History
Our school, Southern Preying Mantis (Tong Long) Kung Fu, has its roots in the Fukien Shaolin Temple of Southern China. It was conceived by Chow Ah Naam, after he observed a preying mantis in the forest, defending itself against a bird. This bird was a much bigger, and heavier adversary but could not match the speed and ferocity of the mantis. Eventually the bird gave up, bloodied and beaten. The head Abbott of the Shaolin Temple helped perfect this new martial system, expressing his wonder at Chow Ah Naam’s achievements.
Over the centuries this original system has been passed down to great students who became even greater Sifu’s. One of the most famous being Lau Soei, who brought the art from China to Hong Kong, passing it onto Ip Shui. We owe our existence here in Australia to my Sigung, Dr Natalis Yuen. Sigung evolved what he had learnt of the Mantis system by adding ideas from the Cotton Palm and Eagle’s Claw families taught to him by his uncles. Sigung is a man of very high moral standards and ethics, and has great knowledge not only in martial arts but also in medicine. Sigung Natalis Yuen is the founder of Southern Preying Mantis Kung Fu in Australia.
Sigung found a very passionate and committed student in Henry Sue, my Sifu. Sifu has continued in his master’s footsteps; training, absorbing, and putting into practice all of Sigung’s teachings. Eventually, he further advanced our Southern Preying Mantis style by adding his understanding of Tai Chi’s circlular hand and body movements, extracted from both the Chen and Yang style systems. He achieved his 9th Degree Grandmaster level in 1995 under Grandmaster Ip Shui in Hong Kong. Photos of him being handed the Custodianship of the lineage by Grandmaster Ip Shui and the brass plaque and certificate showing Ip Shui’s signature stating his title are housed in the Brisbane Headquarters and are on display to commemorate this prestigious occasion.
Grandmasters Nat Yuen and Henry Sue have made our Tong Long Kung Fu what it is today – a formidably versatile martial art, combining the killing shock power of Tong Long, the sensitivity and finesse of Cotton Palm, the ripping and tearing hands of Eagle Claw, and the alternately soft and explosive forces of Tai Chi.
I have spent the last 16 years learning Tong Long Kung Fu, weapons, and Qigong from my Sifu, the last 11 years learning Yang style Tai Chi form and weapons, and a history of 8 years under the Chinese Lion.
Thanks to the love my Sigung and my Sifu have for their art and their students, we now have close to 20 outlets in Queensland and New South Wales teaching Southern Preying Mantis Kung Fu. The style will continue to evolve and grow with Grandmaster Henry Sue’s constant input into his Masters, and their input into their students. My endeavour is to show my students the commitment, guidance, skill, focus, passion, and love I am shown by my Sifu and Sigung, and one day have knowledge and understanding that I can inject into the continuing evolution of this high level martial art.
