Sun Kuang 孫匡 Jizuo 季佐

Contents

Introduction

Sun Kuang (孫匡), courtesy name Jizuo (季佐), was the fourth son of Sun Jian and Lady Wu, and a younger brother of Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Sun Yi (孙翊). After Sun Jian’s death, Sun Ce was in line to succeed to the Marquis of Wucheng (烏程侯) but yielded the title to Sun Kuang. In 197, when the Han court recognised Sun Ce as General of the Household and Administrator of Kuaiji and had him succeed to the marquisate, Sun Ce had Sun Kuang formally inherit the Marquis of Wucheng instead. Sun Kuang was later recommended as Filial and Incorrupt (孝廉) and as茂才 (Mao Cai) but had not yet taken office when he died, in his twenties. He married a daughter of Cao Cao’s brother (曹氏). His son Sun Tai (孙泰) became Colonel of the Long River (長水校尉); his grandson Sun Xiu (孙秀) served Jin as General Who Subdues the Waves and was enfeoffed Marquis of Kuaiji. The Jiangbiao zhuan records that in Huangwu 1 (222) someone titled Colonel Who Establishes Martial Might (定武中郎將) violated Lü Fan’s orders by setting fire and damaging supplies and was imprisoned by Sun Quan and his lineage changed to Ding; Pei Songzhi considered this might be a confusion with Sun Lang (孙朗) rather than Sun Kuang, since the main history says Sun Kuang never held office and died in his twenties.

Biography

Succession to the Marquis of Wucheng

Sun Kuang was from Fuchun (富春), in the territory that became Wu Commandery. He was Sun Jian’s fourth son; his elder brothers were Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Sun Yi (孙翊). When Sun Jian died, Sun Ce was in line to succeed to the Marquis of Wucheng but yielded the marquisate to Sun Kuang. In Jian’an 2 (197), when Sun Ce had made clear his intention to attack Yuan Shu (who had declared himself emperor) and the Han court appointed Sun Ce General of the Household and Administrator of Kuaiji and had him succeed to the marquisate, Sun Ce had Sun Kuang formally inherit the Marquis of Wucheng (烏程侯).

Recommendation and early death

Sun Kuang was later recommended as Filial and Incorrupt (孝廉) and as茂才 (Mao Cai). He had not yet taken up any post when he died, in his twenties. He married a woman of the Cao family (曹氏), a daughter of Cao Cao’s brother. His son Sun Tai (孙泰) became Colonel of the Long River (長水校尉) and was a nephew of the Cao house. His grandson Sun Xiu (孙秀) served the Jin dynasty as General Who Subdues the Waves (伏波將軍), Kaifu Yitong Sansi (開府儀同三司), and Marquis of Kuaiji (會稽公); in Yongning he was posthumously granted Sworn General of Agile Cavalry and Kaifu Yitong Sansi.

Disputed Jiangbiao zhuan episode

The Jiangbiao zhuan (江表傳) says that in Huangwu 1 (222), when Cao Xiu attacked at Dongkou and Lü Fan led the defence, the “Colonel Who Establishes Martial Might” (定武中郎將) violated Lü Fan’s orders by setting fire and burning supplies (茅芒), causing shortage for the army. Lü Fan sent him back to Wu; Sun Quan separated his lineage and changed it to Ding (丁) and imprisoned him for life. The main Sanguo zhi account states that Sun Kuang never held any office and died in his twenties, so he could not have been the Colonel Who Establishes Martial Might in 222. Pei Songzhi concluded that the Jiangbiao zhuan likely confused the person with Sun Lang (孙朗), Sun Kuang’s younger brother.

Personality and traits

The Sanguo zhi does not record Sun Kuang’s character in detail. He was chosen for the marquisate by Sun Ce and recommended for office but died before serving.

Political achievements

Sun Kuang did not hold office. He succeeded to the Marquis of Wucheng (197) after Sun Ce yielded the title; he was recommended Filial and Incorrupt and茂才 but died before taking a post.

Relationships

Sun Ce

Sun Ce yielded the Marquis of Wucheng to Sun Kuang. When the Han court confirmed Sun Ce in 197, Sun Ce had Sun Kuang formally succeed to the marquisate.

Cao family

Sun Kuang married a daughter of Cao Cao’s brother. His son Sun Tai was thus a nephew of the Cao house and later became Colonel of the Long River.

Achievements

Documented: succession to Marquis of Wucheng (197); recommendation as Filial and Incorrupt and茂才 (did not take office).

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Sun Kuang appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms in the “Biographies of the Imperial Clan” (吳書·宗室傳), in the same scroll as Sun Yi (孙翊) and Sun Kuang (孙匡), and in the Jiangbiao zhuan (Pei Songzhi’s commentary). Chen Shou’s closing on the Sun clan: “Kinship and duty are the constant of past and present. The poet spoke of the ancestral sons as wall. How much more these Suns—some aided the founding, some guarded the borders—they could bear their tasks and did not disgrace their honours.”

Dispute over 定武中郎將

The Jiangbiao zhuan names the officer who violated Lü Fan’s orders in 222 and was imprisoned as having been granted the Marquis of Wucheng and the commandery; Pei Songzhi notes that the main history says Sun Kuang never held office and died in his twenties, so the person in the Jiangbiao zhuan is probably Sun Lang (孙朗), not Sun Kuang.

Legacy

Sun Kuang is remembered as Sun Jian’s fourth son to whom Sun Ce yielded the Marquis of Wucheng, and who was recommended for office but died in his twenties before taking a post. His line continued through Sun Tai and Sun Xiu (Jin).

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of the Imperial Clan” (吳書·宗室傳).
Pei Songzhi. Commentary citing Jiangbiao zhuan (江表傳) on 定武中郎將 and the dispute over Sun Kuang vs. Sun Lang.