As discussed in the brief introduction to Mantis Boxing, the verification of Wang Lang as the actual historical figure responsible for the creation of Tanglang Quan is highly unlikely at this stage. Chinese historians have identified Meng Xi of Qixia in Shandong (AD 1609-1702) whose remains sit at Huayan Si on Laoshan, as a likely candidate. Even so, there is no historical evidence whatsoever that he is the creator of Tanglang Quan.

In a substantial portion of the oral and written tradition of Mantis Boxing, Wang Lang is accredited as the founding father and the Daoist monks of Laoshan, Shandong as his initial inheritors. Traditionally the monk responsible for transmitting the developed system to the first lay disciple is known as Sheng Xiao Daoren. Sheng Xiao Daoren may quite possibly have existed and indeed passed on Tanglang Quan, unfortunately this is also not historically verifiable. He is more than likely, a folk figure representing the generation that fills the gap between Wang Lang (the legendary founder), and genuine historical figures such as Li Zhizhan and Li Bingxiao (of Meihua Tanglang fame), who we can accurately label as propagators of Tanglang. Quan Pu (Boxing scrolls), attributed to Sheng Xiao Daoren exist in various forms, none of which are yet to be authenticated. The mysterious Sheng Xiao, has been variously placed throughout many time frames spanning hundreds of years in traditional Tanglang history. To this day there are no official records listing Sheng Xiao Daoren as a living person.

Li Zhizhan, also known as Li Sanjian, and Kuaishou Li , was born in 1821 in Pingdu, Li family village Shandong. Li Zhizhan was a caravan (travelling goods), escort and personal bodyguard who was famed throughout China, travelling and fighting as far a field as Fujian Province and Beijing. After a lengthy combat career Li took only three major disciples (Da tudimen), his nephew Li Taibao, Hao Shunchang, and most famous of all Wang Yongchun, born: 13/5/1854 -died: 1926 (also known as Wang Rongsheng, Wang Yunsheng). Li Zhizhan eventually travelled to Fushan, Shandong, Wang's hometown. Wang Yonchun was a free fighting champion who had studied Shaolin Chang Quan under Li Yichun (from the age of eight) and opened his own Wuguan (martial academy), at the age of twenty-three. Li Zhizhan easily defeated Wang in a challenge match and Wang kowtowed to him begging to become his disciple. Li resided with Wang and trained him full-time, passing on the sum total of his knowledge over three years. In the years following his residence with Wang Yongchun, Li is said to have instructed a final student of note; Wang Yunpeng (AKA; Wang Rupeng), born: 1875- died: 1959. Wang Yunpeng is not acknowledged as a legitimate descendant of Kuaishou Li by a majority of contemporary Qixing historians in the Yantai region, yet his martial descendants exist in Qingdao to this day (Wang arrived in Qingdao in 1946), practicing an antique variety of Mantis Boxing close to the roots of the system. Li Zhizhan continued his escort work, ending his illustrious career in Tianjin, Hebei Province.

The majority of the existing curriculum of Qixing Tanglang Quan was developed by Wang Yongchun. Boxing sets such as Cha Chui Quan, Hei Hu Jiao Cha Quan (Hei Hu Quan), and Shuang Cha Hua arise from this period and are largely absent from the Quan pu (boxing scrolls), of the other Tanglang sects such as Meihua/Taijimeihua Tanglang. Wang Yongchun is regarded as the most likely source of the Shaolin influence that becomes so strong in the Qixing Tanglang tradition, especially evident in the next generation of disciples.

Wang taught three major disciples; Wang Yunfu, Wang Jie and most famous of all, Fan Xudong. Fan Xudong was a Yantai resident (born in Dahai) and went on to gain fame as the first Tanglang Wang (king of Mantis Boxing). A giant, weighing in at around 130kg, he is one of the most influential figures in the Qixing tradition. In his lifetime he gained international notoriety for his feats including defeating all comers in a Russian free fighting competition and remaining unbeaten in every one of his numerous challenges back home in China. It is often related that he killed two bulls bare-handed in an open field and paid compensation to the farmer for the inconvenience. Fan Xudong appears to have consolidated the closely linked Shaolin and Tanglang traditions and is named as the source of boxing documents such as the Shaolin Authentic, which is a key work in the body of literature passed on through Qixing Tanglang descendants of the Jing Wu Hui (Jing Wu Athlethic Association) .

Fan Xudong's four major disciples were Gou Jialu, Yang Weixin, Lin Jingshan and Lou Guangyu. Yang Weixin was the most senior disciple, having spent the most time with Fan Xudong, who went on to run Fan's boxing school (on his behalf) in Yantai. Penglai born, Yang Weixin was a fierce man with a short temper who had a bad reputation for being heavy handed. He crippled many opponents (even severely injured some of his own students) and was eventually prosecuted in 1910 for the killings of two rival boxers from the Meihua Tanglang sect. Fan Xudong was invited to coach in the Shanghai Jingwu Athletic Association but declined as he was a busy silk merchant with many interests in Yantai, opting to send his disciples in his place. Fan's younger disciple Lin Jingshan was handed control of the school in Yang's absence (though he was released after only one year due to Fan Xudong's financial power). Lin remained in Yantai as the head coach, whilst in 1918 Lou Guangyu, and Yang Weixin travelled to the Jingwu Hui to represent Qixing Tanglang, they were later joined by Wang Chuanyi (student of Lin Jingshan, who also studied with Fan).

Luo Guangyu was born in 1888 in Penglai and went on to become perhaps Tanglang Quan's most famous figure. He began his martial career quite late, at the age of 18 and studied with Fan Xudong until the age of 25, nevertheless excelling in free fighting and developing devastating iron palm skill. Under Fan's patronage Luo Guangyu flourished in Shanghai and became famous for his fighting ability. Yang Weixin on the other hand, fared poorly in his efforts as an ambassador for Shandong Tanglang. He detested the Shanghai climate, food and people, who seemed equally opposed to his short temper and brutal manner. Yang Weixin returned to Yantai and went on to teach three major disciples, Liu Yunchang, Dong Shixun and Da tudi (head disciple); Xiao Shubin. Yang goes down in history as one of Fan Xudong's toughest descendants with violent sanda (free-fighting), as his forte.

Luo's success grew with his Jiangsu student Ma Chengxin winning the grand championship of Leitai (platform fighting) at the national Chinese Boxing competition in 1929. Luo moved to Hong Kong in 1932 and helped to establish the Jing Wu Hui as the strongest martial association to arise from the south. Luo's most famous students, (all of which went on to spread his particular branch of Qixing throughout the world), were Huang Hanxun, Zhao Zhimin, Huang Jinhong and the previously named Ma Chengxin, amongst others. Luo Guanyu is the father of the Jing Wu Qixing Tanglang Quan, which in fact differs significantly in many aspects from the Tanglang taught after Fan Xudong in Yantai. According to the works of his descendants (including Huang Hanxun), his was a composite mantis style containing elements of Meihua and Guangban Tanglang Quan plus Luo's own innovations and personal flavour. Even today one can find almost exact replication of photographic representation of Luo's Pu Chan (Catching the Cicada), posture in those of his descendants. Photos taken of Luo performing Beng Bu in his late forties show examples of the upright body and high framed stances that are still favoured by the Hong Kong and South-East Asian branches of Qixing Tanglang. Debate continues to this day about the supposed frame of Luo Gaungyu's stances, based largely on the Beng Bu photo series. Interestingly enough, the same series clearly illustrates various postures held at the low frame.

As Tanglang travelled south and was mastered by the local populace, the style gained a somewhat more 'Southern' flavour in delivery and appearance, with an explosive staccato rhythm, slightly more rigid body method (particularly dorso-ventrally), accompanying compact frame and footwork, in comparison with contemporary Shandong Tanglang. Due to external influences including; cross-pollination with systems such as Yingzhao Quan (Eagle Claw Boxing), greater numbers of students, smaller training halls (particularly in Hong Kong) and a necessity for rapid transmission along with possible physiological factors such as the slighter builds of the Guangdong people- eventually became a unique, highly developed entity by the late 20th Century. Luo Guanyu's boxing catalogue was also greatly enriched and enlarged, with many empty hand and weapons sets added, including some that are generic to the Jingwu Hui, such as Shi Lu Tantui and Gong Li Quan.

After an impressive career and a contribution to the Tanglang Men virtually unmatched, Luo returned to Shanghai and died at the age of 56. His blood descendants are still alive in Penglai, Shandong, but unfortunately did not continue their father's legacy.

Perhaps Fan Xudong's most important student was the great Lin Jingshan. Lin was born in 1885 in Laiyang, Shandong, moving to nearby Yantai City as a small child where he lived until his death at the age of 86. Lin Jingshan barely scraped a living in the markets and streets of Yantai labouring as a cook's helper and street hawker. Working as a shop assistant Lin Jingshan yearned to study boxing and secretly watched and imitated Fan Xudong and his students until Fan discovered him practicing and apprehended him. Surprised by his natural ability and keenness to learn, Fan Xudong took Lin under his wing where he faithfully remained till his death. Lin Jingshan became the most highly developed disciple and Fan Xudong officially passed his school into Lin's capable hands. It is said by some descendants that Lin Jingshan taught for a short period in Tianjin as the Chief instructor to the military, but this is not agreed amongst his most senior disciples in Yantai. Lin spent the rest of his life teaching in Yantai where he produced many famous disciples. He was also survived by three sons Lin Chunsheng, Chunfa and Shangwei.

Lin's best known disciples include; Hu Yongfu, Xiao Huating, Wang Chuanyi, Wang Chunshan, Wang Qinggang, Yu Zhenhai, Yu Tiancheng, Yu Tianlu, Yu Renzhu, Yu Tiantang (Yu Hai), and Zhong Lianbao. Hu Yongfu of Laiyang was Lin's greatest student of the earlier years; he went on to teach martial arts in the Sijie Wuguan in Dalian, Liaoning Province. Xiao Shubin, the Da tudi of Yang Weixin was also one of the most famous coaches in the Dalian Academy where another of Lin's tudi, Wang Chuanyi taught in 1952. Wang's students Ma Guangyou and Ji Xueyuan also gained fame along with Hu Yongfu's disciples, Hu Dongming and Li Shishuai. It was in Dalian where Hu Yongfu and Xiao Shubin taught their most famous disciple Li Zhanyuan who went on to popularize Qixing Tanglang in the Qingdao region where he transmitted the system to Kang Zhiqiang, Qiu Fangjian, Qin Guihua, Chen Leping and Wang Xiaohua, amongst others.

In the modern era Yu Tiancheng went on to become Lin Jingshan's major disciple. Born in 1937 in Yantai, Yu was well versed in Ditang and Chang Quan before he commenced his study with Lin at age 14. He continued to transmit the authentic Qixing Tanglang Quan until his passing in 2004 and produced many notable students such as Lu Tingbo, Wang Baolin, Gong Yunfei, Shi Guoyu, Ba Kun, Yu Yongsheng and Slawomir Milczarek of the Polish Praying Mantis Kung Fu Society, his only foreign tudi. Yu Tiancheng's brother Yu Tianlu continues to teach in Yantai today, running the Qixing Tanglang Wuguan. Zhong Lianbao is another outstanding disciple of Lin Jingshan and is responsible for spreading Lin's Tanglang Quan throughout the world, with strongholds in Italy, Spain and South East Asia, where he is represented by Arnold Buenviaje of the Qixing Tanglang Quan Association Philippines.