Sun Guan

Historical Record

Sun Guan, styled Zhongtai, was a man of Taishan Commandery. His early deeds were closely tied to Zang Ba. After the outbreak of the Yellow Turban rebellion, Sun Guan and Zang Ba together raised troops to fight the Yellow Turban Army, and were thereby appointed Cavalry Commandants^[1]. Thereafter Sun Guan, Zang Ba, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and others gathered a following in Xu Province, with Zang Ba elevated as their leader, garrisoning Kaiyang. During Cao Cao's campaign against Lü Bu, Sun Guan and the others once led troops to assist Lü Bu^[2].

After Lü Bu was captured, Zang Ba went into hiding for a time, but was later sought out and recruited by Cao Cao. Cao Cao admired Zang Ba's valor and loyal duty, and so ordered him to win over Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and Sun Guan's elder brother Sun Kang and others. Sun Guan and his brother and the rest of the following all answered the summons and submitted to Cao Cao^[2]. Cao Cao treated them generously and entrusted them with important charges. Among them, Zang Ba was appointed Chancellor of Langya, Wu Dun Grand Administrator of Licheng, Yin Li Grand Administrator of Dongguan, Sun Guan Grand Administrator of Beihai, and Sun Kang Grand Administrator of Chengyang. Cao Cao assigned them parts of the two provinces of Qing and Xu to govern, entrusting full control to Zang Ba^[2].

After submitting to Cao Cao, Sun Guan repeatedly accompanied the army on campaign and showed great valor. He often led from the front, charging into battle, and achieved illustrious merits in pacifying the bandit bands of Qing and Xu, his accomplishments second only to Zang Ba's. For his merits, Sun Guan was enfeoffed as Marquis of Lüdu Pavilion, and his elder brother Sun Kang was also enfeoffed as a full marquis for his merits^[1].

Later, Sun Guan joined Cao Cao in mustering at Nanpi and sent his sons and younger kin to live at Ye. He was appointed General of the Right and gradually rose to Inspector of Qing Province^[1]. When Cao Cao campaigned against Sun Quan at Ruxukou, Sun Guan held the tally and accompanied the army. In the fighting against Sun Quan, Sun Guan was unfortunately struck in the left foot by a stray arrow and gravely wounded. Yet he fought on with all his strength, with no regard for his own safety. Seeing this, Cao Cao was deeply moved and consoled him, saying: "General, your wound is grave, yet your fierce spirit grows the keener—should you not, for the state, cherish your own person?" Sun Guan was then transferred to be General Who Inspires Awe. But his wounds being too severe, Sun Guan ultimately died of them^[1]. His son Sun Yu inherited his rank and later also rose to Inspector of Qing Province.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Guan appears mainly as an ally of Lü Bu and a surrendered general of Cao Cao. He first appears during the standoff between Lü Bu and Cao Cao. Enraged by Cao Cao's provocation, Lü Bu dispatched Chen Gong, Zang Ba, and others, joined with the Taishan bandits Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and Chang Xi, to take the various commanderies of Yanzhou in Shandong to the east, so as to pin down Cao Cao^[3]. Here Sun Guan is clearly portrayed as one of the Taishan bandits, allied with Zang Ba and the others to oppose Cao Cao together.

After Lü Bu was defeated and executed by Cao Cao, Zhang Liao, at the pleading of Guan Yu and Liu Bei, submitted to Cao Cao. Cao Cao then sent Zhang Liao to win over Zang Ba. Learning that Lü Bu was dead and that Zhang Liao too had submitted, Zang Ba led his own troops to surrender to Cao Cao^[4]. Zang Ba then on his own initiative induced Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and others to come and submit to Cao Cao, only Chang Xi refusing to comply. Cao Cao richly rewarded those who submitted, enfeoffing Zang Ba as Chancellor of Langya, while Sun Guan and the others each received promotions in office and rank, and were ordered to garrison the coastal regions of Qing and Xu^[4].

The novel gives little depiction of Sun Guan's specific battle merits and personal deeds, presenting him more as one member of Zang Ba's group. His death in battle at Ruxukou is not detailed in the novel, which differs from the historical record. The novel focuses mainly on his identity as a Taishan bandit and ally of Lü Bu, and on his later submission to Cao Cao together with Zang Ba, highlighting Cao Cao's strategy and breadth of spirit in winning over those who surrendered.

Key Relationships

* Lü Bu's faction (serves): During Cao Cao's campaign against Lü Bu, Sun Guan and Zang Ba and others had once served as allies of Lü Bu, opposing Cao Cao together^[2]. The novel even more clearly identifies him as one of the Taishan bandits, ordered by Lü Bu to take Yanzhou^[3].
* Cao Wei (serves): After Lü Bu's fall, Sun Guan submitted to Cao Cao at Zang Ba's persuasion. He thereby obtained the posts of Grand Administrator of Beihai, General of the Right, and Inspector of Qing Province, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Lüdu Pavilion for his battle merits^[2],^[1]. Under Cao Cao he fought with loyal valor and ultimately gave his life for the state.
* Zang Ba: Sun Guan and Zang Ba were comrades who raised troops together in their early years, and the two were close. Zang Ba was Sun Guan's leader and the key man who introduced him to submission under Cao Cao^[2]. The histories record that Sun Guan's merits were second only to Zang Ba's^[1].
* Sun Kang: Sun Guan's elder brother, who submitted to Cao Cao together with Sun Guan and was enfeoffed as a full marquis for his merits^[2],^[1].

Iconic Scenes

* Gathering a Following in Taishan and Aiding Lü Bu: Sun Guan, with Zang Ba, Wu Dun, Yin Li, and others, gathered a following in Xu Province with Zang Ba as their commander, and once assisted Lü Bu against Cao Cao^[2]. The novel portrays him as a Taishan bandit ordered by Lü Bu to attack Yanzhou^[3]. (novel-only detail)
* Submitting to Cao Cao with Zang Ba: After Lü Bu's fall, Sun Guan, at Zang Ba's persuasion, submitted to Cao Cao together with Wu Dun, Yin Li, and others, and received Cao Cao's generous treatment and office^[2],^[4].
* Campaigning in Qing and Xu and Achieving Merit at the Front: After submitting to Cao Cao, Sun Guan showed great valor in pacifying the bandit bands of Qing and Xu, often leading from the front, charging ahead, and achieving illustrious merits second only to Zang Ba's^[1].
* Bloody Battle and Death for the State at Ruxukou: When Cao Cao campaigned against Sun Quan at Ruxukou, Sun Guan held the tally and accompanied the army, and in the fighting was struck in the left foot by a stray arrow; gravely wounded, he still fought on with all his strength, and ultimately died of his wounds. Cao Cao praised him as one whose "fierce spirit grew the keener"^[1].