The praying Mantis system of fighting was developed around 400 years ago in China’s Shang Tung province. Wang Lang the originator of the style being a Ming patriot left his home to improve his kung Fu at the Honan Temple. The reason why Lang wanted to improve his Kung Fu was that he wanted to become an officer in the rebel army thatwas fighting the Manchurians.  Lang during sparing sessions always had trouble beating his senior brother monk Feng in the system of Shaolin fighting. Around this time his senior brother Monk Feng had decide that all shaolin monks must spend three years traveling through out china. Feng told Lang that when he completed his three-year journey they would spar again to see
if his Kung Fu had improved. One day while Lang was training his Kung Fu he
came across a Praying mantis fighting a Cicada. Lang was fascinated at once with the way the mantis was able to attack and defend the bigger opponent the Cicada. Lang observed as the mantis moved in and out trapping it’s opponent with his forearms.  Lang after being defeated by monk Feng had a new motivation to improve his Kung Fu. Lang saw that he could use the mantis preditorial style to adapt his Kung fu. Lang then proceeded to use a stick to poke at the mantis to get a better understanding of how it defended it self. Within a week of studying the mantis Wang Lang was able to adapt the insect combat style to fundamental that would apply to humans. Wang Lang classified these movements into 12 character principles, ( Kou (hook), Lou (grasp),
t'sai (strike), kwa (upward block), tiao (hook), chin (advance), peng (recede), ta (strike first), chan (contact), nien (cling), tieh (tag), and k'ao (lean).   
To accompany his new style of hand strikes and grasps they system needed effective footwork. Lang incorporated the footwork from the monkey style to give his Kung Fu a quickness that was not previously possible for Lang.  Now when Monk Feng had returned from his three-year journey around china, lang had the opportunity to spar again. The difference was this time Lang had won easily. Feng agreed it was a great
style and helped Lang to refine the style some more.  Once they agreed the style had been perfected they taught the style to the rest of the Monks as a higher level of Kung Fu.