Sun Jian was a renowned figure during the Three Kingdoms period, widely regarded as one of the most formidable generals of his time. While Romance of the Three Kingdoms attributes the slaying of Hua Xiong to Guan Yu, historical records confirm that it was Sun Jian who killed Hua Xiong, a general under Dong Zhuo. Today, we delve into the growth journey of this heroic figure in the chaotic era.
Early Fame: Single-handedly challenging pirates at seventeen
According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Jian was a descendant of the famous military strategist Sun Wu from the Spring and Autumn period, though this claim lacks substantial evidence.
Sun Jian grew up in a poor family. His father, Sun Zhong, made a living by growing melons. The county magistrate of Fuchun often bought melons from Sun Jian’s father, thus becoming acquainted with Sun Jian. At the age of 15, Sun Jian was recruited by this magistrate as a county clerk, similar to a constable.
At seventeen, while traveling by boat to Qiantang County with his father, Sun Jian witnessed a group of pirates, led by the infamous Hu Yu, dividing their spoils after robbing merchants. Pirates were ruthless killers, and passersby and ships dared not act recklessly, fearing attention. However, the young and audacious Sun Jian said to his father, “These pirates are nothing formidable. I request permission to eliminate these evildoers!” Considering the lack of support, Sun Jian’s father immediately refused his son’s request.
Despite his father’s reasonable concerns, Sun Jian paid no heed. Dressed in his official uniform, he charged toward the pirates with his official sword, shouting commands and waving his arms as if deploying troops. The pirates, deceived by his bluff, believed they were surrounded by government forces and fled in panic, abandoning their loot. Seizing the opportunity, Sun Jian pursued them, beheaded one pirate, and delivered the recovered goods to the Qiantang County office. This incident earned Sun Jian widespread fame and marked the beginning of his remarkable life. Impressed by the young hero, the magistrate of Qiantang appointed Sun Jian as acting county captain, tasking him with suppressing pirates, who were rampant in the area. Sun Jian did not disappoint, swiftly eliminating the pirate threat.
First suppression of rebellion
Shortly after assuming his post, Sun Jian got another chance to prove himself. At the time, a man named Xu Chang in Kuaiji County launched a rebellion, proclaiming himself the “Yangming Emperor” and gathering tens of thousands of followers with his son’s help. Faced with such a large rebel force, was Sun Jian afraid? Not at all. He recruited over a thousand brave soldiers, joined forces with local government troops, and launched a fierce attack, crushing the rebellion.
The local officials took note of the young man’s bravery. Zang Min, the father of Zang Hong (a former subordinate of Yuan Shao), reported Sun Jian’s achievements to the court. That same year, Sun Jian was appointed as the county magistrate of Yandu. Over the next few years, he successively served as magistrate of Xuyi and Xiapi counties.
Suppressing rebellion in foreign territories
In 184 AD, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. Sun Jian actively responded to the court’s call, recruiting a thousand elite soldiers to join General Zhu Jun in suppressing the rebellion. Two years later, he actively participated in quelling the rebellion led by Han Sui and others in Liangzhou. Due to his outstanding performance, Sun Jian was promoted multiple times and appointed as the Grand Administrator of Changsha (Governor of Changsha) in 187 AD. Although this was a high-ranking position, it came with the critical task of suppressing a rebellion led by a man named Ou Xing within the territory.
Despite his bravery in battle, Sun Jian was no reckless fool. After assuming office, he did not rush into battle with Ou Xing. Instead, he selected and appointed pragmatic officials, held meetings, and declared, “Your duty is to treat the people well and handle affairs according to rules. As for the rebellious evildoers like Ou Xing, I will deal with them myself!” True to his word, Sun Jian led troops to suppress the rebellion, eliminated the rebel forces within a month. It is worth noting that while Ou Xing rebelled in Changsha, rebel leaders Zhou Chao and Guo Shi also rose in Lingling and Guiyang counties. Although Sun Jian had no obligation or authority to intervene in these areas, he took the risk of crossing borders to suppress the rebellion, only resting after killing Zhou Chao and Guo Shi. Thanks to his efforts, not only Changsha but also Lingling and Guiyang were restored to stability.
Striking the tyrant Dong Zhuo
After Dong Zhuo seized control of the court, he faced widespread anger, and warlords from various regions rose to oppose him. Due to his relatively weaker forces, Sun Jian temporarily aligned with Yuan Shu. As a renowned general, Sun Jian not only strengthened the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition but also made the arrogant Dong Zhuo suffer significant losses.
In his first encounter with Dong Zhuo’s forces, Sun Jian used an “empty fort strategy” to repel Dong Zhuo’s general Hu Zhen. Soon after, Dong Zhuo sent Lü Bu and Hu Zhen to attack, but internal strife led to their rout, and Hua Xiong, a general under Dong Zhuo, was personally killed by Sun Jian.
Dong Zhuo and Sun Jian had been acquaintances during the Liangzhou rebellion led by Bian Zhang and Han Sui. Dong Zhuo was well aware of Sun Jian’s capabilities. Alarmed by his old colleague’s successive victories, Dong Zhuo sent Li Jue to meet Sun Jian with two generous “gifts.” Li Jue said,
“If you cease hostilities, first, Lord Dong is willing to form a marriage alliance with you. Second, provide a list of your family members, and Lord Dong will immediately appoint them as governors or county magistrates.”
However, Sun Jian firmly refused.
After Li Jue’s humiliating return, Dong Zhuo felt both fear and respect for Sun Jian. He warned his chief clerk Liu Ai,
“Yuan Shao and others have never defeated us and fear me now, but Sun Jian is an exception. Quickly inform everyone to take precautions against Sun Jian.”
He then recalled his earlier campaign with Zhang Wen against Bian Zhang and Han Sui, lamenting that if Zhang Wen had heeded Sun Jian’s advice, the Liangzhou rebellion would have been suppressed long ago.
Well know Sun Jian’s military prowess, Dong Zhuo decided to confront his old colleague personally. However, he underestimated Sun Jian’s abilities. Soon, Dong Zhuo was defeated and forced to move the capital to Chang’an. Dong Zhuo retreated to Mianchi and Shancheng in northwest Luoyang under Lü Bu’s cover, narrowly avoiding total annihilation. Even those unfamiliar with Three Kingdoms history or Romance of the Three Kingdoms know of Lü Bu’s unmatched bravery. How did he fare against Sun Jian? After Sun Jian stormed into Luoyang, Lü Bu was quickly defeated.
After entering Luoyang, Sun Jian did not halt his advance. Instead, he grew increasingly fierce, soon launching another fierce attack on Dong Zhuo. Realizing his old colleague was determined to kill him, Dong Zhuo had no choice but to deploy multiple renowned generals, including Niu Fu, Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Dong Yue, to block Sun Jian while he fled to Chang’an like an outcast.
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