Sun Lutang

Sun Lu-t'ang or Sun Lutang (1860-1933) was a renowned master of Chinese neijia (internal) martial arts and was the progenitor of the syncretic art of Sun-style t'ai chi ch'uan.[1] He was also considered an accomplished Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholar (especially in the I Ching), and was a distinguished contributor to the theory of internal martial arts through his many published works.[2]

Sun Lu-t'ang standing in Xingyiquan's San Ti Shi stance.
Sun Lu-t'ang performing Baguazhang.
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Sun.
孫祿堂
Sun Lu-t'ang
Portrait of the Chinese, neijia martial arts master Sun Lu-t'ang.
BornSun Fuquan (孫福全)
1860 (1860)
Hebei, China
Died1933 (aged 72–73)
NationalityChinese
StyleSun-style taijiquan,
Baguazhang,
Xingyiquan
Teacher(s)Xingyiquan:
Li Kuiyuan (李魁元),
later Guo Yunshen (from 1882)
Baguazhang:
Cheng Tinghua (from 1891)
Wu (Hao)-style taijiquan:
Hao Wei-chen (from 1911)
RankFounder of Sun-style taijiquan
Founder of Sun style Baguazhang
WebsiteSun-style website
Sun Lutang
Traditional Chinese孫祿堂
Simplified Chinese孙禄堂
Sun Fuquan
Chinese孫福全
Part of a series on
Chinese martial arts (Wushu)
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Biography

He was born in Hebei and was named Sun Fuquan (孫福全) by his parents. Years later, his Baguazhang teacher Cheng Tinghua (程延華) gave him the name Sun Lutang. (It was common in old China for people to have multiple names). He continued to use his original name in some areas, including the publishing of his books.

He was also well-versed in two other internal martial arts: xingyiquan (hsing-i ch'uan) and baguazhang (pa-kua chang) before he came to study taijiquan (t'ai chi ch'uan). His expertise in these two martial arts were so high that many regarded him as without equal. Sun learned Wu (Hao)-style t'ai chi ch'uan from Hao Wei-chen.[1] Sun started studying with Hao relatively late in his life, but his accomplishments in the other two internal arts led him to develop his t'ai chi abilities to a high standard more quickly than is usual.

He subsequently was invited by Yang Shao-hou, Yang Chengfu and Wu Chien-ch'üan to join them on the faculty of the Beijing Physical Education Research Institute where they taught t'ai chi to the public after 1914.[2] Sun taught there until 1928, a seminal period in the development of modern Yang, Wu and Sun-style t'ai chi ch'uan.[2]

Family

In 1891 he married Zhang Zhouxian, with whom he had three sons and a daughter.

  • First son, Sun Xingyi (孫星一; 1891-1929)
  • Second son, Sun Cunzhou (孫存周; 1893-1963)
  • Third son, Sun Wuzi (孫务滋; 1897-1922)
  • Daughter, Sun Jianyun (孫劍雲; 1913-2003)

Teachers

T'ai chi ch'uan lineage tree with Sun-style focus

Note:

  • This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the 'gate-keepers' & most recognised individuals in each generation of Sun-style.
  • Although many styles were passed down to respective descendants of the same family, the lineage focused on is that of the Sun style & not necessarily that of the family.


Key:NEIJIA
Solid linesDirect teacher-student.
Dot linesPartial influence
/taught informally
/limited time.		TAIJIQUAN
Dash linesIndividual(s) omitted.
Dash crossBranch continues.CHEN-STYLEZhaobao-style
YANG-STYLE
WU (HAO)-STYLEZhaobao He-style
Li-style(郝為真)
Hao Weizhen
1849–1920
3rd gen. Wu (Hao)
WU-STYLE(孙禄堂)
Sun Lutang
1861–1932
SUN-STYLE
(孙存周)
Sun Cunzhou
1893–1963
2nd gen. Sun		(孙剑云)
Sun Jianyun
1913–2003
2nd gen. Sun
Wudang-style(孙婉容)
Sun Wanrong
1927–Present
3rd gen. Sun
CHEN-STYLEYANG-STYLEWU-STYLESUN-STYLEWU (HAO)-STYLE

Publications

In later life, he published five martial arts texts which were also later translated to English recently:

  • Xingyiquan xue (A study of form mind boxing) 1915
  • Baguaquan xue (A study of eight trigrams boxing) 1916
  • Taijiquan xue (A study of grand ultimate boxing) 1921
  • Baguajian xue (A study of eight trigrams straight sword) 1927
  • Quanyi Shuzhen (An explanation of the essence of boxing)

He also wrote a study of Bagua spear, though this was never published.

References
  1. Yip, Li (Faye) (April 1998). "Principles and Practice of Sun Style T'ai Chi – T'AI CHI The International Magazine of T'ai Chi Ch'uan Vol. 22 No. 2". Wayfarer Publications. ISSN 0730-1049. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Wile, Douglas (1995). Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Chinese Philosophy and Culture). State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-2654-8.

(Wayback Machine copy)

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