Sun Quan (182－252), the Great King of Wu, was the founding king of the Wu State during the Three Kingdoms period. Su Quan, styled Zhong Mou, was a native of Fuchun in the Wu County (today’s Fuyang, Zhejiang Province). He was the second son of Sun Jian who was appointed successively as Prefecture Chief of Changsha (Changsha Tai Shou), Marquis of Wucheng (Wucheng Hou) and General Who Eliminated Barbarians (Po Lu Jiang Jun). He was also the younger brother of Sun Ce who took such positions as General Who Suppressed Rebellions (Tao Ni Jiang Jun) and Marquis of Wu (Wu Hou). In the first year of Jian’an period of the Eastern Han Dynasty (196), Sun Quan was selected to be a candidate for governmental offices (Xiao Lian), a practice based on the appointment system which recommended people of filial piety and clean record to the government. He first became a qualified scholar and later commissioner of Yangxian (today’s Yixing in Jiangsu Province). When serving as Colonel Who Abiding Moral Principles (Feng Yi Xiao Wei), Sun Quan together with his brother Sun Ce suppressed the riot in the southern area of the Yangtze River. The fifth year of Jian’an period saw Sun Quan succeeded Sun Ce’s position as the General Who Suppressed Rebellions. Later he became prefecture chief of Kuaiji, who made his troops settled down in Wu (today’s Suzhou in Jiangsu Province) and served as the governor for the six counties in the southern area of the Yangtze River. In the 13th year of Jian’an period, Sun Quan decided to be in alliance with Liu Bei and sent Zhou Yu to fight the Battle of Red Cliffs (Chibi Zhi Zhan). The battle ended with Cao Cao’s defeat, which resulted in the initial formation of the division of the country into three parts. Sun Quan was appointed as General of Chariot and Cavalry (Che Qi Jiang Jun) and also served as Governor of Xuzhou County. In the 16th year of Jian’an period, the capital was transferred to Moling, whose name was changed to Jianye (today’s Nanjing in Jiangsu Province) in the following year. Sun Quan led his troops to take over Jingzhou and killed Liu Bei’s high-ranking general Guan Yu in the 24th year of Jian’an period. He was appointed General of the Flying Cavalry (Piao Qi Jiang Jun), and became Governor of Jingzhou County (Jingzhou Mu) and Marquis of Nanchang (Nanchang Hou). The first year of Huang Chu period of the Wei State (220) saw Cao Pi refer to himself as Emperor Wen of Wei State in the name of Han Dynasty. He appointed Sun Quan as the ruler of Wu, Great General, Governor of Jingzhou County, and commanding officer in charge of military affairs (Shi Chi Jie) in the area of Jiangzhou and Yangzhou. In the first year of Huang Wu of the State of Wu (222), Lu Xun was appointed to be Commander in Chief (Da Du Du). Sun Quan’s troops thus beat Liu Bei’s forces with overwhelming superiority in the Battle of Yiling. Sun Quan then became the King of Wu. In the first year of Huang Long period (229), Sun Quan proclaimed himself king and named his reign as Wu, after which he immediately transferred the capital city to Jianye. The king appointed officials responsible for agricultural affairs, and effected the policy of making stationed armies growing their own crops. Furthermore, prefectures and counties were established in the areas which hosted ethnic minority communities. Great importance was attached to agricultural production, building of irrigation systems and development of the ship-building industry. These policies promoted land cultivation and economic growth in the area south of the Yangtze River. They also contributed to both the overall planning and governance of the eastern area of Liaohe River and the enhancement of economic and cultural communication between the south of lower reaches of the Yangtze River and areas in northeast China. In the 2nd year of Huang Long period, Sun Quan sent ten thousand armoured soldiers headed by General Wei Wen and General Zhuge Zhi across the strait to Yizhou (today’s Taiwan) and Danzhou, which marked the beginning of the communication between the mainland and Taiwan. After his death, Sun Quan was given the posthumous title Da Huang Di (meaning “the great king”), and the temple name Tai Zu (meaning “the founding emperor”). Legend has it that during the Chi Wu period (238-251), Lady Wu, Sun Quan’s mother, gave away her residence on whose site Sun Quan ordered to build Bao’en Temple (today’s North Temple in Suzhou).
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