What is Kui De Tang?

Kui De Tang in Worcester is the first and only official branch of its kind outside China. Our school continues the exact tradition created in the early 1890’s by Grandmaster Wang Yunsheng (1855–1927). He created a unique martial art called Seven Stars Praying Mantis (Qixing Tanglangquan), which is still treasured today.

A Name With Deep Meaning

The name Kui De Tang came from the Wang family home. It had carried this name for many generations. “Kui” refers to one of the seven stars in the Big Dipper. It is the star at the tip of the bowl. Because of this symbol, Grandmaster Wang named his style Seven Stars Praying Mantis.

A Living Lineage

Since its creation, this martial art has been passed down carefully through the Wang family. Each generation protected its methods, values, and traditions. Today, Kui De Tang Worcester continues this lineage with respect and responsibility.

Serving Worcester Through Traditional Arts

Our school offers a direct connection to authentic Chinese martial arts. We teach traditional Kung Fu in Worcester, as well as Qigong, Meditation, and internal cultivation. These practices support health, balance, strength, and well being. They also complement our clinic services, including acupuncture, herbal medicine and Tuina (Chinese medical massage).

Our Mission

Kui De Tang is a dedicated centre for Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and cultural heritage in Worcester, England. Our purpose is clear and steady. We work to preserve the authentic teachings of Seven Stars Praying Mantis, the art created by Grandmaster Wang Yunsheng. We also ensure that these teachings continue as they were meant to be—faithfully passed down through his family line and entrusted inheritors. Through this commitment, we offer students a direct connection to a living and unbroken tradition.

We teach every aspect of this rare martial art. This includes physical training, internal energy development, traditional forms, partner practice, philosophy, and cultural understanding. In addition, our school offers a supportive and inclusive environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can grow with confidence.

As a result, students are able to develop:

  • physical strength and mobility

  • mental clarity and focus

  • emotional balance

  • resilience and discipline

  • cultural appreciation and self-understanding

Furthermore, we welcome a wide range of interests. Whether you are drawn to martial arts, healing arts, Kung Fu in Worcester, or Qigong in Worcester, there is a place for you here. Moreover, if your goal is simply to improve your overall health and well-being, Kui De Tang offers a steady and traditional path. In this way, our teaching remains rooted in history while supporting the needs of modern life.

Biography: James Rodriguez

Early Roots

James Gonzalo Rodriguez began practicing martial arts at the age of five or six. As a teenager he encountered Seven Stars Praying Mantis, a meeting that shaped the course of his life. After training the style in the UK during the 1990’s, in 1998 he travelled to mainland China for the first time—an experience that began many years of immersive study, research, and training across the country.

Training in China

During these long periods of living and studying in China, James sought out the most respected and knowledgeable masters of Seven Stars Praying Mantis. He received instruction, corrections, and guidance from teachers renowned for their depth of skill and their connection to the art’s original lineage.

Finding His Teacher

His search eventually led him to Master Chi Xueyuan (1945–2023), the official head disciple of Grandmaster Wang Chuanyi, grandson of the founder. Master Chi had never before accepted a non-Chinese student, yet after recognising James’s sincerity, persistence, and traditional values, he welcomed him as a disciple.

Receiving the Transmission

Over the years that followed, Master Chi entrusted James with the complete teachings of the system, including all seven scrolls, the lineage altar, and the household name Kui De Tang. This marked the first time such a transmission had occurred outside of China. James was also bestowed with the honour of becoming part of the Wang family line, receiving the name Wang Mengyi, and formally recognised as a 5th-generation inheritor of Kui De Tang and the Seven Stars Praying Mantis system.

A Disciple Worthy of Trust

Part of this deep trust was due to James’s previous years of study with Master Yu Tianlu (1944–2013)—a close friend of Master Chi and student of Grandmaster Lin Jingshan (1885–1971). Through the combined recognition of these masters, James demonstrated the qualities they felt were essential for preserving the art: moral integrity, loyalty, dedication, humility, and the ability to endure hardship.

Today

Today, James is the Head Instructor of Kui De Tang Worcester, and the sole disciple to inherit the family altar, name, and the most complete transmission of this treasured martial art.