers in guen-hon-don gang for the Phoenix Eye Fist strikes.
The first exercise is called guen-hon-dew don gang. It is also called dew (hanging) gang; bout
(shoulder) gang; or chang (long) gang.
Second are the guen-hon-jet don gang. Jet, implying strength in the forward position, is also called
yul (waist) gang, or chung (middle) gang.

The last of the first three Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang of guen-hon-har gang are called chum
(sinking) gang. These exercises develop control in footwork.
In Southern Praying Mantis kung fu training, the three short powers of Nan Tong Long Pai Lok
Gang balance the training concepts regarding control with the strength of the footwork. The body
posture works within the system of kuen fat to execute the Phoenix Eye Fist strikes.
The last three short powers of Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang - hou som gang - combine the short
powers' concept of yam yan - yul gon to the kuen fat of open hands. This is also called gee (finger)
gang. It trains the practitioner to "borrow" the opponent's force, and teaches techniques such as the
strike grip, pulling, hooking, trapping, pushing, and thrashing.
Nan Tong Long Pai hou som gang includes the positions of chung moon gang (center gate); yuh
moon gang (right gate); and jaw moon gang (left gate). To balance the system's kuen fat in
movements for all directions are the Nan Tong Long Pai Lok Gang within the Jook Lum Temple
Tong Long Pai kung fu - som gen (three scissors) and say moon sao (four gate).

About the Author: Henry Poo Yee is a fifth generation direct disciple of the late fourth generatiion
Grandmaster Sifu Lam Sang, of Jook Lum Temple Tong Long Pai. Sifu Yee is the director and
head instructor of the Chinese Kung Fu Academy of Southern Praying Mantis Federation, U.S.A.
headquarters, at Houston, Texas.