Sun Yi 孫異
| Occupation | RGeneral · General NGeneral · General of the Left | Faction | Wu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | 吳郡 | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Sun Yi (孫異) was a general of Wu. He has no biography of his own in the Records; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears once, in the section on Sun Xiu in the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers (Records of Wu 3). In the winter of the 6th year of Yong'an (263), when Shu reported that it was under attack by Wei, Sun Xiu sent the Grand General Ding Feng (丁奉) toward Shouchun and the generals Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi to Mianzhong to rescue Shu, but called this off when word arrived that Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu, had surrendered to Wei. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin or later life. Records, Wu 3 §43–44
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 117 and appears in 2 of its 120 chapters, but he is not named in any chapter title. In Chapter 117, when Sun Xiu makes the veteran general Ding Feng (丁奉) commander-in-chief, Sun Yi becomes a lieutenant commander together with Ding Feng (丁封) and advances on Mianzhong leading 20,000 troops, and in Chapter 119, as General of the Left, he guards the narrow passes at various places in Nanxu. Romance, Ch. 117 §42Romance, Ch. 119 §23
In the Records
According to the section on Sun Xiu in the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers, in the 10th month of winter in the 6th year of Yong'an (263), Shu reported that it was under attack by Wei. On the day jiashen, Sun Xiu had the Grand General Ding Feng (丁奉) lead the armies toward Shouchun in Wei, sent the general Liu Ping separately to Shi Ji in Nan Commandery to discuss where to direct the army, and had the generals Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi go to Mianzhong. All this was to rescue Shu. But when word arrived that Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu, had surrendered to Wei, they finally called it off. Records, Wu 3 §43–44
This passage is the only place where Sun Yi appears in Chen Shou's main text. His courtesy name, origin, later life and death are not recorded, and the Records contain no assessment of him. Records, Wu 3 §44
In the Romance
In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Zhuge Zhan, badly defeated by Deng Ai's ambush and withdrawn to Mianzhu, finds the city surrounded as tightly as an iron bucket, and has Peng He break through the encirclement carrying a letter to ask Eastern Wu for help. After reading the letter, Sun Xiu, the ruler of Wu, says that with Shu in danger he cannot simply sit and watch, and makes the veteran general Ding Feng (丁奉) commander-in-chief and Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi lieutenant commanders, sending them with 50,000 troops to rescue Shu. Romance, Ch. 117 §40–42
Ding Feng, receiving the command, sets out and assigns 20,000 troops to Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi to advance on Mianzhong, while he himself leads 30,000 troops toward Shouchun, so that the relief comes along three routes. But when no relief arrives, Zhuge Zhan opens the city gates and sallies out, is struck by an arrow and cuts his own throat. Romance, Ch. 117 §42–44
In Chapter 119, in the 3rd month of spring of the year in which Wei changes the 5th year of Jingyuan to the 1st year of Xianxi, the Wu general Ding Feng sees that Shu has already fallen and withdraws his troops. When the Assistant of the Secretariat Hua He memorializes that Wu and Shu are like lips and teeth, that the day Sima Zhao attacks Wu is not far off, and that defenses should be strengthened, Sun Xiu makes Lu Xun's son Lu Kang Grand General Who Guards the East to hold Jiangkou, has the General of the Left Sun Yi guard the narrow passes at various places in Nanxu, and has Ding Feng take overall command of several hundred camps of troops along the river. Sun Yi does not appear in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 119 §23
Where the Romance differs
What prompted the expedition: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Sun Xiu sends out troops when Zhuge Zhan, trapped in Mianzhu, sends Peng He to ask for help. In the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers in the Records, he sent out troops on the day jiashen after Shu reported in the 10th month of winter in the 6th year of Yong'an (263) that it was under attack by Wei; Zhuge Zhan's request for help and Peng He do not appear. Romance, Ch. 117 §41–42Records, Wu 3 §43–44
Organization of the troops: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Sun Yi becomes a lieutenant commander under the commander-in-chief Ding Feng (丁奉) and, together with Ding Feng (丁封), leads the 20,000 troops Ding Feng assigns them to advance on Mianzhong. In the Records, Sun Xiu sent the Grand General Ding Feng (丁奉) to Shouchun, the general Liu Ping to Shi Ji in Nan Commandery, and the generals Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi to Mianzhong separately, and the number of troops is not recorded. Romance, Ch. 117 §42Records, Wu 3 §44
When the troops were withdrawn: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, Ding Feng (丁奉) withdraws his troops in the 3rd month of spring in the 1st year of Xianxi on seeing that Shu has already fallen. The Records say only that the expedition was called off when word arrived that Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu, had surrendered to Wei. Romance, Ch. 119 §23Records, Wu 3 §44
General of the Left and Nanxu: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, Sun Xiu, following Hua He's advice, has the General of the Left Sun Yi guard the passes of Nanxu. Chen Shou's main text calls Sun Yi only a general, and there is no record of his guarding Nanxu. Romance, Ch. 119 §23Records, Wu 3 §44
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
- LEA4548+3
- STR4240−2
- INT3838±0
- POL3535±0
- CHA3838±0
- VIR4242±0
- ADP4040±0
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3333±0
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RAs a general, advanced on Mianzhong with Ding Feng (丁封) to rescue ShuWu 3 §44
NAs lieutenant commander, led 20,000 troops toward Mianzhong; later guarded the passes of NanxuCh. 117 §42Ch. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his title of generalWu 3 §44
NNo direct record — estimated from his title of General of the LeftCh. 119 §23
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (2)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wu · Romance · Romance ch. 117 「”即令考将丁奉为主帅，丁封、孙异为副将，率兵五万，前往救蜀」 · Q124711364
Family
| Parents | Sun Shao(孫韶) Records |
|---|---|
| Siblings | Sun Kai(孫楷) Records |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.