孫權

Profile

Heir to the Southland at nineteen, and first emperor of the longest-lived of the three kingdoms. He chose war at Red Cliffs and broke Cao Cao; thereafter he allied with Liu Bei when useful and seized Jing Province when useful — flexibility as statecraft. His greatest weapon was judgment of men: the succession of chief commanders from Zhou Yu to Lu Xun, each the right man at the right hour. "If one must have a son," even Cao Cao sighed, "let him be like Sun Quan." Only the succession feuds of his old age darkened the record.

Key events

1. 200

   Sun Ce Dies; Sun Quan Succeeds

   Struck down by assassins, Sun Ce entrusts the Southland to his 19-year-old brother Sun Quan, propped up by Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu.

   Sun CeZhang ZhaoZhou Yu

2. 208

   Battle of Red Cliffs

   Zhou Yu’s Sun–Liu alliance burns Cao Cao’s armada with fire ships, halting his southern conquest. The three-way division of the realm was sealed here.

   Zhou YuCao CaoLiu BeiZhuge LiangHuang GaiLu SuCheng PuGan Ning

3. 210

   Death of Zhou Yu

   Zhou Yu, hero of Red Cliffs, dies at 36; his successor Lu Su becomes the pillar of the Sun–Liu alliance.

   Zhou YuLu Su

4. 213

   Battle of Ruxukou

   Sun Quan blocks Cao Cao at Ruxukou — Gan Ning’s hundred-rider night raid, Zhou Tai’s valor, and Cao Cao’s sigh: "If one must have a son, let him be like Sun Quan."

   Cao CaoGan NingZhou Tai

5. 215

   The Xiang River Accord

   Guan Yu and Lu Su face off at Yiyang over Jing Province — the single-blade parley — settling on a split along the Xiang River.

   Guan YuLu SuLiu BeiZhuge Jin

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

The novel shades him behind Liu Bei and Cao Cao; history makes him their full equal, the third protagonist. Chen Shou called him a hero of Goujian’s stamp — while noting the suspicion that soured his final years.