一、螳螂拳概說 Brief Introduction of Tanglang Quan
螳螂拳是在少林長拳攻防技術的基礎上，吸取了螳螂的許多特長編製的一種優秀拳術。螳螂拳是在長期的傳習過程中，又廣泛地吸收其他拳術的一些優點加以改造，不斷地豐富和發展而形成的一個獨立拳派。
Tanglang Quan(Mantis Style)has absorbed specialties from mantis and was created on the base of attacking and defending techniques of Shaolin Chang Quan.During the development，it has absorbed advantages from other styles of Quan and formed its own independent style.
螳螂拳主要流傳於山東膠東各地。主要流派有“七星”、“梅花”、“六合”。七星螳螂拳和梅花螳螂拳在動作的組合結構上更為相近。這兩種螳螂拳的許多套路名稱、動作組合、攻防辦法等方麵都大同小異。
Tanglang Quan(Mantis Style)is popular in Jiaodong，Shangdong and the main schools are“Seven-Star Tanglang Quan”，“Plum-Blossom Tanglang Quan” and“Six-Conformity Tanglang Quan”.Seven-Star Tanglang Quan is similar to Plum-Blossom Tanglang Quan in movement structure and they share quite similar Taolu，movements，attacking and defending techniques.
螳螂拳雖屬“象形拳”類，但從總體來講是“重意”不“重形”。螳螂拳氣勢要求緊快即眼快、手快、身快。演練要式快招連、一招三變，氣勢逼人而又變化莫測，處處表現出剛柔相濟、長短互用，勇猛潑辣，機智靈活，變化多端的風格。
“Tanglang Quan”falls into the category of Imitation Quan,but it emphasizes more on the spirit than plain imitation.It requires the eyes，hands and body to be quick.When practicing it，the movements shall be fast，continuous，changing and imposing.It should always show forcefulness with flexibility，braveness with fierceness and cleverness with most changefulness.
螳螂拳各種不同派別，在演練上有很大不同，比如六合螳螂拳就是取意的典型。少林螳螂拳對形體更加講究一些。這隻是偏重的不同，事實上都是講求形意合一。形是載體，意是本質。