Martial arts in Qingdao: Mantis boxing keeps 82-year-old spry

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It’s early afternoon on a warm day in Qingdao and Master Sun Congzhai was giving one of his many daily martial arts classes in the car park of a local community center.

This one’s based on Mantis Boxing -- a form of martial arts that copies the insect mantis and the way it goes about killing its prey.

It started here in Shandong Province and is now practiced all over the world.

If you look carefully, you can see hints of the Mantis attack position when the students’ arms are raised.

File of Sun Congzhai, Mantis boxing master, practicing. /VCG Photo

Afterwards the class stands stock still ... they clearly respect their teacher as they wait in line for his next move.

I WANT TO BE A MASTER WHEN I GROW UP

Huang Zhipeng is just 16 years old, who wants to be a Master one day like Master Sun. What does a young man like him enjoy about the class?

“It keeps me fit and helps me to defend myself, and it’s also part of [China’s] intangible cultural heritage,” said Huang.

IT KEEPS ME YOUNG

Yu Ruihua has been practicing Mantis boxing for forty years, and she said it keeps her young.

File of students learning to practice Mantis boxing. /VCG Photo‍

“It benefits me a lot, it keeps me healthy and I love martial arts,” said Yu.

Master Sun takes a well-earned rest while students carry on with their moves. He’s 82 and said he gets up at 5 a.m. every day to practice martial arts, before teaching most days and all day long.

“Mantis Boxing is 2,700 years old. it can defend you from attacks that may come from all directions. You’ve got to use your hands and legs and all your body to defend yourself,” said Sun.

GO ON TRY TO STRIKE ME!

Master Sun took me aside to teach me a few quick moves. I copy what he does as best I can -- all the time keeping one eye on him.

Then out of the blue, he surprised me by asking me to hit him to demonstrate how spry he is, and how effective Mantis Boxing can be. Remember, he’s 82 years old.

Each time he blocked my mock attack like a man less than half his age.

We parted as good friends, though I’d never want to be in his bad books!