Sun Yi

Historical Record

Sun Yi, styled Shubi, was a younger brother of Sun Quan. He was valiant and resolute by nature, much in the manner of his elder brother Sun Ce^[1]. In the eighth year of Jian'an, Sun Yi was appointed General of the Right and concurrently Grand Administrator of Danyang, being then only twenty years old^[1].

During his tenure in Danyang, Sun Yi treated with courtesy and recruited the former Filial and Incorrupt candidates Gui Lan and Dai Yuan, who had fled into hiding in the mountains because Sun Quan had killed Sheng Xian, Grand Administrator of Wu Commandery^[2]. Among them, Gui Lan was appointed Grand Supervisor in command of troops, and Dai Yuan was made Assistant of the Commandery^[2]. However, Sun Yi was in the end murdered by his own attendant Bian Hong, and Bian Hong was forthwith executed^[1].

Sun Yi's wife, Lady Xu, was renowned for her chaste and resolute conduct, her deeds recorded in the Wu Li^[1]. Sun Yi's son Sun Song later served as Colonel of Archers Who Shoot at Sound and Marquis of Duxiang^[1]. Sun Song was generous and fond of giving, skilled at dealing with others, and often consulted Lu Xun on gains and losses. According to the Wu Lu, when Sun Song was garrisoning Baqiu, he was once rebuked to his face by Lu Xun for a small fault, but he was able in the end to accept it with humility^[1]. In the third year of Huanglong, Sun Song died. The Shu Han Chancellor Zhuge Liang, in a letter to his elder brother Zhuge Jin, expressed deep grief at Sun Song's death, praising him as "a fine vessel," and shed tears of sorrow on seeing an object Sun Song had given him—showing his high regard and his lament for Sun Song^[1].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Yi, as the third son of Sun Jian and a younger brother of Sun Quan, first appears in Chapter 7, mentioned as one of Sun Jian's four sons, with the style Shubi^[3]. However, his main part in the novel is concentrated in Chapter 38, by which time he was already Grand Administrator of Danyang^[4].

The novel's depiction of Sun Yi's character departs somewhat from the historical record, adding that he was "stern by nature and fond of wine, and when drunk would often flog his soldiers"^[4]. It was precisely this trait that laid the groundwork for his later tragedy. The Danyang supervising general Gui Lan and the commandery assistant Dai Yuan harbored resentment because of it, and conspired with Sun Yi's attendant Bian Hong to murder Sun Yi^[4].

At a banquet for the various generals and county magistrates, Sun Yi's wife, Lady Xu—a beautiful woman versed in divination by the Yijing—through divination foresaw an omen of great calamity and urged Sun Yi not to attend the banquet. But Sun Yi would not heed his wife's advice and insisted on going^[4]. After the banquet ended, Bian Hong seized the chance to stab Sun Yi to death outside the gate^[5]. Gui Lan and Dai Yuan then shifted the blame onto Bian Hong, beheaded him and displayed his head, and seized the chance to take Sun Yi's wealth and concubines. Gui Lan, coveting Lady Xu's beauty, sought to force her into marriage. Lady Xu, on the pretext of mourning, cleverly stalled for time, and in the end contrived to avenge her husband (novel only)^[5].

Key Relationships

* Sun Quan (sibling_of): Sun Yi was a younger brother of Sun Quan. The histories record that he was "valiant and resolute, with the manner of his brother Ce," resembling Sun Ce more closely in character^[1]. In the novel, as a younger brother of Sun Quan, he likewise inherited the valor of the Sun family^[3].
* Sun Jian (kin_of): Sun Yi was the third son of Sun Jian, listed in the novel among Sun Jian's descendants along with his eldest brother Sun Ce, second brother Sun Quan, and fourth brother Sun Kuang^[3].
* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): In the histories, Sun Yi was appointed General of the Right and concurrently Grand Administrator of Danyang, an important regional official of Sun Quan's regime^[1].
* Lady Xu (spouse_of): Sun Yi's wife Lady Xu was, in the histories, renowned for her chastity and resolve^[1]. In the novel, Lady Xu is portrayed as a beautiful and intelligent woman versed in divination by the Yijing who, after Sun Yi's murder, deftly maneuvered and in the end avenged her husband (novel only)^[5].
* Gui Lan, Dai Yuan (subordinate_of / antagonist_of): In the histories, Gui Lan and Dai Yuan were treated with courtesy and recruited by Sun Yi^[2]. But in the novel, harboring resentment toward Sun Yi's sternness and fondness for wine, they conspired with Bian Hong to murder Sun Yi and seized the chance to take his wealth and wife (novel only)^[4].
* Bian Hong (subordinate_of / murderer_of): The histories record that Bian Hong was Sun Yi's attendant who in the end murdered him^[1]. In the novel, Bian Hong is described as a follower who colluded with Gui Lan and Dai Yuan to murder Sun Yi together (novel only)^[4].

Iconic Scenes

* Serving as Grand Administrator of Danyang: In the eighth year of Jian'an, Sun Yi held the post of Grand Administrator of Danyang as General of the Right, then aged twenty. This was the important moment of his formal entry into office, holding sole responsibility and displaying his talent and standing^[1].
* Courteous Treatment of Gui Lan and Dai Yuan: In his post at Danyang, Sun Yi treated with courtesy and recruited Gui Lan and Dai Yuan, who had fled into hiding in the mountains because Sun Quan had killed Sheng Xian, and entrusted them with important responsibilities. This reflects his policy of employing men and his breadth of spirit^[2].
* Murdered at Danyang: Sun Yi was in the end killed at Danyang by his attendant Bian Hong, ending his brief and valiant life. This event was not only Sun Yi's personal tragedy but also reflected the cruelty of internal power struggles in Eastern Wu^[1].
* Lady Xu's Divination and Dissuasion (novel only): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Yi's wife Lady Xu, foreseeing an ill omen, urged him not to attend the banquet, but Sun Yi would not heed her. This scene highlights Lady Xu's wisdom and her love for her husband, and adds a fateful, tragic coloring to Sun Yi's murder^[4].
* Bian Hong Assassinates Sun Yi (novel only): In the novel, after the banquet dispersed, Bian Hong seized the chance to stab Sun Yi to death outside the gate. This episode directly brought about Sun Yi's death and set off the subsequent story of Lady Xu's vengeance for her husband^[5].