| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 孙和, 孫和, Sūn Hé |
| Nickname | Crown Prince Wen of Eastern Wu, Prince of Nanyang |
| Other name | Tôn Hòa |
| Courtesy name | 子孝, 子孝, Zǐxiào, Zi Xiao, tự Tử Hiếu |
| INFORMATION | |
| Born | 224 |
| Birth Place | Fuchun County, Wu Commandery (吴郡富春县; huyện Phú Xuân, quận Ngô) |
| Died | 253 |
| Death Reason | Forced to commit suicide by the regent Sun Jun in Xindu in 253 following political purges |
| FAMILY | |
| Father | |
| Mother | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Relatives | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Eastern Wu |
| Battles | Two Palaces Contention (political); Succession crises of Eastern Wu |
Biography & Historical Record
Sun He (孙和, Tôn Hòa) (224–253 AD), courtesy name Zixiao (子孝, Tử Hiếu), was the third son of Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền) and Lady Wang, and Eastern Wu’s crown prince after the death of Sun Deng (孙登, Tôn Đăng) in 241. Invested as heir apparent in 242, he gathered Confucian tutors and upright ministers—including Chancellor Lu Xun (陆逊, Lục Tốn)—yet Sun Quan simultaneously lavished equal retinues and stipends on fourth son Sun Ba (孙霸, Tôn Bá), Prince of Lu. The resulting Two Palaces Contention split the court for years: Lu Xun, Zhu Ju, and Wu Can backed the lawful heir; Quan Cong, Bu Zhi, Yang Zhu, and Princess Sun Luban (孙鲁班, Tôn Lỗ Ban) backed Sun Ba.
Slanders during Sun Quan’s illness put Sun He under house arrest; Lu Xun’s memorials failed to reverse the tide. In 250 Sun Quan forced Sun Ba to suicide, deposed Sun He as Prince of Nanyang, and designated young Sun Liang (孙亮, Tôn Lượng) instead. After Sun Quan’s death, regent Sun Jun (孙峻, Tôn Tuấn) purged rivals and forced Sun He to suicide at Xindu in 253. Posthumously honored in later reigns as Crown Prince Wen; his son Sun Hao (孙皓, Tôn Hạo) would become Wu’s last emperor.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance casts Sun He as the virtuous, filial prince destroyed by succession factionalism. After Sun Deng’s death he is the rightful heir; Sun Ba’s clique and palace women turn the court into a civil feud. Sun Quan’s final settlement ruins both brothers—Sun Ba dies, Sun He is stripped—and later regency politics finish Sun He’s life. The novel uses his tragedy to moralize Wu’s self-inflicted decline after the founding generation.
Sun He (孙和) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Crown prince
Invested heir apparent after Sun Deng’s death; builds a Confucian staff around Lu Xun and tutors.
Two Palaces Contention
Rivalry with Sun Ba splits ministers; Sun Luban’s faction and Yang Zhu attack the heir.
Deposed as Prince of Nanyang
Sun Quan ends the feud: Sun Ba forced to suicide; Sun He stripped of the succession.
Forced suicide
Under Sun Jun’s regency, Sun He is forced to die at Xindu; later recalled as Crown Prince Wen.
See Sun He on Wikipedia and SGZ Wu biography.
Key Relationships
Family
- Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền): Father who first made him heir then deposed him.
- Lady Wang: Mother.
- Sun Ba (孙霸, Tôn Bá): Half-brother rival, Prince of Lu.
- Sun Hao (孙皓, Tôn Hạo): Son; later last emperor of Wu.
- Sun Deng (孙登, Tôn Đăng): Elder brother whose death opened the succession.
Friends
- Lu Xun (陆逊, Lục Tốn): Chancellor who defended the lawful heir until persecuted.
- Zhu Ju, Wu Can, Kan Ze: Supporters and tutors of the crown prince’s palace.
Enemies
- Sun Ba (孙霸, Tôn Bá) and advisers Yang Zhu, Quan Ji: rival palace.
- Sun Luban (孙鲁班, Tôn Lỗ Ban): Half-sister who backed Sun Ba and accused Sun He.
- Sun Jun (孙峻, Tôn Tuấn): Regent who forced Sun He’s suicide in 253.
Other
- Sun Liang (孙亮, Tôn Lượng): Younger brother chosen as final heir in 250.
In Novel
Chapter 107
- Sun He (孙和, Tôn Hòa): Former designated heir of Sun Quan (孙权, Tôn Quyền) after Sun Deng (孙登, Tôn Đăng). His palace and that of Sun Ba (孙霸, Tôn Bá) split the Wu court; ministers choose sides while the emperor’s favoritism deepens the feud.
Chapter 108
- Sun He (孙和, Tôn Hòa): Sun Quan finally breaks both factions—Sun Ba is destroyed and Sun He is removed from the succession. Later political violence under the regency completes his tragedy; the novel frames him as a filial victim of palace factionalism.
In History
Summary
- Sun He (孙和, Tôn Hòa), courtesy Zixiao (子孝), was Wu crown prince after Sun Deng; ruined by the Two Palaces Contention with Sun Ba; forced to suicide in 253.
Year: 242–250 AD
- Heir apparent; equal privileges for Sun Ba create dual courts; Lu Xun’s faction vs Quan Cong / Yang Zhu / Princess Quan.
Year: 250 AD
- Deposed as Prince of Nanyang; Sun Ba forced to suicide; Sun Liang named heir.
Year: 253 AD
- Forced suicide under Sun Jun at Xindu; later posthumous Crown Prince Wen; son Sun Hao becomes last Wu emperor.
Historical Record
- Sanguozhi Wu biographies of Sun He and related princes; Pei annotations on the Two Palaces purge. Fully historical.
COMMENTS (0)