Sun Quan: Both the brave and the wise
As the third leader of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan's leadership style differed from that of his predecessor, Sun Ce. He is often thought of just guarding Jiangdong's own acre and three-point land, and has no ambition to advance the world. However, if we look closely at Sun Quan's life, we will find that he was not. Sun Quan was not only ambitious, but also put into practice.
First, Sun Quan repeatedly conquered Jiangxia to challenge Jingzhou's authority. Although Sun Quan was young at first, and his assassination led to unrest in the Jiangdong region, he abandoned a conquest and returned to Jiangdong to regroup. However, in the next three imperial conquests, Sun Quan defeated Huang Zu in succession and finally occupied Jiangxia. The expedition showed Sun Quan's ambitions and demonstrated his actual military actions.
Second, Sun Quan put a lot of effort into establishing his own prestige. He had two important ministers, Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao. As for Zhang Zhao, Sun Quan initially had some trust in him and adopted his governance plan. However, when Zhang Zhao proposed surrender with Cao Cao, Sun Quan firmly opposed it. Zhang Zhao gradually realized Sun Quan's maturity and sophistication, and treated him with respect. As for Zhou Yu, although Sun Quan always respected him, his merits and prestige gradually surpassed Sun Quan himself in the army and even in the dynasty. Zhou Yu also sometimes made some decisions that were not consulted with Sun Quan, so when a suitable heir appeared, Sun Quan had to kill Zhou Yu. These moves demonstrate the importance that Sun Quan attaches to maintaining his prestige and the efforts he has made to realize his ambitions.
Sun Quan also challenged Cao Wei's forces and sent troops to attack Hefei several times. Cao Cao had informed Sun Quan that Jingzhou was empty, but Sun Quan was skeptical. However, when Sun Quan sent Lü Meng to reconnoiter, he confirmed Cao Wei's heavy forces in Jingzhou and quickly launched an attack. In this attack on Hefei, Sun Quan skillfully used the strategy of "encircling Wei and saving Zhao", and finally protected Jingzhou.
In the end, in the name of avenging his father, Sun Quan sent Lü Meng across the river to capture Jingzhou. Although Jingzhou had been divided between Liu Bei and Cao Cao, the operation marked Sun Quan's challenge to Liu Bei's territory. Lü Meng skillfully crossed the Yangtze River and succeeded in capturing Jingzhou, Guan Yu was killed by Lü Meng, and his head was sent back to Jiangdong. However, soon after, Liu Bei led Zhuge Liang to attack Eastern Wu, and Sun Quan, supported by Lu Xun, successfully repelled Liu Bei's attack.
These examples illustrate Sun Quan's ambition and practical actions. Although Sun Quan ultimately failed to achieve his goal of unifying the world, his efforts were obvious. He may not have the financial strength of Cao Cao and the natural defensive superiority of Bashu, but he has a firm determination on how to dominate the world and puts it into practice. Whether Sun Quan's ambitions succeed or not, he is an example to follow.
What do you think of Sun Quan's ambition? What do you think of his actual actions? Looking forward to hearing your comments and discussions!
