Praying Mantis Kung Fu
AKA: Tong Lun Kung Fu
This fast-moving form is one of the strangest of all the martial arts. It was created based on observations of the praying mantis insect, both as it catches its prey and as it fights others of its kind. The most specialized movement of this form is the "Mantis Claw" (Gou), which experts practice endlessly. One exercise is to practice punching through the skin and flesh of a piece of meat (often a Tong Lun specialist will have a relationship with a butcher). An even more difficult exercise is to toss a piece of paper in the air and strike it sharply enough to tear or impale it (try it, it's a lot harder than it sounds). Another exercise (don't try this one at home) is to tap the corner of the eyeball between blinks, without doing any harm. This is such a creative martial art, and innovation is so highly valued, that there are now dozens of competing styles, each with a whole series of new moves and counter-moves. One thing they all have in common is their desire for really close combat; to crowd in so close as to neutralize all the enemy's potential moves.
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