Kuei was born around 1920 in Shanghai. He attended university. He was drafted into military service after his country was invaded. His entire regiment was slaughtered by enemy troops. He attempted suicide by drowning himself in a river after being shot. He realized a Japanese soldier was watching him drown. He used his last vestiges of strength to reach for the soldier. However, a demon hand reached out to grab, claw and kill the soldier. Chinese beliefs hold that souls who drown or commit suicide may be cursed to walk the earth as powerful and dangerous spirits.