Sun Kai 孫楷

Sun Kai's father Sun Shao was a general who had taken over the following of his uncle Sun He. Sun He's original surname was Yu, but Sun Ce, fond of him, granted him the surname Sun and entered him in the clan register. Sun Shao died in the 4th year of Chiwu (241), and his son Sun Yue succeeded him and rose to General of the Right. Records, Wu 6 §40 · 43 · 46

Sun Yue's elder brother Sun Kai, as General-in-Chief of the Martial Guard and Marquis of Lincheng, replaced Sun Yue as Area Commander of Jingxia. Sun Kai's younger brothers rose to General Commanding the Army, Minister of the Imperial Clan and Administrator of Wuling. Records, Wu 6 §46

In the 9th month of the 3rd year of Taiping (258), Sun Chen deposed Sun Liang and made him Prince of Kuaiji. When Shi Zheng, Commandant of the Guard, urged him to summon Sun Xiu, Prince of Langya, and set him on the throne, Sun Chen agreed and sent Sun Kai, Director of the Imperial Clan, to present a letter to Sun Xiu. The letter listed Sun Liang's many faults, such as keeping Liu Cheng close to him and drilling the sons of soldiers in the palace park, and said that Quan Shang had been seized and Liu Cheng beheaded, that the emperor had been made Prince of Kuaiji, and that Sun Kai was being sent to receive Sun Xiu with all honour. Records, Wu 3 §18Records, Wu 19 §90–92

According to the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers, Sun Chen sent Sun Kai, Director of the Imperial Clan, and Dong Chao, Gentleman of the Secretariat, to receive Sun Xiu. Sun Xiu was suspicious when he first heard the news, but after Sun Kai and Dong Chao explained in detail the true intention of Sun Chen and the others in receiving him, he stayed one day and two nights and then set out. On the jimao day, Sun Xiu stopped where he could see the side hall and had Sun Kai go ahead to meet Sun En, General of the Martial Guard, who was acting in the affairs of the Chancellor; only when Sun Kai returned did he advance in the hand-drawn carriage and receive the obeisance of the officials. Records, Wu 3 §21–22

In the winter, in the 10th month of the 1st year of Baoding (266), the mountain bandit Shi Dan of Yong'an and others coerced Sun Hao's half-brother Sun Qian into leaving with them and headed for Jianye, but were defeated. At that time someone reported that Sun Kai had been of two minds and had not come at once to suppress them, and Sun Hao repeatedly sent men to question Sun Kai. Records, Wu 3 §55 · 57–58Records, Wu 6 §46

In the 1st year of Tianxi (276), Sun Hao summoned Sun Kai to make him General of Agile Cavalry guarding the palace. Sun Kai had always been fearful, and when he was suddenly summoned, he went over to Jin with his wife and children and several hundred personal troops. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record this as Sun Kai, Area Commander of Jingxia, surrendering to Jin in the autumn, in the 8th month of that year. Jin made him General of Chariots and Cavalry and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Danyang. Chen Shou's main text does not record what happened to him afterwards or the year of his death. Records, Wu 6 §46–47Records, Wu 3 §70–71

In the assessment of the biographies of the imperial clan, Chen Shou said that these various Suns either aided the foundations on which the state was raised or guarded the frontiers, proved equal to their duties and did not disgrace their honours, and that he had therefore recorded them in detail. The assessment does not discuss Sun Kai separately. Records, Wu 6 §52