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I noticed that in Taiwan, there was not much difference between Seven Star and Plum Flower Mantis. I have never seen sets like Shi Ba Sou, Dou Gang, or Rou Ling in Taiwan Mantis curriculums. I have read that these were considered classical Seven Star sets, along with Beng Bu and Lan Jie. Oftentimes, other sets get mischaracterized as being Seven Star in Taiwan. So my question is what Seven Star Mantis sets are practiced in Taiwan? Who was reputed to teach Seven Star Mantis in Taiwan?
These forms were taught in Taiwan by relatively unknown masters. Over the past 20 or 30 years there has been some exchange between Taiwan and HK and China so that these, and other 7* forms can be found here and there in Taiwan.
Some years ago I posted the names of several of these teachers on this forum.
I learned Shi Ba Sou from my first Mantis teacher, Gao Daosheng, and another, slightly different version from my second, and main Mantis teacher, the late Peng Han-Ping. I also learned Duo Gang from Peng Laoshi. It's been a long time since I've practiced Mantis, though. I began my long stay in Taiwan in 1985, and left in 1993.
I don't know about Ruo Ling; never heard of it. But the two above-mentioned forms were definitely no secret in Taiwan.