Sun Ce

Historical Record

Sun Ce, styled Bofu, was the eldest son of Sun Jian. When his father Sun Jian first raised troops, Sun Ce moved with his mother to settle in Shu County^[1]. He became close friends with Zhou Yu and during this time formed ties with many gentry, gaining considerable renown in the Jianghuai region. After Sun Jian died, Sun Ce conveyed the coffin back to Qu'e for burial, then crossed the Yangtze to settle in Jiangdu^[1].

Sun Ce once followed Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu thought highly of Sun Ce and returned Sun Jian's old troops to him^[2]. At first, Yuan Shu had promised to make Sun Ce Grand Administrator of Jiujiang, but later appointed Chen Ji instead, which disappointed Sun Ce. Later, when Yuan Shu wished to attack Xu Province and was refused grain by Lu Kang, Grand Administrator of Lujiang, Sun Ce—who in his early years had been treated coldly when he called on Lu Kang and thus bore a grudge—volunteered to attack Lu Kang. Sun Ce successfully took Lujiang, but Yuan Shu again broke his word and appointed his old subordinate Liu Xun as Grand Administrator, deepening Sun Ce's discontent^[2].

After Liu Yao was appointed Inspector of Yangzhou, he moved his seat of office to Qu'e and drove out Sun Ce's maternal uncle Wu Jing and elder cousin Sun Ben. Sun Ce therefore proposed to Yuan Shu that he help Wu Jing and the others pacify Jiangdong. Although Yuan Shu doubted Sun Ce's ability, he ultimately agreed, appointing Sun Ce Colonel Who Breaks the Enemy and acting General Who Exterminates Bandits, and assigning him over a thousand troops, several dozen warhorses, and several hundred guests willing to follow him^[3]. After Sun Ce crossed the Yangtze, he was irresistible; his army was strictly disciplined and he won the people's allegiance. He successively took the Niuzhu camp, defeated Xue Li and Ze Rong, and finally routed Liu Yao^[3].

Sun Ce was handsome of person, fond of jest, generous in temperament, and skilled at employing men. For this reason, when gentry and commoners saw him, none did not give their utmost and gladly serve him to the death. After pacifying Jiangdong, he replaced the senior officials of the various commanderies, taking the post of Grand Administrator of Kuaiji himself, and appointing Wu Jing as Grand Administrator of Danyang, Sun Ben as Grand Administrator of Yuzhang, Sun Fu as Grand Administrator of Luling, and Zhu Zhi as Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery. Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, Qin Song, Chen Duan, and others all became his chief advisers^[4]. Cao Cao once memorialized to make Sun Ce General Who Chastises the Rebellious, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Wu^[5].

In the fifth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were in a standoff at Guandu. Sun Ce secretly plotted to attack Xu and welcome Emperor Xian of Han. However, before the plan could be carried out, he was killed by retainers of the former Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery, Xu Gong, at the age of only twenty-six^[6].

In the Novel

The Sun Ce of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is reworked with considerable literary embellishment upon the historical foundation, making him more legendary. When his father Sun Jian campaigned against Dong Zhuo, the youthful Sun Ce accompanied him to battle and displayed his valor in the fighting against Huang Zu, shooting Chen Sheng dead with a single arrow and helping Han Dang slay Zhang Hu^[7].

After Sun Jian died, Sun Ce gathered worthies and treated them with courtesy at Jiangdu, but languished in frustration under Yuan Shu. He wept to Zhu Zhi, who advised him to borrow troops from Yuan Shu and return to develop Jiangdong. Lü Fan then proposed pledging the imperial hereditary seal left by Sun Jian as security, and Yuan Shu, delighted, lent Sun Ce three thousand troops and five hundred horses^[8]. This episode is not detailed in the histories—especially the detail of pledging the seal, which is a unique portrayal of the novel.

In Sun Ce's campaigns in Jiangdong, the novel highlights his legendary duel with Taishi Ci. At Shenting Ridge, Sun Ce fought Taishi Ci single-handed for fifty bouts without a decision, until at last the two cast aside their spears and grappled, their battle-robes torn and their horses lost. This scene greatly dramatizes Sun Ce's ferocity and Taishi Ci's spirit^[9]. In the novel, when attacking Liu Yao, Sun Ce captured Yu Mi alive and with a single shout frightened Fan Neng so that he fell from his horse dead, earning him the title "Little Conqueror"—a sobriquet not clearly attested in the histories^[10].

As for Sun Ce's death, the novel also gives it a dramatic treatment. Retainers of Xu Gong assassinated Sun Ce in revenge, gravely wounding him. The novel further relates that, on hearing Guo Jia's assessment of him as "rash and unprepared, hot-tempered and lacking in stratagem, the valor of a common man," Sun Ce was consumed by rage and, disregarding his wounds, ultimately died of his reopened old injuries^[11]. In addition, the novel adds the bizarre episode in which Sun Ce, because Gan Ji deluded the masses, had him executed, and later, seeing Gan Ji's apparition in a mirror, in shock and fury his wounds burst open and he died^[12]. These details greatly enrich Sun Ce's tragic coloring and characterization, but depart somewhat from the historical record.

Key Relationships

* Zhou Yu (friend_of): Sun Ce and Zhou Yu shared "a friendship from childhood, a bond as close as flesh and bone"^[13]. The histories record that Zhou Yu, the same age as Sun Ce, came from Shu County to call on him upon hearing of his fame, and the two "formed a sworn friendship, their bond firm as severed metal"; Zhou Yu also urged Sun Ce to move to Shu County^[1]. In the novel, Zhou Yu came to assist after Sun Ce borrowed troops, and advised Sun Ce to recruit worthies such as Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong to plan great affairs together^[14]. Sun Ce trusted Zhou Yu greatly, once saying, "Having gained Gongjin, my great enterprise is assured"^[14].
* Yuan Shu (serves): Sun Ce once relied on Yuan Shu. The histories record that Yuan Shu thought highly of Sun Ce and once sighed, "If only I had a son like young Sun, what regret would I have in dying!"^[2]. However, Yuan Shu repeatedly broke his word and failed to fulfill his promises to Sun Ce, ultimately leading Sun Ce to lose faith in him and break free of his control^[2]. In the novel, to borrow troops to return to Jiangdong, Sun Ce pledged the imperial hereditary seal to Yuan Shu, further highlighting Yuan Shu's greed and Sun Ce's helplessness^[8].
* Lu Kang (enemy_of): Lu Kang was Sun Ce's enemy. The histories record that when Sun Ce called on Lu Kang in his early years, Lu Kang would not see him and only sent his registrar to receive him, so Sun Ce bore a grudge. Later, when Yuan Shu wished to attack Xu Province and was refused grain by Lu Kang, Sun Ce volunteered to attack Lu Kang and ultimately took Lujiang^[2].
* Xu Yi (mentor_of): In the historical material, Xu Yi once took refuge in Jiangdong, and Sun Ce treated him with courtesy, but Xu Yi changed his name and returned to his home commandery^[15]. Although the historical material does not clearly record Xu Yi as Sun Ce's "mentor," Sun Ce's courteous treatment of him shows his regard for talent.
* Xu Gong (enemy_of): Xu Gong was Sun Ce's enemy and the key figure in his death. The histories record that Xu Gong once memorialized the Han emperor that Sun Ce was "fierce and heroic, resembling Xiang Ji; he should be honored and summoned back to the capital," intending to weaken Sun Ce. When Sun Ce learned of this, he summoned Xu Gong and had him strangled^[6]. In the novel, Xu Gong's retainers assassinated Sun Ce in revenge, leaving him with fatal wounds^[16].
* Taishi Ci (rival_turned_ally): Taishi Ci was a formidable foe of Sun Ce who later became his general. In the novel, their fierce battle at Shenting Ridge was the turning point of their relationship. By his breadth of spirit and sincerity, Sun Ce successfully won Taishi Ci's submission and entrusted him with important responsibility^[17]. Though this episode is recorded in the histories, the novel's portrayal is more vivid and dramatic.
* Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong (advisors): The histories record that Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong were Sun Ce's important chief advisers^[4]. In the novel, Zhou Yu recommended the "two Zhangs" to Sun Ce, who personally went to engage them, appointing Zhang Zhao as Chief Clerk and Zhang Hong as Adviser and Colonel of Upright Counsel^[14].

Iconic Scenes

* Borrowing Troops for Jiangdong, with the Seal as Pledge (novel only): Frustrated under Yuan Shu, Sun Ce, seeking to return and develop Jiangdong, followed Lü Fan's advice and pledged the imperial hereditary seal left by his father Sun Jian to borrow troops from Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu, coveting the seal, lent him troops. In the novel this episode is key to the start of Sun Ce's career, displaying his decisiveness and his longing for a great enterprise^[8].
* The Great Battle Against Taishi Ci at Shenting Ridge: Sun Ce's single combat with Taishi Ci at Shenting Ridge is the concentrated expression of his valor. The two fought fifty bouts without a decision, until at last they cast aside their spears and grappled, their battle-robes torn and their horses lost. This scene greatly shaped Sun Ce's image as the "Little Conqueror" and foreshadowed Taishi Ci's later submission^[9].
* Pacifying Jiangdong and Awing the Four Quarters: After crossing the Yangtze, Sun Ce was irresistible, taking the Niuzhu camp, defeating Xue Li and Ze Rong, and finally routing Liu Yao. His army was strictly disciplined—"not a chicken, dog, vegetable, or stalk was harmed"—and he won the people's allegiance, gathering over twenty thousand troops within ten days and awing all of Jiangdong^[3]. This series of military actions laid the foundation of the Sun-Wu regime.
* Winning Taishi Ci's Submission: After defeating Taishi Ci, Sun Ce not only spared him but personally untied his bonds, gave him a brocade robe, and treated him with sincerity, ultimately winning the submission of this fierce general. This act displayed Sun Ce's breadth of spirit and discernment of men, and set an example for his later recruitment of more talent^[17].
* Plotting to Attack Xu, Then Felled by Treachery: In the fifth year of Jian'an, as Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were in a standoff at Guandu, Sun Ce secretly plotted to attack Xu and welcome Emperor Xian of Han, intending to "hold the Son of Heaven to command the lords." However, before the plan could be carried out, he was killed by retainers of the former Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery, Xu Gong^[6]. This event was the tragic, untimely end of Sun Ce, and altered the course of Three Kingdoms history.
* Entrusting His Orphan at Death, Bequeathing the Succession: Before his death, Sun Ce conferred the seal and ribbon upon his younger brother Sun Quan, leaving these words: "In leading the host of Jiangdong, deciding the issue between two battle lines, and contending with the realm, you are not my equal. In raising the worthy and employing the able, so that each gives his heart to preserve Jiangdong, I am not yours"^[18]. These words display both Sun Ce's clear-eyed appraisal of Sun Quan's abilities and his far-sighted concern for the Jiangdong enterprise, laying the foundation for Sun Quan's later rule over Jiangdong.