Sun Jiao

Chinese
t=孫皎
s=孙皎

Sun Jiao, styled Shulang (叔朗) (?-220) was the third son of Sun Jing, the uncle of the founders of Eastern Wu, Sun Ce and Sun Quan. Along with the rest of his family, Jiao served Wu as a military official. Jiao was also the younger brother of Sun Yu. He served under Sun Ce, and after Ce's death, Sun Quan. After defending Ruxu Kou (濡須口) in 213, his leadership skills were highly praised by all with whom he served.

In reward for his deeds at Ruxu, he was chosen to succeed Cheng Pu as commander of Xiakou (夏口) when Cheng was promoted to a higher position. In addition, he was given commands of two prominent Wu officers who had died: his elder brother, Sun Yu, and the celebrated veteran general, Huang Gai.

Sun Jiao's biography in the "Records of Three Kingdoms" records that once, while drinking with fellow commander Gan Ning, Sun Jiao made a comment under the influence of alcohol that deeply offended Gan, who sent a letter to Sun Quan requesting a transfer from Sun Jiao's command to Lü Meng's. As his officer Zhuge Jin was Sun Jiao's closest friend, Sun Quan sent him to admonish Sun Jiao for offending Gan. Thus reprimanded, Sun Jiao personally apologized to Gan Ning, and the two became close friends.

Sun Jiao earned merits in the 215 campaign on Jingzhou, in which Wu forces overran several of Liu Bei's commanderies in the province. In 219, Sun participated in a second invasion of Liu Bei's holdings in Jingzhou. When preparing for the battle, Sun Quan intended for Sun Jiao and Lü Meng to hold joint command over the military, much as his officers Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu had during the Battle of Red Cliffs. Lü Meng, however, advised Sun Quan against this arrangement, as it could lead to dissention in the ranks, and asked him to choose whomever he saw fit for the position. In the end, Lü was chosen, and Sun Jiao participated under his command. There is no record of Sun Jiao feeling slighted by this arrangement.

The campaign was a resounding success, with Liu Bei's trusted associate and prized general, Guan Yu, being captured and executed. Sun Jiao himself earned numerous merits in the campaign, but not long after Guan Yu's execution, he himself died of sudden illness.

Sun Jiao had five sons: Sun Yin (孫胤), Sun Xi (孫晞), Sun Zi (孫咨), Sun Mi (孫彌), and Sun Yi (孫儀).

References

*cite book|author=Chen Shou|title=San Guo Zhi|publisher=Yue Lu Shu She|year=2002|id=ISBN 7-80665-198-5
*cite book|author=Lo Kuan-chung; tr. C.H. Brewitt-Taylor|title=Romance of the Three Kingdoms|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|year=2002|id=ISBN 0-8048-3467-9
*cite book|author=de Crespigny, Rafe|title=Generals of the South: the foundation and early history of the Three Kingdoms state of Wu|publisher=The Australian National University, Canberra|year=1990|id = ISBN 0-7315-0901-3

ee also

*Three Kingdoms
*Personages of the Three Kingdoms
*"Records of Three Kingdoms"
*"Romance of the Three Kingdoms"