Sun Wo
Encyclopedia
Sun Wo courtesy name Longguang (龍光), formally the Marquess of Le'an (樂安侯), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor from 895
to 897
during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
.
, from which a branch became the ruling house of the Three Kingdoms Period state Eastern Wu
, although Sun Wo was not from that branch. Sun Wo's traceable ancestors included officials of Han Dynasty
, Cao Wei
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Later Zhao
, Later Yan
, Northern Yan
, Northern Wei
, Sui Dynasty
, and Tang Dynasty
. Sun Wo's grandfather Sun Qi (孫起) served as a county magistrate, while his father Sun Jingshang (孫景商) served as the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
). Sun Wo had at least four older brothers — Sun Bei (孫備), Sun Chu (孫儲), Sun Pi (孫伾), and Sun Jian (孫儉) — and two younger brothers — Sun Gang (孫伉) and Sun Yi (孫佾) — who also served as Tang officials. (Because one of Sun Wo's ancestors, Sun Yi (孫顗), who lived during Jin Dynasty, moved his family to Wuyi (武邑, in modern Hengshui
, Hebei
), Sun Wo was referred in historical accounts as "from Wuyi," although it is unclear whether he actually lived there.) At some point, Sun Wo passed the imperial examination
s in the Jinshi (進士) class, and served in a number of prominent offices — although the list is lost to history.
— during a campaign featuring the imperial government, under Emperor Zhaozong
, and Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
) on one side, and Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) and Wang Xingyu
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
) on the other — Emperor Zhaozong made Sun Wo, who was then the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the imperial capital Chang'an
) the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). (Sun's subsequent involvement in the campaign, if any, is not recorded in history.) Later in the year, shortly after a chancellor, Cui Zhaowei
, was executed for conspiring with Li Maozhen and Wang. By the end of the year, Li Keyong had defeated Wang, who was then killed by his own subordinates in flight. Li Maozhen and another ally, Han Jian
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
), then outwardly submitted to the imperial government. Emperor Zhaozong therefore ordered Li Keyong to end the campaign and return to Hedong. At some point, Sun was created the Marquess of Le'an.
However, by summer 896
, the relationship between the imperial government and Li Maozhen had broken down again, and Li Maozhen launched his army to threaten Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong and the imperial officials decided to flee Chang'an, initially resolving to head to Hedong. However, due to the distance involved and due to Han's avowal of his loyalty, Emperor Zhaozong headed for Han's capital Hua Prefecture (華州) instead. While there, he declared a general campaign against Li Maozhen, putting Sun in charge of the campaign and making the general Li Sijian (李思諫) Sun's deputy. However, with Han having a long-time alliance with Li Maozhen, Han interfered with the operation, which, as a result, was never actually launched. By 897
, with Han having seized control of the imperial guards that Emperor Zhaozong had previously put several imperial princes in command of, the campaign was cancelled entirely.
Soon thereafter, Han falsely accused two close associates of Emperor Zhaozong's — the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷) and the physician Xu Yanshi (許巖士) of crimes and had them executed. With another chancellor, Zhu Pu
, being regarded as sheerly incompetent, Han further accused Sun and Zhu of associating with Ma and Xu. As a result, both Sun and Zhu were removed from their chancellor posts, with Sun initially keeping his secondary post as the minister of rites (禮部尚書, Libu Shangshu). Later in the year, Sun was demoted and exiled to be the military advisor to the prefect of Nan Prefecture (南州, in modern Chongqing
). He died in exile, with the date of his death lost to history.
As chancellor, Sun was described to be understanding and frugal. He paid little attention to his outward appearance, once stating, "A gentleman has proper ways to act. One needs not compare his appearance to the appearance to another's; rather, he should act in clear ways so as to contrast with another's murky ways." It was said that whenever he had guests, if his servants had arguments among themselves, he would not rebuke them — stating that if he took time to rebuke them, he would merely be distracting himself.
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...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, serving as a chancellor from 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
to 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
.
Background
It is not known when Sun Wo was born. His family claimed to be descended from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn Period state WeiWei (Spring and Autumn Period)
This article is about the State of Wei founded during the Spring and Autumn Period. For the Warring States Period state whose name is pronounced identically, see Wei ....
, from which a branch became the ruling house of the Three Kingdoms Period state 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...
, although Sun Wo was not from that branch. Sun Wo's traceable ancestors included officials of Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
, Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...
, Northern Yan
Northern Yan
The Northern Yan was a state of Han Chinese during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.The second Emperor of Northern Yan, Feng Ba, was Han chinese.All rulers of the Northern Yan declared themselves "emperors".-Rulers of the Northern Yan:...
, Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
, Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
, and Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
. Sun Wo's grandfather Sun Qi (孫起) served as a county magistrate, while his father Sun Jingshang (孫景商) served as the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
). Sun Wo had at least four older brothers — Sun Bei (孫備), Sun Chu (孫儲), Sun Pi (孫伾), and Sun Jian (孫儉) — and two younger brothers — Sun Gang (孫伉) and Sun Yi (孫佾) — who also served as Tang officials. (Because one of Sun Wo's ancestors, Sun Yi (孫顗), who lived during Jin Dynasty, moved his family to Wuyi (武邑, in modern Hengshui
Hengshui
Hengshui is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, China. It has an urban population of 460,240 in the built up area and a population of 4,340,373 at the 2010 census in its administrative area...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), Sun Wo was referred in historical accounts as "from Wuyi," although it is unclear whether he actually lived there.) At some point, Sun Wo passed the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s in the Jinshi (進士) class, and served in a number of prominent offices — although the list is lost to history.
As chancellor
In late 895895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
— during a campaign featuring the imperial government, under Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
, and Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) on one side, and Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 887 to his death in 895...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) on the other — Emperor Zhaozong made Sun Wo, who was then the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the imperial capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
) the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). (Sun's subsequent involvement in the campaign, if any, is not recorded in history.) Later in the year, shortly after a chancellor, Cui Zhaowei
Cui Zhaowei
Cui Zhaowei , courtesy name Yunyao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, was executed for conspiring with Li Maozhen and Wang. By the end of the year, Li Keyong had defeated Wang, who was then killed by his own subordinates in flight. Li Maozhen and another ally, Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), then outwardly submitted to the imperial government. Emperor Zhaozong therefore ordered Li Keyong to end the campaign and return to Hedong. At some point, Sun was created the Marquess of Le'an.
However, by summer 896
896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
, the relationship between the imperial government and Li Maozhen had broken down again, and Li Maozhen launched his army to threaten Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong and the imperial officials decided to flee Chang'an, initially resolving to head to Hedong. However, due to the distance involved and due to Han's avowal of his loyalty, Emperor Zhaozong headed for Han's capital Hua Prefecture (華州) instead. While there, he declared a general campaign against Li Maozhen, putting Sun in charge of the campaign and making the general Li Sijian (李思諫) Sun's deputy. However, with Han having a long-time alliance with Li Maozhen, Han interfered with the operation, which, as a result, was never actually launched. By 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
, with Han having seized control of the imperial guards that Emperor Zhaozong had previously put several imperial princes in command of, the campaign was cancelled entirely.
Soon thereafter, Han falsely accused two close associates of Emperor Zhaozong's — the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷) and the physician Xu Yanshi (許巖士) of crimes and had them executed. With another chancellor, Zhu Pu
Zhu Pu
Zhu Pu was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly from 896 to 897 as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, being regarded as sheerly incompetent, Han further accused Sun and Zhu of associating with Ma and Xu. As a result, both Sun and Zhu were removed from their chancellor posts, with Sun initially keeping his secondary post as the minister of rites (禮部尚書, Libu Shangshu). Later in the year, Sun was demoted and exiled to be the military advisor to the prefect of Nan Prefecture (南州, in modern Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
). He died in exile, with the date of his death lost to history.
As chancellor, Sun was described to be understanding and frugal. He paid little attention to his outward appearance, once stating, "A gentleman has proper ways to act. One needs not compare his appearance to the appearance to another's; rather, he should act in clear ways so as to contrast with another's murky ways." It was said that whenever he had guests, if his servants had arguments among themselves, he would not rebuke them — stating that if he took time to rebuke them, he would merely be distracting himself.