Lei Shi Mo (1889 - 1964), Disciple of Sun Lu Tang.

 

 Lei Shi Mo belongs to the first generation of graduates from the institute of banking studies at the end of the Qing dynasty.  All his life he held an important position within the bank of China.

 It is only at thirty years of age that he became a disciple (Bai Shi) of Sun Lu Tang and he began the practice of Martial Arts. He was obese, even having difficulties in moving, so much so that Sun Lu Tang taught only the "San Ti Shi" (basic position) to him at first. With the end of each exercise, a pool of sweat covered the ground, where he had held the position.

 Sun Lu Tang soon found great qualities in him: He was very rigorous and assiduous in the exercise, his general culture and his intelligence allowed him to understand the philosophical bases quickly and gain the spirit of Sun Shi. His progress was fast. In a few years, he mastered all of the arts of Sun Shi (Tai Chi, Ba Gua, and Xing Yi in the Quan forms and Jian) and his weight had returned to normal.

 In his daily practice, he exerted mainly Pi Quan (one of Quans of Xing Yi). Its movements were slackened and flexible but full and powerful. Up to the age of seventy, when he practiced the movement "Li Mao Shang Shu" (wild cat climbs tree) of Xing Yi, he still arrived at touching the roof of his residence. His relationship with Sun Cun Zhou and Sun Jian Yun were those of true brothers and sisters of blood. He stood beside them and directed (decided in which way the heritages were to be shared) the succession of Sun Lu Tang. He also maintained close connections with the alumni of Sun Lu Tang like Sun Zhen Chuan and Sun Zhen Dai.

 Daily, friendly meetings were held at his house where the practice of Tui Shou was followed by long discussions on the arts of Sun.

 Lei Shi Mo was also a great calligrapher who excelled in the "Cao Shu" (penmanship of grass, i.e. the freest form). It was often asked of him to be the calligrapher of the mural or tomb inscriptions. There is still a stone in Beijing (within the temple Tan Zhe) where one can see one of these inscriptions. In all his life, he had only one pupil: his Grandson Lei Shi Tai, the only heir to his art.