Exploring the Art of Mantis Kung Fu in Yantai

Join Samar Kerkeni, a foreign expert of China Daily Website as she travels to Yantai, Shandong province, to experience Praying Mantis Kung Fu, one of China's traditional martial arts.

Guided by martial arts master Yu Yongbo, she learns the basics of Praying Mantis Kung Fu, from defensive techniques to signature attacking movements, and discovers that every movement requires speed, precision and timing.

One of the 10 major styles of Chinese martial arts, the Praying Mantis Kung Fu incorporates the essence of 18 different boxing techniques. It has been practiced and passed down in Yantai for nearly 300 years.

Yu, a ninth-generation inheritor, began training under a Praying Mantis Kung Fu master at the age of 11 and has devoted nearly five decades to preserving and promoting the art. To date, he has trained four inheritors and more than 10,000 students, helping ensure that the legacy of Praying Mantis Kung Fu lives on for future generations.