[ Father of Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and the kingdom of Wu.
Officer Details
Wade-Giles: Sun Chien (Wên-t‘-ai)
Simplified Chinese: 孙坚 (文台)
Pronunciation: Sun1 Jian1 (Wen2tai2) 
Min-Nan: Sun Kian (Bun-tay)
Birthplace: Fu Chun County, Wu Prefecture
(Presently Fu Yang, Zhe Jiang Province)
Rank and Titles
Major of the Commandery; Assistant Prefect of Yandu (AD 172); Assistant Prefect of Xuyi; Assistant Prefect of Xiapi; Major with a Separate Command. (AD 184); Gentleman-Consultant; Grand Administrator of Changsha; Marquis of Wucheng; General Who Routs the Caitiffs, Inspector of Yu province; Emperor Wulie (posthumous)
Family and Relationships
Lady Wu (Wife); Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Yi, Sun Kuang, Sun Lang (Sons); Lady Sun, one married to Pan Yi, one married to Hong Zi (Daughter); Sun Qiang (Twin Brother); Sun Jing (Brother); one married to Xu Zhen (Younger Sister); Sun Deng, Sun Lü, Sun He, Sun Ba, Sun Fen, Sun Xiu, Sun Liang (Grandchildren); Sun Hao (Great Grandchildren); Sun Ben, Sun Fu, Sun Hao, Sun Yu, Sun Jiao, Sun Huan, Sun Qian (Nephews); Da Qiao, Lady Wang (of Langya), Lady Wang (of Nanyang), Lady Xu, Lady Xie, Lady Pan, Lady Bu, Lady Yuan (Daughter-in-laws); Yuan Shu (Relative in-laws)
Fact vs. Fiction
Differences Between Fact and Common Fiction
- Sun Jian gave the Imperial Seal to Yuan Shu after finding it in a well. He did not hold the Seal for himself.
- During the coalition against Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian served as a subordinate of Yuan Shu, not as himself.
- Sun Jian did not withdraw from the anti-Dong Zhuo alliance, but rather was the only general to achieve success in the operations.
- Sun Jian attacked Liu Biao on Yuan Shu’s orders, not because Liu Biao attacked first. In addition, during this time, Sun Jian was based in Henan, not Changsha as the novel states.
- Sun Jian never killed the fictional Chen Sheng.
Literary Appearances
Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 39, 42, 46
Sanguozhi: Wu 1, Wu 2
Zizhi tongjian: 59-63
Search Results
- Isn't Sun Jian Overrated?
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04/08Replies:22 - Who's better Sun Jian or Cao Cao?
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02/08Replies:36 - Wang Rui, Cao Yin and Sun Jian
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01/07Replies:20 - If Sun Jian lived
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10/05Replies:14 - Sun Jian (history)
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05/04Replies:27 - Lady Sun and Sun Jian
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04/04Replies:22 - Sun Jian
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08/02Replies:72
Biographies
- Sun Jian SGYY bio
- Date:
10/03Replies:8
Premium External Linkage
First class external must-reads. Enjoy!
- The Family Slave: Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu
A forum discussion about the relationship between Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and others involved, such as Yuan Cheng, Sun Jian, Gongsun Zan and Zhou Xin.
Biography
Sun Jian gained fame in his youth for a daring attack on a group of pirates and then for defeating the rebel Xu Chang. Made Zhu Jun’s Associate Major during the Yellow Turban rebellion, gathering a thousand men and matchless in deed, he was first over the walls at Wancheng.
Sun Jian fought against Bian Zhang in Liang under Zhang Wen and defeated Ou Xing and his allies, for which Wentai was enoffed as Marquis of Wucheng. Sun Jian raised troops against Dong Zhuo, executing Wang Rui and Zhang Zi along the way before meeting up with Yuan Shu. Sun Jian met with great success against the Imperial Army, killing Hua Xiong in the process and was the first into Luo Yang.
Sun Jian was sent against Liu Biao by Yuan Shu where he defeated Huang Zu but was soon killed by an arrow in uncertain circumstances.