TSAI YONG HUANG – SIX HARMONY PRAYING MANTIS

Six Harmony Praying Mantis (Liu He Tang Lang)

Liu He Tanglang (Six Harmony Mantis Boxing) – Yong Huang Tsai (3 DVD set)

In this remarkable DVD set, Sifu Tsai Yong Huang presents the six simplified forms he developed based on the traditional principles of Liu He Tang Lang incorporated in the original routines. These routines create step-by-step accessibility for students to bridge the basics of the system and the more advanced forms. He then demonstrates generous usage from each of the new forms, again, maintaining techniques specific to Liu He Tang Lang. Finally, Tsai Sifu honors the traditional by demonstrating the six original forms.

There are many uncommon aspects to this DVD set, not the least of which are the two meaty introductions by both Sifu Adam Hsu and Sifu Tsai. One aspect of the introductions that particularly struck us was the emphasis by both Sifu Hsu and Sifu Tsai that this is an ongoing project—still in developing stages— and that both are actively seeking both contribution and criticism. This refreshing humility is rare these days, and encourages us even further to recommend this DVD.

Six Harmony Praying Mantis
by Tsai Yong Huang

165 minutes, Three DVDs, English subtitles
Mantis is a world-renowned style, including popular “hard” Tang Lang versions such as Seven Star and Plum Blossom, as well as “soft” mantis, in the form of Liu He Tang Lang, which is much less common.

Sifu Tsai Yong Huang (from the Liu He Tang Lang lineage of Chang Xiang San) has dedicated himself to preserving the heart and spirit of this style, fitting all the bricks together into six new forms with definite advantages. Attuned to the original six routines, every foundational move, action, and deflection technique is reinforced and magnified with Liu He power and energy, incorporating the following Principles and Methods:

1. Maintain all core movements in Six Harmony Praying Mantis.
2. Improve sequences and transitions.
3. Symmetrical practice: right and left sides
4. Wrap basics in the forms and practice both ways
5. Necessary step-wise overlap of skills ranging upward
6. First 3 forms=Basics. Latter 3 forms=Applications

On this remarkable DVD, every portion of the style has been mapped into a new, recalibrated shape, transforming each of the six older forms into its ‘simplified’ version—a completely reorganized modern Liu He. Maintaining identifiable key words, looping exercises, applications and principles, this reworking makes the initial journey from basics to taolu, then taolu to application, not only easier to practice but also more welcoming to the spirit of experiment. Anyone can rearrange, shorten, re-assemble and refine all—amazingly—within the densely packed universe of Liu He elements. This also means that the applications ring true, fitting back into the older versions—a truly extraordinary achievement—allowing practitioners to cross-reference the traditional and the re-made.

On the question of applications, the moves are done with a rarely seen sincerity that removes confusion: if it works in the form, it works on the street.

There are many uncommon aspects to this 3-disk Six Harmony Mantis set, not the least of which are the two meaty introductions by both Sifu Adam Hsu and Sifu Tsai. Synchronistically, Plum recently published Sifu Hsu’s significant book, “Life Is Too Short For Bad Kung Fu,” in which he outlined crucial methods to save traditional Wushu from extinction. He might have had this DVD in mind when he reiterated the dire need for more attention to basics; a ‘graduated’ curriculum; and a serious respect for traditional form, (but not to the exclusion of modernization).

Sifu Tsai appears to have excelled on all counts and earned Adam Hsu’s recommendation for how it could be done: Tsai Sifu developed the six new forms with respect to the traditional principles of Liu He Tang Lang; he created step-by-step accessibility, giving students a bridge between the basics and the more advanced forms; he excerpted generous usage from each of the new forms; and he honored the traditional by including and demonstrating the six original forms. All are included on this 3-disk set.

There is one more thing that struck us: the DVD introductions emphasize that this is an ongoing project—still in developing stages— actively seeking contribution and criticism. This refreshing humility is rare these days, and much appreciated.

3 Disk Set /MP4