Sun Lü

Sun Lü (213 – February 232),[1][2] courtesy name Zizhi, was a noble and military general of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Eastern Wu.

Sun Lü
孫慮
Marquis of Jianchang (建昌侯)
TenureApril or May 228 – February 232
Born213[lower-alpha 1]
DiedFebruary 232 (aged 19)[1][2]
SpousePan Jun's daughter[3]
Full name
Family name: Sun (孫)
Given name: Lü (慮)
Courtesy name: Zizhi (子智)
HouseHouse of Sun
FatherSun Quan
In this Chinese name, the family name is Sun.

Life

Sun Lü was the second son of Sun Quan,[4] a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty and became the founding emperor of the Eastern Wu state in the Three Kingdoms period. As a child, he was intelligent and multi-talented, so his father was particularly fond of him.[5] In April or May 228,[6] a 15-year-old Sun Lü was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jianchang (建昌侯), with his marquisate in Jianchang County (建昌縣; west of present-day Fengxin County, Jianchang).[7] He married Pan Jun's daughter.[3]

In 229, after Sun Quan declared himself emperor and moved the imperial capital to Jianye (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), he left behind his eldest son and heir apparent, Sun Deng, along with his other sons and relatives in Wuchang (武昌; present-day Ezhou, Hubei). At the time, Sun Lü enjoyed watching duck fights, so he had a small shed built in front of the main hall of his residence to stage duck fights. Lu Xun, the general whom Sun Quan left in charge of Wuchang, heard about it and he sternly reprimanded Sun Lü for his behaviour. Lu Xun told Sun Lü, "Marquis, you should be spending time reading the classics and enriching yourself with knowledge. Why are you doing this?" Sun Lü immediately had the shed torn down.[8]

In 230, Gu Yong, the Imperial Chancellor (丞相), wrote a memorial to Sun Quan, pointing out that Sun Lü showed great potential with his brilliance and urging the emperor to elevate Sun Lü to the status of a prince in the same way the Han dynasty emperors did with their sons. Sun Quan refused.[9]

Some time later, the Supervisor of the Masters of Writing (尚書僕射) wrote a memorial to Sun Quan, recommending the emperor to entrust Sun Lü with greater responsibilities by appointing him as a military general. Sun Quan approved, granted Sun Lü imperial authority, and appointed him as Senior General Who Guards the Army (鎮軍大將軍). Sun Lü was also allowed to set up his own office with a personal staff at his headquarters in Banzhou (半州; west of present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi).[10] Sun Quan also issued an imperial decree to Sun Lü, stating his high hopes and expectations for his second son to become a great military leader.[11] At the time, many people were worried that Sun Lü, given his noble status and young age, might not be suitable for the job. However, Sun Lü not only proved them wrong, but also exceeded their expectations as he took his role seriously, faithfully followed the laws and rules, and treated his colleagues and seniors respectfully.[12]

Sun Lü died in February 232 at the age of 20 (by East Asian age reckoning). As he had no son to succeed him when he died, his marquisate was abolished and converted back into a county.[2][1]

See also

Notes
  1. The Sanguozhi mentioned that Sun Lü was 20 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) when he died in February 232.[1][2] By calculation, his birth year should be around 213.

References
  1. (嘉禾元年春正月，建昌侯慮卒。) Sanguozhi vol. 47.
  2. (年二十，嘉禾元年卒。無子，國除。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  3. ([潘]濬女配建昌侯孫慮。) Sanguozhi vol. 61.
  4. (孫慮字子智，登弟也。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  5. (少敏惠有才藝，權器愛之。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  6. ([黃武]七年春三月，封子慮為建昌侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 47.
  7. (黃武七年，封建昌侯。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  8. (時建昌侯慮於堂前作鬬鴨欄，頗施小巧，遜正色曰：「君侯宜勤覽經典以自新益，用此何為？」慮即時毀徹之。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  9. (後二年，丞相雍等奏慮性聦體達，所尚日新，比方近漢，宜進爵稱王，權未許。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  10. (乆之，尚書僕射存上疏曰：「帝王之興，莫不襃崇至親，以光羣后，故魯衞於周，寵冠諸侯，高帝五王，封列于漢，所以藩屏本朝，為國鎮衞。建昌侯慮稟性聦敏，才兼文武，於古典制，宜正名號。陛下謙光，未肯如舊，羣寮大小，咸用於邑。方今姦寇恣睢，金鼓未弭，腹心爪牙，惟親與賢。輒與丞相雍等議，咸以慮宜為鎮軍大將軍，授任偏方，以光大業。」權乃許之，於是假節開府，治半州。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  11. (吳書載權詔曰：「期運擾亂，凶邪肆虐，威罰有序，干戈不戢。以慮氣志休懿，武略夙昭，必能為國佐定大業，故授以上將之位，至以殊特之榮，寵以兵馬之勢，委以偏方之任。外欲威振敵虜，厭難萬里，內欲鎮撫遠近，慰卹將士，誠慮建功立事竭命之秋也。慮其內脩文德，外經武訓，持盈若沖，則滿而不溢。敬慎乃心，無忝所受。」) Wu Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 59.
  12. (慮以皇子之尊，富於春秋，遠近嫌其不能留意。及至臨事，遵奉法度，敬納師友，過於衆望。) Sanguozhi vol. 59.
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