There is an old system, which as far as I know has been absorbed into Praying Mantis, particularly Seven Star, but which once existed as it’s own system of Kung Fu. It is called Sacred Ape (Sheng Yuan) or also White Ape (Bai Yuan). Through my research I haven’t uncovered anything other than a few vague mentions that it existed, and my teacher, Zhou Zhen Dong learnt around half of the system in his youth, but was too young to really know to ask anything about the history or lineage. If anyone has any leads, I would be very happy to hear from you!
From what I gather, the Sheng Yuan system is based on the story of the mythical white ape, who lived in Yan Xia Cave. (Yan Xia Cave is in fact situated on Kunyu Mountain, just outside Yantai City).
Bai Yuan Chu Dong 白猿出洞, Bai Yuan Kui Yuan白猿魁园, Bai Yuan Tou Tao 白猿偷桃, Bai Yuan Gun 白猿棍, Bai Yuan Xian Tao 白猿献桃, Bei Dou Quan 北斗拳.
White ape exits the cave, white ape spies the orchard, white ape steals a peach, white ape staff, white ape offers the peach, north star fist.
There was a white ape whose father died and then his mother got ill from depression. White ape heard there was an orchard on a mountain where the peaches of immortality grew once every 500 years. He decided to go there to get his mother a peach to cure hier illness. He left the cave to set off on his long journey. After ascending the mountain he found the orchard, and checked it out to make sure nobody was around. Seeing the coast was clear he ran in and stole a peach. However he was caught by Er Lang and the two of them had a staff fight. Bai Yuan begged him to stop attacking. Once Er Lang realised Bai Yuan could talk he asked why he stole the peach. Moved by the story of his mother, he agreed to give him one peach. Bai Yuan returned home and offered the peach to his mother. Surely, his mother was cured, and so he bowed down in reverence to the North Star.
