From the Wing Chun style seen in IP Man to the Shaolin Temple style practiced by the monks at Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain, Chinese kung fu encompasses a vast number of different schools and styles.
Evolving over thousands of years, many of these styles owe their roots to mimicking the actions of different animals like tigers, snakes, and monkeys. Yantai of Shandong province is home to Praying Mantis.
In this video, American host Jack Klumpp heads to Yantai in search of Yu Yongbo, a real-life “Mantis Master.” Born and raised in Laiyang, the part of Yantai where Mantis Boxing originated 400 years ago, Master Yu is the ninth-generation inheritor of this kung fu style.
However, Jack only has 48 hours to learn with Master Yu. He pushes himself to the limit attempting different Mantis Boxing fighting stances and attacks, speed and strength training, and even the “iron arm” exercise where he has to repetitively slam his arms into a tree.
Does Jack have what it takes to master the basics of Mantis Boxing? What does Mantis Boxing mean to a city like Yantai and what is the ultimate goal of kung fu?