Sun He
Encyclopedia
Sun He style name
Zixiao (子孝), formally known as Emperor Wen (文皇帝), was a son and crown prince
of Eastern Wu
's founding emperor Sun Quan
during the Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
. He never ascended to the throne, and in fact was removed from his position as crown prince by his father, but after his son Sun Hao
became emperor, he was posthumously honored with an imperial title.
, Sun Quan's first crown prince, died in 241, Sun He, as Sun Quan's oldest surviving son, was appointed crown prince.
Almost immediately after he became crown prince, however, trouble began to brew for him. Sun Quan also favored his other son by Consort Wang, Sun Ba (孫霸), and he initially had these two sons live together and share staffs, which was considered improper based on tradition. In 245, Sun Quan separated their staffs and their residences, which, however, further strained their relations, and Sun Ba began to have ambitious of taking over as crown prince. He befriended a number of officials, and quickly the government became divided between a Sun He faction and a Sun Ba faction. Due to Sun Ba's false accusations, a number of officials who supported Sun He were executed or deposed; even the senior general Lu Xun
died in anger after being repeatedly rebuked by Sun Quan over his defense of Sun He. Sun He's position became even more tenuous after his mother Consort Wang died in fear after Sun Quan blamed her for the discord between her sons.
By 250, Sun Quan tired of Sun Ba's constant attacks on his brother. Under the advice of his daughter Sun Dahu (孫大虎) and his personal assistant Sun Jun, he forced Sun Ba to commit suicide and deposed Sun He, then appointed his youngest son, Sun Liang
, as crown prince to replace Sun He. Sun He was reduced to the status of a commoner and exiled to Guzhang (in present-day Huzhou
, Zhejiang
). In 252, as Sun Quan neared death, he appointed Sun He as Prince of Nanyang, with his fief at Changsha. He died soon thereafter, and Sun Liang succeeded him under the regency of Zhuge Ke
.
Zhuge was the uncle of Sun He's wife Princess Zhang, and there were soon rumors that Zhuge was considering restoring Sun He and making him emperor. After Zhuge was assassinated and replaced by Sun Jun in 253, Sun Jun, who had been instrumental in Sun He's deposal, decided to end the threat once and for all. He first again demoted Sun He back to commoner status and exiled him to Xindu (in present-day Hangzhou
, Zhejiang), and then sent messengers to force Sun He to commit suicide. Princess Zhang also committed suicide. Sun He's four sons Sun Hao, Sun De (孫德), Sun Qian (孫謙), and Sun Jun (孫俊) were raised by Sun Hao's mother, Consort He
, who was offered the chance to commit suicide but declined, reasoning that someone needed to raise the children.
After Sun Hao became emperor in 264, he posthumously honored Sun He as Emperor Wen and had him reburied with full honors.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Zixiao (子孝), formally known as Emperor Wen (文皇帝), was a son and crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
's founding emperor Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He never ascended to the throne, and in fact was removed from his position as crown prince by his father, but after his son Sun Hao
Sun Hao
Sun Hao , style name Yuanzong , originally named Sun Pengzu with the style name Yuanzong , was the fourth and last emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was the son of Sun He, a one-time crown prince of the founding emperor Sun Quan...
became emperor, he was posthumously honored with an imperial title.
Biography
Sun He was born in 224, to Sun Quan's then-favorite Consort Wang. Because of the favor that Consort Wang enjoyed, Prince He was also favored. He was given a staff in 236, at age 13, and he became known for studiousness and humility. After his older brother Sun DengSun Deng
Sun Deng , style name Zigao , was a crown prince of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the oldest son of Sun Quan, founding emperor of Eastern Wu. It is known that Sun Deng was both wise and virtuous, having all the makings of a great man...
, Sun Quan's first crown prince, died in 241, Sun He, as Sun Quan's oldest surviving son, was appointed crown prince.
Almost immediately after he became crown prince, however, trouble began to brew for him. Sun Quan also favored his other son by Consort Wang, Sun Ba (孫霸), and he initially had these two sons live together and share staffs, which was considered improper based on tradition. In 245, Sun Quan separated their staffs and their residences, which, however, further strained their relations, and Sun Ba began to have ambitious of taking over as crown prince. He befriended a number of officials, and quickly the government became divided between a Sun He faction and a Sun Ba faction. Due to Sun Ba's false accusations, a number of officials who supported Sun He were executed or deposed; even the senior general Lu Xun
Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)
Lu Xun was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is best known for defeating Liu Bei's forces at the Battle of Xiaoting in 222.-Early life:...
died in anger after being repeatedly rebuked by Sun Quan over his defense of Sun He. Sun He's position became even more tenuous after his mother Consort Wang died in fear after Sun Quan blamed her for the discord between her sons.
By 250, Sun Quan tired of Sun Ba's constant attacks on his brother. Under the advice of his daughter Sun Dahu (孫大虎) and his personal assistant Sun Jun, he forced Sun Ba to commit suicide and deposed Sun He, then appointed his youngest son, Sun Liang
Sun Liang
Sun Liang was the second emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the founding emperor Sun Quan's youngest son and heir...
, as crown prince to replace Sun He. Sun He was reduced to the status of a commoner and exiled to Guzhang (in present-day Huzhou
Huzhou
Huzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. Lying south of the Lake Tai, it borders Jiaxing to the east, Hangzhou to the south, and the provinces of Anhui and Jiangsu to the west and north respectively.-Administration:...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
). In 252, as Sun Quan neared death, he appointed Sun He as Prince of Nanyang, with his fief at Changsha. He died soon thereafter, and Sun Liang succeeded him under the regency of Zhuge Ke
Zhuge Ke
Zhuge Ke , style name Yuanxun , was a military general and regent of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhuge Jin and nephew of Zhuge Liang. He succeeded Lu Xun after the latter's death...
.
Zhuge was the uncle of Sun He's wife Princess Zhang, and there were soon rumors that Zhuge was considering restoring Sun He and making him emperor. After Zhuge was assassinated and replaced by Sun Jun in 253, Sun Jun, who had been instrumental in Sun He's deposal, decided to end the threat once and for all. He first again demoted Sun He back to commoner status and exiled him to Xindu (in present-day Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, Zhejiang), and then sent messengers to force Sun He to commit suicide. Princess Zhang also committed suicide. Sun He's four sons Sun Hao, Sun De (孫德), Sun Qian (孫謙), and Sun Jun (孫俊) were raised by Sun Hao's mother, Consort He
Empress Dowager He (Sun Hao)
Empress Dowager He, personal name unknown, was an empress dowager during the reign of her son Sun Hao, the fourth and last emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history....
, who was offered the chance to commit suicide but declined, reasoning that someone needed to raise the children.
After Sun Hao became emperor in 264, he posthumously honored Sun He as Emperor Wen and had him reburied with full honors.
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms