Sun Yi

Historical Record

Sun Yi, whose style is unrecorded, was the younger brother of Sun Cheng, the son of Sun Huan. Sun Huan, styled Jiming, was a paternal cousin of Sun Quan, the Great Emperor of Wu; he rose to be General of the Vanguard and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Shaxian. Sun Huan cherished Confucian scholars, and once ordered the sons of his troops to take up study, so that several dozen of them later held office at court. In the third year of Jiahe (234), Sun Huan died at the age of forty. His son Sun Cheng inherited the post of General of the Gentlemen of the Household of Resplendent Valor, commanding troops and governing the commandery. In the sixth year of Chiwu (243), Sun Cheng died, and as he had no son, his younger brother Sun Yi succeeded to the line of Sun Huan, inherited the family enterprise, and became a general^[1].

Sun Yi played a certain role in the political struggles of Eastern Wu's later years. When Sun Jun put Zhuge Ke to death, Sun Yi, together with Quan Xi and Shi Ji, attacked Zhuge Ke's younger brother, the Commander of Gong'an Zhuge Rong, who in the end killed himself^[1]. Thereafter, Sun Yi rose from General Who Subdues the South to General of the Garrison Army, and held the staff of authority as Commander of Xiakou. Yet good fortune did not last: after Sun Chen monopolized power, he put Teng Yin and Lü Ju to death. Both Teng Yin and Lü Ju were Sun Yi's brothers-in-law, and Sun Yi's younger brother Sun Feng, knowing of the plotting of Teng Yin and Lü Ju, therefore killed himself^[1].

Sun Chen harbored suspicions of Sun Yi and sent Zhu Yi to attack him secretly. When Zhu Yi reached Wuchang, Sun Yi perceived that Zhu Yi had come to attack him, and so led his troops of over a thousand, taking Teng Yin's wife (who was his own younger sister), and defected to Cao Wei^[1]. On reaching Cao Wei, Sun Yi was granted the eminent offices of General of Chariots and Cavalry and Equal in Ceremonial to the Three Excellencies, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wu. Wei also bestowed on Sun Yi as wife the lady Xing, a Worthy Lady of the deposed emperor Cao Fang. However, the lady Xing, though beautiful, was strongly jealous; the servants could not endure her harsh treatment, and in the end she was killed together with Sun Yi. Sun Yi died only three years after defecting to Cao Wei^[1].

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives no independent literary shaping to the figure of Sun Yi, and his deeds are not mentioned in the novel. Therefore, regarding Sun Yi's life, character, and role in the history of the Three Kingdoms, the novel material offers nothing to draw on. This forms a sharp contrast with the biographical material, in which Sun Yi, as a member of the Eastern Wu imperial clan, took part in political struggles and at last defected to Wei and met his death. Sun Yi's absence from the novel leaves his image in the literary work a blank, unable, like other Three Kingdoms figures, to possess rich plot and characterization. Therefore, this section cannot cite any novel material^[1].

Key Relationships

* Sun Huan: Sun Yi's uncle, General of the Vanguard of Eastern Wu and Marquis of Shaxian. Sun Yi succeeded to the line of Sun Huan and inherited the family enterprise^[1].
* Sun Cheng: Sun Yi's elder brother, General of the Gentlemen of the Household of Resplendent Valor. After Sun Cheng's death, Sun Yi succeeded to his post^[1].
* Sun Quan's faction: As a member of the Eastern Wu imperial clan, Sun Yi served Sun Quan's faction in his early years and took part, during Sun Jun's hold on power, in the strike against Zhuge Ke's faction^[1].
* Zhuge Ke: Sun Yi, together with Quan Xi and Shi Ji, attacked Zhuge Ke's younger brother Zhuge Rong^[1].
* Teng Yin: Sun Yi's brother-in-law, killed for plotting with Lü Ju against Sun Chen. When defecting to Wei, Sun Yi took Teng Yin's wife with him^[1].
* Lü Ju: Sun Yi's brother-in-law, killed for plotting with Teng Yin against Sun Chen^[1].
* Sun Feng: Sun Yi's younger brother, who killed himself for knowing of the plotting of Teng Yin and Lü Ju^[1].
* Sun Jun: During Sun Jun's hold on power, Sun Yi took part in the strike against Zhuge Ke's faction^[1].
* Sun Chen: After Sun Chen took power, he put to death Sun Yi's two brothers-in-law, Teng Yin and Lü Ju, and sent Zhu Yi to attack Sun Yi, eventually driving Sun Yi to defect to Wei^[1].
* Zhu Yi: Dispatched by Sun Chen to go to Wuchang and attack Sun Yi^[1].
* Cao Wei: Sun Yi, persecuted by Sun Chen, defected to Cao Wei, and was enfeoffed as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Equal in Ceremonial to the Three Excellencies, and Marquis of Wu^[1].
* Lady Xing: The wife bestowed on Sun Yi by Cao Wei, once a Worthy Lady of the deposed emperor Cao Fang. The lady Xing, strongly jealous, was killed together with Sun Yi by the servants^[1].

Iconic Scenes

* Inheriting the family enterprise and first showing his mettle: After his elder brother Sun Cheng's death, Sun Yi succeeded to the line of his uncle Sun Huan, inherited the family enterprise, and became a general. This marked his formal entry onto the political and military stage of Eastern Wu^[1].
* Taking part in the killing of Zhuge Rong: In the political struggle of Sun Jun's putting Zhuge Ke to death, Sun Yi, together with Quan Xi and Shi Ji, attacked Zhuge Ke's younger brother Zhuge Rong, at last forcing Zhuge Rong to kill himself. This event displays Sun Yi's involvement and stance in the political storm of Eastern Wu's later years^[1].
* Defecting to Cao Wei: Facing Sun Chen's persecution, Sun Yi decisively led his troops of over a thousand, took his brother-in-law Teng Yin's wife, and defected to Cao Wei. This was a major turning point in his life, marking his complete break with the Eastern Wu regime and his search for new political protection^[1].
* Being killed in Wei: In Cao Wei, Sun Yi was enfeoffed with high office and married the lady Xing. However, because of the lady Xing's jealousy and harsh treatment, Sun Yi was in the end killed together with her by the servants. This tragic and dramatic end reveals that even one holding high position may meet misfortune through conflict in personal life, and brought a close to his brief and turbulent life^[1].