Bo Sim Sau – The Sneaky Power of Searching Insect Hands in Chow Gar

What Is Bo Sim Sau?

In the world of Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, there are forms that test your strength, ones that build your structure, and then there’s Bo Sim Sau—the stealthy, cunning form that teaches you how to hit without being seen.

Translated as “Searching Insect Hands,” Bo Sim Sau gets its name from a vivid comparison. Imagine a hot night in the tropics. The air is filled with the sounds of insects. But as you draw closer, everything goes quiet. The silence tells you the insect has sensed your presence—and disappeared. That’s exactly the feeling this form evokes. It’s fast, deceptive, and calculated. You strike, not from brute force, but from distraction, redirection, and precision.

Bo Sim Sau is one of the advanced applications in the Chow Gar system, deeply focused on vital point striking. It isn’t just a flashy demonstration—it’s a deadly strategy.

The Purpose Behind Bo Sim Sau

Like all forms in Chow Gar, Bo Sim Sau trains your ability to hit the opponent’s dim mak points—vital or “death” points. But what makes it unique is how it teaches you to approach the target.

No opponent is going to stand still and let you hit their most vulnerable areas. So Bo Sim Sau teaches you to move like an insect, fast and unpredictable. You weave in and out, tricking the eye, creating confusion and diversion before striking with gen power—the explosive short-range energy generation Chow Gar is known for.

This form emphasizes the idea of being felt, not seen. You don’t launch big, obvious attacks. You strike subtly, from unusual angles, making your opponent react to one thing while your real intent lands somewhere else.

Tools of the Trade: Hands That Sting Like a Mantis

The first section of Bo Sim Sau focuses heavily on hand techniques. You’ll use:

• Palms – Striking with the edge or full surface for shocking internal power.

• Claws – Raking and tearing motions designed to trap and injure.

• Fingertips – Targeting soft tissue or pressure points.

• Phoenix Fist – A specialized knuckle strike ideal for nerve centers.

Each strike isn’t just about hitting hard—it’s about hitting smart. Every movement targets one of the 36 death points, connecting to the body’s meridians like acupuncture with impact.

And it’s not just your hands. The form integrates the use of the wrist, forearms, and even the elbows to generate force and exploit openings. You’re not just attacking—you’re weaving a web your opponent can’t escape.

Confuse, Distract, Destroy

What makes Bo Sim Sau incredibly effective is its ability to create confusion.

As you move, you blend offense and defense into one. You attack while defending and defend while attacking. You move unpredictably, not in straight lines but in angles, arcs, and sudden pivots. This breaks rhythm and overwhelms your opponent’s structure.

While they’re busy dealing with a seemingly minor touch, the real strike lands where it hurts most—the neck, arm joints, pressure points. The form trains you to mask your true intent under layers of redirection.

The Power Behind the Form: Gung Lik

All of this wouldn’t be possible without developing gung lik—your internal power and structure. Bo Sim Sau isn’t just a pattern to mimic; it’s a tool to reveal your deficiencies.

If you don’t have the power in your frame, the sensitivity in your hands, or the explosive energy in your strikes, the form won’t work.

There are 18 sections in Bo Sim Sau, each demanding deeper control and understanding of your body mechanics. Without gung lik, the form becomes hollow. With it, Bo Sim Sau becomes a devastating expression of internal martial arts.

Dispelling the Myth: Southern Mantis Is Not Just Linear

Some people mistakenly believe that Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is strictly linear. They couldn’t be more wrong.

Bo Sim Sau proves otherwise. Its movements curve, circle, and spiral—a sharp contrast to the system’s more commonly seen direct attacks. That’s why this form is often reserved for more advanced practitioners. It’s circular, deceptive, and fluid, showing a more refined expression of Chow Gar’s tactics.

It works beautifully with its sister form, Fun Loon Keok (Flying Dragon Kick), which adds explosive floor and leg techniques. Together, these forms offer a complete fighting toolbox—covering everything from close-quarters grappling to surprise low-line attacks.

What Bo Sim Sau Teaches You

Training Bo Sim Sau is not just about memorising steps. It’s about developing:

• Tactile sensitivity – Feeling and reading pressure through touch.

• Explosive power – Learning to generate force from short, tight movements.

• Footwork – Being able to enter, exit, and reposition without being hit.

• Finesse and timing – Knowing exactly when and where to strike.

Bo Sim Sau is a thinking person’s form. It forces you to observe, to wait, to strike at the right time—and to disappear just as quickly.

Wisdom from the Lineage

This form was passed down through the Chow Gar lineage. The writer of the original piece notes that his Grandmaster learned Bo Sim Sau from Lau Soie, who confirmed that Southern Mantis contains more than just hard, linear skills. These elite forms—Bo Sim Sau among them—showcase the hidden, circular, and elusive strategies embedded deep in the system.

Forms like Bo Sim Sau are what separate a student from a fighter, and a fighter from a practitioner of a deadly art.

Want to Learn Bo Sim Sau?

At Mantis Fist Kung Fu in Crawley, we guide students aged 21 and up through the true teachings of Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis. Whether you're just beginning or looking to master the deeper forms like Bo Sim Sau, our in-person classes and online membership platform are designed to support your journey.

• Check out our padwork training post for hitting drills that prepare you for forms like Bo Sim Sau.

• Dive into our guide on Iron Palm conditioning to strike harder and safer.

• Read about the Power Grip to develop hand strength for advanced claw techniques.

• Learn why Chow Gar Forms are the backbone of internal power and strategy.

For more info, contact us at 07913377775 or email [email protected].