Southern Praying Mantis (南派螳螂) places a heavy emphasis on close-range fighting, short powerful methods, and has aspects of both internal and external techniques. In application, the emphasis is on hand and arm techniques, and a limited use of low kicks. The application of close combat methods with an emphasis on hands and short kicking techniques makes the Southern Praying Mantis somewhat akin to what many would call "street fighting." The hands are the most readily available for attack and defence of the upper body, and protect the stylist by employing ruthless techniques designed to inflict serious injury. The legs are moved quickly into range through footwork to protect and defend the body, with kicks kept low, short and quick so as to never leave the Southern Mantis combatant off balance and vulnerable. The reputation is such that Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu with it's powerful and rapid fire striking is truly a respected and feared Martial Art in the Hong Kong community.
Mantis Kung Fu is also known as Mantis Boxing or “螳螂拳 tángláng quán” in Chinese.
Southern Mantis is said to have come from the Southern Shaolin temple in Fujian. A member of the Ming royal family who took refuge there was taught a earlier version of Southern Mantis early on in its development. The monks developed a Kung Fu style that was faster to learn, close range and designed to defeat a skilled opponent with fast and powerful attacking that left no time for defence.
The rebels and shaolin monks went to another Shaolin temple in southern China, where one of the monks,(Wong Dao Yun), circa 1800, taught the Southern Praying Mantis style to Chow Ah-Nam( 周亞南 ), who had as a boy left his home in Guangdong Province for medical treatment at the Southern Shaolin Monastery in Fujian Province where he was trained in the martial arts and eventually Southern Praying Mantis.