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Sun Lu-t'ang (Sun Lutang 孫祿堂, 1861-1932) created Sun style (孫家) T'ai Chi Ch'üan.
When born in Hebei province he was named Sun Fuquan (孫福全) by his parents, and was later given the name Sun Lutang by Cheng Tinghua (程延華), his baguazhang teacher, years later. (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 considered expert in two other internal martial arts styles: Hsing-i Ch'uan (Xingyiquan) and Pa Kua Chang (Baguazhang) before he came to study T'ai Chi. He was also considered an accomplished Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholar, especially in the I Ching. Sun learned Wu/Hao style T'ai Chi Ch'üan from Hao Wei-chen, and the T'ai Chi Ch'uan training system that he taught was eventually recognised by his peers in the Yang and Wu families as Sun style T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
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 Huanmin (孫換民) (1897-1922)
- Daughter, Sun Jianyun (孫劍雲) (1913-2003)
Teachers
- Xingyiquan from Li Kuiyuan (李魁元), and later from Guo Yunshen (郭雲深) (from 1882).
- Baguazhang from Cheng Tinghua (程延華) (from 1891).
- Wu Yuxiang style Taijiquan from Hao Weizhen (郝為眞) (from 1911).
Publications
In later life, he published 5 martial arts texts;
- 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 Xingyi spear, though this was never published.
(These five texts are available in a collected chinese language edition from Lion Books, and English translations of individual texts can also be acquired)
Family tree
This family tree is not comprehensive.
LEGENDARY FIGURES | Zhang Sanfeng* circa 12th century NEI CHIA | Wang Zongyue* T'AI CHI CH'ÜAN | THE 5 MAJOR CLASSICAL FAMILY STYLES | Chen Wangting 1600-1680 9th generation Chen CHEN STYLE | +
---+ | | Chen Changxing Chen Youben 1771-1853 14th generation Chen circa 1800s 14th generation Chen Chen Old Frame Chen New Frame | | Yang Lu-ch'an Chen Qingping 1799-1872 1795-1868 YANG STYLE Chen Small Frame, Zhao Bao Frame | | +
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-+ | | | | | Yang Pan-hou Yang Chien-hou Wu Yu-hsiang 1837-1892 1839-1917 1812-1880 Yang Small Frame | WU/HAO STYLE | +
-+ | | | | | Wu Ch'uan-yü Yang Shao-hou Yang Ch'eng-fu Li I-yü 1834-1902 1862-1930 1883-1936 1832-1892 | Yang Small Frame Yang Big Frame | Wu Chien-ch'üan | Hao Wei-chen 1870-1942 Yang Shou-chung 1849-1920 WU STYLE 1910-1985 | 108 Form | | Sun Lu-t'ang Wu Kung-i 1861-1932 1900-1970 SUN STYLE | | Wu Ta-kuei Sun Hsing-i 1923-1970 1891-1929
References
Chinese Tai Chi Chuan practitioners | Martial arts school founders | Baguazhang practitioners | Xingyiquan practitioners
"Sun Lu-t'ang"