THE MANTIS BOXER
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Kang Zhiqiang was born on 26th February 1949 in Qingdao, Shandong, The Peoples Republic of China. Born into a family that valued the ancient traditions of China, his father insisted upon sending his young son to study martial arts as soon as possible. Kang’s father sought out the greatest masters of Tanglang Quan in Qingdao and gave his son over to a lifetime of study of Seven Star Mantis Boxing as a disciple of Grandmaster Li Zhanyuan (disciple of Xiao Shubin and Hu Yongfu). Kang Zhiqiang officially commenced his martial career at the age of six, in Taidong district, where he was to work, train, live and eventually teach for the rest of his life.


Kang trained in the classical methods for many hours a day and endured decades of hardship and pain in order to meet the exacting standards of Li Zhanyuan. Naturally blessed as a strongman, Kang struggled hard to equally develop all other areas of his gongfu, but was always known for his brute force and heavy striking power. Short and stocky but swift of foot, Kang quickly developed into a tough free-fighter and began taking challenge matches on behalf of the Taidong school from his early teens. Despite possessing the ability to perform flawless Taolu (boxing and weapons routines), with grace and control, the act of ‘touching hands’ (contact fighting), and conditioning his body through partner drills and qigong methods was his primary concern.


Though Qixing Tanglang was his life’s work, he was also a talented exponent of various local forms of Long Boxing, Yazi Quan (Duck Boxing), Shaolin and Taiji Quan and well versed in the sister arts of Meihua and Liuhe Tanglang.


The young Kang was required to master all the weapons of the Tanglang family as well as a wide variety of long and short weapons from the various northern schools of Chinese Boxing. Liuhe Gun (Six Harmonies Cudgel) became his personal favourite, which he was called upon to demonstrate on behalf of his master many times throughout the years. Kang Zhiqiang’s blazing speed and deft manipulation of the stick led to him representing Qingdao City and eventually the Shandong Provincial team, winning gold in national championships of the early 1960’s. Kang’s, Bai Yuan Tou Tao (White Ape Steals the Peach), Liuhe Gun (Six Harmonies Cudgel), and Baxian Jian (Eight Immortals Sword), were each recorded for posterity as examples of Qixing Tanglang by the Shandong Boxing Commission during the 1980’s.


Kang Shifu’s body was covered in puncture marks made by the points of spears, knives and the tips of steel whips. Thick scars from the hacks and slashes of swords showed across his forearms and legs with a three-inch gash along his hairline, the result of a skull-jarring chop from a broadsword. Kang often laughed loudly as he recalled these life-threatening injuries as nothing more than badges of careless rough play. Each of the masters of his generation from Qingdao to Yantai, knew his mettle and never once did he shy from a challenge, accepting all comers past the age of fifty.


Kang acted as bodyguard and security coordinator on many occasions, occupying a supervisory position in the Public Security Bureau until his passing in 2002. His expertise in combat skills lead to employment in television and cinema, appearing as a lead villain in the movie; The Water Margin and acting as a fight choreographer on Li Lianjie’s (Jet Li), Born To Defend. Kang’s involvement in the martial community of Qingdao was long and fruitful, over the years holding such positions as Vice Chairman of the Qingdao Qixing Tanglang Quan Association and as a committee member of Qingdao City Wushu Federation. Master Kang was also a member of the board of directors and specialist coach of several martial academies throughout Shandong. He was a nationally qualified senior referee and adjudicated at many local and international martial arts championships over the past twenty years.


Kang Zhiqiang was the working class son of a struggling family. Despite the amount of time and effort expended on the art of Mantis Boxing, it was never to become his source of income. Kang supported his wife, son and Shifu by earning a living as a blue-collar worker and generally shunned the limelight of the martial world. Despite coaching on behalf of Grandmaster Li Zhanyuan for many years, he carried no aspirations of taking the mantle of the family, content to look after his master in his old age and to continue practicing alone. In fact, apart from a very small handful of students, Kang never took on the role of Shifu of Mantis Boxing. The author (Brendan Tunks) was lucky enough to inherit his hard earned martial knowledge as disciple and adopted son in his final years.