About Buddha Z

Tai Mantis was NORTHERN Shaolin and as it turned out–the owner of this school was Grandmaster Kam Yuen who was the Technical Advisor for the Kung Fu television series starring David Carradine in the 1970s.  This television series was the inspiration for Buddha Zhen, then known as Richard Del Connor, to seek Shaolin Kung Fu in the first place.  One of his rock & roll bands, THE RICH, used to watch an episode of Kung Fu before each of their rehearsals.  So Richard was immediately excited to see if he could learn this ancient Buddhist martial art system from the original Shaolin Temple.  This appeared to be exactly what he was looking for.  When he enrolled he explained to one of the Shifu who signed him up, “I’m looking for a martial art with lots of kicks so I don’t hurt my hands.  I’m a musician who performs bass and flute.”  

Four years later in 1984 Richard graduated having learned:

• Yang Tai Chi Chuan
• Wang Tai Chi Chuan
• 12 Tantui (the basis of Jeet Kune Do of Bruce Lee)
• “Luohan 1” (one of the oldest Kung Fu forms of the Shaolin Temple circa 800 A.D.)
• “Lian Bu” (aka “Ling Po” which Richard would learn in 2009 was the “Masonic Kung Fu” form of 1935.)
• “Small Circular Luohan Fist”. (There’s a really cool video of Dr. Kam Yuen performing this with application demonstrations in Manhattan Beach.)

Then he learned the Intermediate Level Shaolin Kung Fu:

• “Shaolin 6”
• “Shaolin 7”
• “Shaolin 8”
• Shaolin Staff 2-Man form: “Fire & Water”
• Shaolin Advanced Staff form: “Ground Demon Staff”
• Single Broadsword form of the Tai Chi Praying Mantis system: “Jade Ring Dao”
• Shaolin Double Saber 
• 2-Man Chin Na form
• “Hard Soft” Praying Mantis form
• “Piercing Hand” Praying Mantis form
• “Bunbo” Praying Mantis form
• “Large Cross” Praying Mantis form
• “Small Cross” Praying Mantis form

Then he learned the Advanced Level Shaolin Kung Fu:

• “Shaolin 2”
• “Shaolin 4”
• “Shaolin 5”
• Shaolin Spear
• Luohan Straight Sword
• 9-Section Whip Chain
• Double Tiger Hook Swords
• “Monkey Steals A Peach” Praying Mantis form
• “Monkey Escapes From The Cave” Praying Mantis form
• “Plum Blossom” Praying Mantis form
• “Plum Flower Falling” Praying Mantis form
• “Plum Flower Fist” Praying Mantis form

Then he learned the Shifu Level Shaolin Kung Fu:

• “Shaolin 1”
• “Shaolin 3”
• “Shaolin 9”
• “Shaolin 10”
• Iron Palm Training
• Shaolin Short Staff
• Taoist Staff
• Kwan Do (Southern Style from Taoist Steve Baugh)
• 3-Sectional Staff
• “Ground Mantis” Praying Mantis form
• “Upper 8 Elbows” Praying Mantis form
• “Lower 8 Elbows” Praying Mantis form
• “Half-Drunken Mantis” Praying Mantis form
• Shaolin Monk Spade

Ten years later after founding the Shaolin Chi Mantis system Richard learned:

• Shaolin “Fatal Flute”
• Shaolin Hook Cane
• Chen Tai Chi Chuan
• “Lian Bu” from Grandmaster Wong Jack Man who then certified Richard, now known as Zhen Shen-Lang “Spirit Wolf of Truth” as an official Chinese Jing Mo school after reviewing his training and altering a few Kung Fu moves he’d learned at Tai Mantis.  (Dr. Kam Yuen was a student of Shifu Wong Jack Man in the 1960s.)