The Chow's Praying Praying Mantis Martial Art (Chow Family) is also known as Southern Praying Mantis System. It prevails in the area of the East River. The training is concentrated in the usage of individual movements and pair exercises. The bridge (forearm), waist and stance are used simultaneously with infinite variety of movements. Emphasis is placed on speed and power. Both shock power and qigong (breathing techniques) are the most renowned components in this style. The story started at Shaolin Monastery in Fujian Province about two hundred years ago. The Founder Mr. Chow Ah Nam came from Chow’s Village, Hing Ning County, Ka Hing District alongside of the East River in Guangdong Province. He joined the Shaolin Monastery as a cook during his teenage for medical treatment and martial art learning. One day, when he was out, he saw the fighting between a praying mantis and a red-billed leiothrix in a jungle. It indeed greatly broadened his horizon as a small little praying mantis could overcome its opponent of much larger size. He got a sudden idea of copying the fighting techniques of praying mantis. Then he captured a few praying mantes and returned to the Monastery. Chow used a twig to test their reaction and by doing so he realized the Praying Mantis fighting skill. Later he received advanced guidance in Shaolin internal power from Head Monk Sim Yan. At last, he developed a very peculiar style ? Chow’s Praying Mantis Martial Art and hence became a founding martial artist. Chow returned to his home village later and taught Wong Fook Go. Wong passed on this art to Lau Shui. Lau was a resident of Heung Yuen Village, Goon Yam Kok of Wai Yeung. At that time, it was the end of the Ching Dynasty. In order to promote this art outside his home village, Lau went southwards to Hong Kong. At first, he set up a martial art school at Shaukiwan. At about ten years later, he moved to 1/F, 52 Bulkeley Street Hung Hom, Kowloon and continued to teach Chow’s Praying Mantis Martial Art. My Sifu Yip (Kai) Shui (passed away on 27 April 2004), whose ancestral home situated at Tung Hang of San Hui, was a disciple of Lau at the time. During the second year of Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, Lau caught an illness and his son Wai Keung (Chuen Heung) had returned to his home village earlier. So Lau had no next-of-kin in Hong Kong. However, he was lucky as Ip Shui and his wife took care of him at his home. They made concerted efforts to feed and nurse Lau in turn round the clock. It last for a few months but the couple lodged no complaint at all. Lau also registered the imminence of his death. So whenever he was on the mend, he taught Ip Shui the highest level of the art. Lau also wrote down the essence of the Chow’s Praying Mantis fighting theories, poles, other weapons, qigong and secret bonesetting recipes in a bulky volume and presented it to Ip Shui. He asked Ip Shui to further develop this art by saying：

“I hereby pass the mantle on to you. It will be good for you to teach your offsprings. If you teach disciples, you must tell them the history of this art. By doing so, the future generations will know who is the founder and the origin of the style. If you fail to do that, you will undoubtedly receive the God’s punishment. That means when you teach your disciples, you should clearly tell them this is the ‘East River Chow’s Praying Mantis Style’.”

Hence Ip Shui took over the mantle of Lau and became the Helmsman of the Chow’s Praying Mantis Style.

Ip Shui started his martial art school at 2/F, 11 Malacca Street, Hung Hom in 1948 to teach Chow’s Praying Mantis fighting art, weapons, tapered pole, conditioning qigong (static and dynamic exercises), essence assimilation exercise, poisonous snake mist exhale qigong, body protection qigong, etc.

In 1963, Ip moved to 2/F, 46 Tak Ku Ling Road, Kowloon City to continue his teaching. The first branch school was set up at 2/F, 222 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok in 1969. His son-in-law Ng Si Kay became the instructors of this school.