Sun Sheng (302–373), courtesy name Anguo, was a Chinese historian and politician of the Jin dynasty. He was a native of Pingyao County, Jinzhong, Shanxi. He was described to be very studious, and was never seen without holding a book in his hand from his youth to his old age.Fang Xuanling, et al., ed., Book of Jin, chapter 82, p 2148
Life Sun Sheng's father Sun Xun () was Grand Administrator of Yingchuan (), in present-day Henan and Anhui. He was killed by bandits when Sun Sheng was nine, and the rest of the family fled to safety across the Yangtze River.Book of Jin, chapter 82, p 2147 Sun Sheng's grandfather Sun Chu () was a grandson of Cao Wei official Sun Zi (); Sun Sheng was also a cousin of Sun Chuo.Jin Shu, vol.56
In his young adulthood, Sun Sheng achieved fame as a serious scholar of the I Ching, composing an essay which some of the leading luminaries of the time, including Yin Hao, Wang Meng, and Xie Shang were unable to debate with him. Parts of the essay, "The Symbols of the Book of Changes are More Subtle than the Visible Shapes of Nature", survived and have been translated by Richard B. Mather.Liu Yiqing, ed., Shishuo Xinyu, chapter 4 no. 56Mather, Richard B. "Chinese Letters and Scholarship in the Third and Fourth Centuries", p 370; Mather, Richard, B., transl., Shih-shuo Hsin-yü: A New Account of Tales of the World, chapter 4 no 56.
After entering politics, Sun Sheng served under Tao Kan, Yu Liang, and Huan Wen; Sun accompanied Huan into Sichuan. On campaign, Huan Wen had taken his infantry to attack, and Sun Sheng was in charge of the weak, the elderly, and the baggage train, when they were suddenly set upon by thousands of bandits. The rearguard managed to rise to the occasion and drive them away.Book of Jin, chapter 82, p 2148 Huan Wen appointed Sun Sheng Marquis of Anhuai, in present-day Pingnan County, Guangxi, and he was attached to Huan Wen's household as a travelling secretary.
Following Huan Wen's first two northern campaigns, Sun Sheng was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuchang (in present-day Pingjiang County, Hunan), and appointed Grand Administrator of Changsha. The poverty of his family drove him to engage secretly in trade; but although this breach of etiquette was discovered, he was not impeached, because of the great esteem in which he was held.Book of Jin, chapter 82, p 2148 He left Huan Wen's service under strained conditions, and ended his life in the position of Supervising Censor.
Works Sun Sheng wrote the Wei Shi Chunqiu (; Chronicles of the Clans of Wei) and Jin Yangqiu (; Annals of Jin). A number of other works quoted by Pei Songzhi in his annotation of Records of the Three Kingdoms are attributed to Sun Sheng, including Yitong Zaji (; Miscellaneous Records of Similarities and Differences), Shu Shi Pu (; Genealogy of Shu), and Wei Shiji (; Records of the House of Wei). All of his works have been lost, and survive now only in quotations.
Titles and Appointments Held Adjutant () Marquess of Anhuai County () Marquess of Wuchang County () Grand Administrator of Changsha () Supervising Censor ()
Family Great-great-grandfather: Sun Zi (d. 29 September or 28 November 251)Cao Fang's biography in Sanguozhi recorded that Sun Zi died on a gengzi day between Sima Yi's death and the 11th month of the 3rd year of the Jiaping era. There are two gengzi days in that period (in the 8th and 10th months) and the dates correspond to 29 Sep and 28 Nov 251 in the Julian calendar. Great-grandfather: Sun Hong () Grandfather: Sun Chu () (d. 293)() Jin Shu, vol.56 (biography of Sun Chu). Father: Sun Xun () (d. 311) Paternal cousin: Sun Chuo Children: Sun Qian () Sun Fang ()
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