Sun Shao (general)

Sun Shao (188–241), born Yu Shao, courtesy name Gongli, was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Sun Ce, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, granted the family name "Sun" to Sun Shao but never adopted him as a son. Sun Shao's uncle was Sun He (孫河) né Yu He (俞河), who had been brought into the Sun clan by Sun Jian.

Life

In 204, Grand Administrator of Danyang, Sun Jian's son Sun Yi was assassinated in Wanling by rebels still loyal to their former master Sheng Xian. Sun He discovered the culprits, but as one of the assassins, Gai Lan (媯覽), held a high military post in the city, Sun He was unable to control the military and was killed as well. After the deaths of the assassins at the hands of Sun Yi's former generals Sun Gao (孫高) and Fu Ying (傅嬰), Sun Shao assumed control of Danyang commandery's military forces. The ruler of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan, tested Sun Shao's ability by feigning a night attack on his encampment, but found Sun Shao's men ready and his defences sound. The next day, Sun Quan rewarded the sixteen-year-old Sun Shao with the rank of colonel and control over the resources of Dantu (丹徒) and Qu'a (曲阿) counties, as well as formal control of the troops that had been under Sun He's command.