View source for Sun Hao

{{Short description|Emperor of Eastern Wu from 264 to 280}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Sun Hao<br>{{normal|{{lang|zh|孫皓}}}}
| title        = Marquis Guiming {{noitalics|(歸命侯)}}
| image        = Sun Hao Qing portrait.jpg
| image_size   = 180px
| caption      = A [[Qing dynasty]] illustration of Sun Hao
| succession   = [[Emperor of China|Emperor of]] [[Eastern Wu]]
| reign        = 3 September 264 – 1 May 280{{efn|Sun Hao's biography in the ''Sanguozhi'' recorded that Sun Hao surrendered on the ''renshen'' day of the 3rd month of the 4th year of the ''Tianji'' era of his reign.<ref>([天紀四年三月]壬申，王濬最先到，於是受皓之降，解縛焚櫬，延請相見。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 48.</ref> This is an error as there was no ''renshen'' day in that month. The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' recorded that it was the ''renyin'' day of the 3rd month of the 1st year of the ''Taikang'' era of Sima Yan's reign.{{sfnp|Sima|1084|loc=vol. 81}} This date corresponds to 1 May 280 in the Gregorian calendar.}}
| predecessor  = [[Sun Xiu]]
| succession1  = Marquis of Wucheng (烏程侯)
| reign1       = 10 December 258 – 3 September 264
| reign-type1  = Tenure
| birth_date   = 242{{efn|name=death details from Wu Lu}}
| death_date   = January or February 284 (aged 41-42){{efn|name=death details from Wu Lu|The ''Wu Lu'' recorded that Sun Hao died in the 12th month of the 4th year of the ''Taikang'' era of Sima Yan's reign, and that he was 42 (by [[East Asian age reckoning]]) when he died. He was buried in Henan County.<ref>(吳錄曰：皓以[太康]四年十二月死，時年四十二，葬河南縣界。) ''Wu Lu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 48.</ref> The 12th month of the 4th year of the ''Taikang'' era corresponds to 5 January to 3 February 284 in the Julian calendar.}}
| place of burial = [[Luoyang]], [[Henan]]{{efn|name=death details from Wu Lu}}
| spouse       = {{unbulleted list|[[Teng Fanglan|Empress Teng]]|[[Eastern Wu family trees#Sun Hao (Yuanzong)|Lady Zhang]] (elder)|[[Eastern Wu family trees#Sun Hao (Yuanzong)|Lady Zhang]] (younger)}}
| issue        = {{unbulleted list|Sun Jin|Sun Qian|''Prince of Qi''|''Prince of Chenliu''|''Prince of Zhangling''|''Prince of Chengji''|''Prince of Xuanwei''|''Prince of Zhongshan''|''Prince of Dai''|Sun Chong|Sun Fan}}
| issue-link   = Eastern Wu family trees#Sun Hao (Yuanzong)
| issue-pipe   = (among others)
| birth_name   = Sun Pengzu (孫彭祖)<br>Haozong (皓宗) {{small|([[courtesy name]])}}
| full name    = '''Family name:''' Sun (孫) <br> '''Given name:''' Hao (皓) <br> '''[[Courtesy name]]''': Yuanzong (元宗)
| era dates    = {{unbulleted list|Yuanxing (元興): 264–265|Ganlu (甘露): 265–266|Baoding (寶鼎): 266–269|Jianheng (建衡): 269–271|Fenghuang (鳳凰): 272–274|Tiance (天冊): 275–276|Tianxi (天璽): 276|Tianji (天紀): 277–280}}
| posthumous name = Emperor Mo
| house        = [[Eastern Wu|House of Sun]]
| father       = [[Sun He]]
| mother       = [[Empress Dowager He (Eastern Wu)|Lady He]]
}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Sun (surname)|Sun]]|lang=Chinese}}

'''Sun Hao''' (242 – January or February 284),{{efn|name=death details from Wu Lu}} [[courtesy name]] '''Yuanzong''', originally named '''Sun Pengzu''' with the courtesy name '''Haozong''', was the fourth and last emperor of the state of [[Eastern Wu]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period of China. He was a son of [[Sun He]], a one-time [[Crown prince|heir apparent]] of the founding emperor [[Sun Quan]]. He ascended the throne in September 264 after the death of his uncle, [[Sun Xiu]] (Emperor Jing), in light of the desire of the people to have an older emperor, considering the recent destruction of Wu's ally state [[Shu Han]]. However, he turned out to be a most unfortunate choice, as his cruelty, extravagance and inability to handle domestic matters doomed Wu, which was eventually [[Conquest of Wu by Jin|conquered]] by the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Jin dynasty]] in 280, ending the Three Kingdoms period.

Sun Hao is also known by other titles: '''Marquis of Wucheng''' ({{lang|zh-Hant|烏程侯}}), which he held before he became emperor; '''Marquis Guiming''' (歸命侯; literally "the Marquis who resigns to his fate"), the title given to him by the Jin dynasty after his surrender; '''Later Lord of Wu''' ({{lang|zh-Hant|吳後主}}) and '''Last Emperor of Wu''' ({{lang|zh-Hant|吳末帝}}), which were used by historians to refer to him.

==Early life==
Sun Hao was born in 242 as [[Sun He]]'s eldest son. Sun He was named [[crown prince]] in February or March 242,<ref>According to Sun Quan's biography in ''Sanguozhi'', Sun He was made crown prince in the 1st month of the 5th year of the ''Chiwu'' era of his reign. This corresponds to 17 Feb to 18 Mar 242 in the Julian calendar. ([赤烏]五年春正月，立子和為太子， ...) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 47.</ref> a few months after the death of [[Sun Quan]]'s eldest son and first crown prince, [[Sun Deng (Eastern Wu)|Sun Deng]], in May or June 241.<ref>Sun Quan's biography in ''Sanguozhi'' recorded that Sun Deng died in the 5th month of the 4th year of the ''Chiwu'' era of Sun Quan's reign. This month corresponds to 28 May to 25 Jun 241 in the Gregorian calendar. ([赤烏四年]五月，太子登卒。) ''Sanguozhi'', vol. 47.</ref> Sun Hao's mother, [[Empress Dowager He (Eastern Wu)|Consort He]], was a concubine of Sun He.

In 250, after Sun Quan grew tired of the constant disputes between his sons Sun He and [[Sun Ba]], he forced Sun Ba to commit suicide and exiled Sun He to Guzhang (故鄣; in present-day [[Huzhou]], [[Zhejiang]]), presumably along with his family and reduced to commoner status. Sun Hao went from the status of eventual presumed heir to being the son of a commoner, albeit a grandson of the emperor.

In 252, Sun He's status was elevated from commoner status as Sun Quan just before his death that year instated Sun He as the Prince of Nanyang and a princedom at [[Changsha]]. Indeed, there were rumours, even after Sun He's younger brother [[Sun Liang]] took the throne after Sun Quan's death that the regent [[Zhuge Ke]], an uncle of Sun He's wife Princess Zhang, was interested in restoring Sun He and making Sun He emperor instead. After Zhuge Ke's assassination and replacement by [[Sun Jun (Three Kingdoms)|Sun Jun]] in 253, Sun He fell into danger as Sun Jun had been instrumental in having Sun He deposed in the first place and wanted to eliminate any chance of a Sun He comeback. Sun Jun used the rumours as an excuse to have Sun He demoted back to commoner status and exiled to Xindu (新都; in present-day [[Chun'an County]], [[Zhejiang]]), and then sent messengers to force Sun He to commit suicide. Princess Zhang also committed suicide.  When offered the chance to also commit suicide, Consort He refused, stating that if she died as well, no one would be left to care for Sun He's sons. Thus, she raised Sun Hao and his three brothers born to other consorts — Sun De ({{lang|zh-Hant|孫德}}), Sun Qian ({{lang|zh-Hant|孫謙}}), and Sun Jun (孫俊, not the same person as the regent).

After Sun Liang was deposed by Sun Jun's cousin and successor [[Sun Chen]] in 258, [[Sun Xiu]], another son of Sun Quan, became emperor. On 10 December 258,<ref>According to Sun Xiu's biography in ''Sanguozhi'', he created Sun Hao and his brothers marquises on the ''jichou'' day of the 10th month of the 1st year of the ''Yongan'' era. This corresponds to 10 Dec 258 in the Julian calendar. [(永安元年冬十月)己丑，封孙皓为乌程侯，皓弟德钱唐侯，谦永安侯。] ''Sanguozhi'', vol.48</ref> Sun Xiu created Sun Hao and his brothers, Sun De and Sun Qian, marquises. Sun Hao's title was the Marquis of [[Huzhou|Wucheng]]{{efn|[[Sun Jian]], Sun Xiu's grandfather and Sun Hao's great-grandfather, once held this marquisate during the Eastern Han dynasty.}} and he was sent to his marquisate. At some point, he befriended a magistrate of Wucheng County, [[Wan Yu]], who appraised him as intelligent and studious.<ref>(左典军万彧昔为乌程令，与皓相善，称皓才识明断) ''Sanguozhi'' vol.48</ref> Also, during his time as Marquis of Wucheng, he took his future empress Lady Teng as a concubine.

In summer 264, Sun Xiu fell ill and was unable to speak but still could write so he wrote an edict summoning the [[Chancellor (China)|chancellor]] [[Puyang Xing]] to the palace, where he pointed and entrusted his son, crown prince Sun Wan, to Puyang Xing. Sun Xiu died soon thereafter, on 3 September 264.<ref>Sun Xiu's biography in the ''Sanguozhi'' recorded that he died on the ''guiwei'' day of the 7th month of the 7th year of the ''Yong'an'' era of his reign. This corresponds to 3 Sep 264 in the Gregorian calendar.</ref> However, Puyang Xing did not follow Sun Xiu's wishes. Rather, after consulting with general [[Zhang Bu (Eastern Wu)|Zhang Bu]], they believed that the people were, in light of the recent [[Conquest of Shu by Wei|fall]] of their ally state [[Shu Han]] in 263, yearning for a mature emperor. (It is not known how old Sun Wan was at this point, but Sun Xiu himself died at age 29, so it was unlikely that Sun Wan was even a teenager.) At the recommendation of Wan Yu, who was by this point a general, Puyang Xing and Zhang Bu enthroned Sun Hao instead.

==Early reign==
At first, the people of Wu were impressed with the new emperor as he reduced taxes, gave relief to the poor, and released a large number of ladies in waiting from the palace to let them marry. However, soon that hopefulness was shattered as Sun Hao started to be cruel in his punishments, superstitious, and indulging himself in wine and women. He also demoted Sun Xiu's widow, [[Empress Zhu (Eastern Wu)|Empress Dowager Zhu]], to the title of "Empress Jing."  He honoured his mother [[Empress Dowager He (Eastern Wu)|Consort He]] as the empress dowager instead, while posthumously honouring his father Sun He with the title "Emperor Wen". [[Puyang Xing]] and [[Zhang Bu (Eastern Wu)|Zhang Bu]] were shocked and disappointed; their disappointment was reported to the emperor who had them arrested and executed along with their clans in late 264. In 264, he also instated his wife [[Empress Teng|Lady Teng]] as the empress.

In 265, Sun Hao forced the former Empress Dowager Zhu to commit suicide and exiled Sun Xiu's four sons. He soon executed the two eldest, Sun Wan (the former crown prince) and Sun Gong. He then also, believing in a prophecy that the imperial aura had moved from [[Yangzhou (ancient China)|Yang Province]] to [[Jingzhou (ancient China)|Jing Province]] and that Jing Province forces would defeat Yang Province forces, undertook a costly move of the capital from [[Jiankang|Jianye]] to [[Ezhou|Wuchang]]. He also started executing officials who showed disapproval of his wasteful ways regularly. The only major official who was able to speak freely without consequences was [[Lu Kai]], a nephew of [[Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)|Lu Xun]] and one of the chancellors serving in tandem with [[Wan Yu]], because of the great respect the people had for Lu Kai.

In 266, the [[Jin dynasty (265–420)|Jin dynasty]], which newly established itself as the successor to Wu's rival state [[Cao Wei]], after its first emperor, [[Emperor Wu of Jin|Sima Yan]], usurped the Wei throne, sought to establish peace with Wu. Sun Hao instead considered attacking the Jin dynasty, but while he did not do so at that moment, he also did not make peace with the Jin dynasty.

In 266, commoners in present-day Zhejiang unable to withstand Sun Hao's heavy levies (to support his luxuries) rebelled and kidnapped Sun Hao's brother, Sun Qian, as figurehead. They reached Jianye but were eventually defeated by Ding Gu ({{lang|zh|丁固}}) and [[Zhuge Jing]], who were responsible for Jianye's defences. Although there was no evidence that Sun Qian was actually involved in the rebellion, Sun Hao not only had Sun Qian but also mother and younger brother, Sun Jun, by the same mother, executed. Sun Hao believed this was a fulfillment of the prophecy that prompted his move of the capital to Wuchang; and later that year, he moved the capital back to Jianye.

In 268, Sun Hao began a policy of periodically attacking Jin border regions; he had his general Zhu Ji ({{lang|zh|朱繼}}) attack [[Jiangxia Commandery|Jiangxia]] and Wan Yu attack [[Xiangyang]], while he himself postured to attack [[Hefei]].  This attack was repelled by Jin forces, as were several later attacks.

In late 269, Lu Kai died and soon there was no one left in the administration who dared to speak out anymore. After Lu Kai's death, Sun Hao exiled Lu Kai's clan to [[Jian'ou|Jian'an]]. Lu Xun's son [[Lu Kang (Three Kingdoms)|Lu Kang]], a general who was in charge of defending Wu's western borders, did periodically submit petitions requesting reforms, but Sun Hao generally ignored them, although he did not punish Lu Kang.

==Late reign==
In early 271, in the middle of winter, Sun Hao personally launched a major attack against the Jin dynasty and he brought his mother Empress Dowager He, his wife Empress Teng, and thousands of women in his harem along which necessitated heavy labour – from soldiers to drag their wagons – causing the soldiers to murmur about possible defection. Only after Sun Hao heard this possibility did he make the decision to withdraw and return to Jianye. [[Wan Yu]] and the senior generals [[Ding Feng (general)|Ding Feng]] and Liu Ping ({{lang|zh|留平}}) had already considered returning to Jianye themselves before Sun Hao chose to withdraw and when Sun Hao heard about this he bore grudges against them as generals who might leave him.

Later that year, [[Jiao Province Campaign|Wu forces finally recovered]] [[Jiao Province]] from rebels paying allegiance to the Jin dynasty, who had held out ever since 264 (during Sun Xiu's reign). This gave Sun Hao encouragement and he continued to plan military actions against the Jin dynasty in earnest — although, to his credit, he put his general [[Tao Huang (Jin dynasty)|Tao Huang]] in charge of Jiao Province and Tao Huang managed the province effectively; the province would not rebel again for the duration of Sun Hao's reign.

In 272, [[Wang Jun (Jin dynasty)|Wang Jun]], the Jin governor of [[Yi Province]], with [[Emperor Wu of Jin|Sima Yan]]'s support began building a massive fleet with the plan to eventually use the fleet in conquering Wu. As the wood shavings from the building project floated down the [[Yangtze River]], the Wu general [[Wu Yan (Shize)|Wu Yan]] realised what was happening and requested that the northwestern border be fortified, but Sun Hao refused.

Later in 272, Sun Hao would carry out an action that would lead to a major rebellion — summoning [[Bu Zhi#Descendants|Bu Chan]], the general in charge of Xiling (in present-day [[Yichang]], [[Hubei]]), back to the capital back to Jianye. Fearful that he was about to be punished somehow, Bu Chan rebelled and defected to the Jin dynasty. While Lu Kang was eventually able to defeat Bu Chan and recover Xiling for Wu, the distrust the Wu generals had for their emperor had been thoroughly exposed and Jin generals became emboldened in proposing plans of conquest to their emperor.

In the same year, Sun Hao, still holding grudges against Wan Yu and Liu Ping for their plan to abandon him and return to Jianye on their own, tried to poison the two of them. Neither died, but when they found out that Sun Hao was behind the poisoning they knew they could not do anything about it; Wan Yu committed suicide while Liu Ping died in distress.

Lu Kang died in 274. In his final petition, he requested Sun Hao to strengthen the defences on Wu's western border, but Sun Hao did not do so. Further, he divided Lu Kang's forces into six different commands, although each was led by one of Lu Kang's sons.

In 275, the senior Wu minister He Shao ({{lang|zh|賀邵}}; grandson of [[He Qi]]) suffered a stroke and was paralysed. Sun Hao suspected that he was pretending and had him arrested and tortured by whipping and by subjecting him to saws and fires. He died under torture and his clan was exiled.{{efn|''[[A New Account of the Tales of the World]]'' recorded an anecdote in which [[Emperor Yuan of Jin]] once asked He Xun (He Shao's son), who was then ''sikong'', about the identity of his clansman who had his head sawn off by Sun Hao. While He Xun remained silent, Emperor Yuan recalled that it was He Shao. He Xun then asked for forgiveness from the emperor for not answering an imperial question due to the immense pain and injustice of his father's death. Emperor Yuan was so ashamed that he did not appear in public for three days. (元皇初见贺司空，言及吴时事，问：“孙皓烧锯截一贺头，是谁？”司空未得言，元皇自忆曰：“是贺劭。” 司空流涕曰：“臣父遭遇无道，创巨痛深，无以仰答明诏。” 元皇愧惭，三日不出。) ''Shishuo Xinyu'', vol.34.}}

For the next several years, people wishing to flatter Sun Hao often offered him miraculous items (real or manufactured) that purportedly suggest that he would eventually destroy the Jin dynasty and unite China. Sun Hao's superstitious nature became even more aroused and he spent all of his efforts on plans to conquer the Jin dynasty.

==Fall of Eastern Wu==
In 279, after [[Emperor Wu of Jin|Sima Yan]] accepted the advice of [[Wang Jun (Jin dynasty)|Wang Jun]] and [[Du Yu]], the Jin dynasty finally launched a major attack aiming to conquer Eastern Wu. The attack was in six prongs: with the forces led by Sima Yan's uncle, [[Sima Zhou]]; [[Wang Hun (general)|Wang Hun]] ({{lang|zh|王渾}}); [[Wang Rong (Jin dynasty)|Wang Rong]]; [[Hu Fen]] ({{lang|zh|胡奮}}); Du; and Wang Jun, with the largest forces under Wang Hun and Wang Jun's command. Each of the Jin forces advanced quickly and captured the border cities that they were targeting with Wang Jun's fleet heading east down the Yangtze and clearing the river of Wu fleets. The Wu [[Chancellor (China)|imperial chancellor]] [[Zhang Ti]] made a last-ditch attempt to defeat Wang Hun's force, but was defeated and killed. Wang Hun, Wang Jun, and Sima Zhou each headed for Jianye. Sun Hao was forced to surrender in May 280.

Sun Hao and his clan were escorted to the Jin capital [[Luoyang]]. Sun Hao, now a captive, humiliated himself by covering himself with mud and having himself bound behind his back. Sima Yan had Sun Hao unbound and had him seated next to him at the next imperial gathering. He remarked, "I have set this seat for you for a long time." Sun Hao responded, "I also had a seat for your imperial majesty in Jianye." When the Jin official [[Jia Chong]], seeking to humiliate Sun Hao, asked, "I heard that you had such cruel punishments as poking out people's eyes and peeling the facial skin off people. What kind of punishment is this?" Sun Hao replied, "If a subordinate planned to murder his emperor or was treacherous, I would use those punishments on him." Jia Chong, who was instrumental in the Wei emperor [[Cao Mao]]'s [[Sima Zhao's regicide of Cao Mao|death]], felt humiliated and did not respond.

Sima Yan pardoned Sun Hao and further granted the latter the title "Marquis Guiming" (literally "the marquis who resigns to his fate") on 9 July 280.<ref>''xin'hai'' day of the 5th month of the 1st year of the ''Tai'kang'' era, per Emperor Wu's biography in ''Book of Jin''</ref> Sun Hao's sons were made junior officials in the Jin government. Sun Hao died in early 284.

== Family ==
{{main|Eastern Wu family trees#Sun Hao (Yuanzong)}}

==See also==
* [[Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms]]
* [[List of Chinese monarchs]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [[Chen Shou|Chen, Shou]] (3rd century). ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'' (''Sanguozhi'').
* [[Fang Xuanling|Fang, Xuanling]] (648). ''[[Book of Jin]]'' (''Jin Shu'').
* [[Pei Songzhi|Pei, Songzhi]] (5th century). ''[[Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'' (''Sanguozhi zhu'').
* {{cite book |author-link=Sima Guang|last=Sima |first= Guang |year=1084 |title=[[Zizhi Tongjian]]}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Eastern Wu|House of Sun]]||243||284||name=Emperor Yuanzong of Eastern Wu}}
{{S-reg}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Sun Xiu (emperor)|Sun Xiu]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Eastern Wu|Emperor of Eastern Wu]]|years=264–280}}
{{S-non|reason=Abolished}}
{{S-pre}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Sun Xiu (emperor)|Sun Xiu]]}}
{{S-tul|title = [[Emperor of China]]
|years =264–280
|reason=[[Conquest of Wu by Jin]]}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Sima Yan]]}}
{{end}}

{{Three Kingdoms emperors}}
{{People of Eastern Wu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sun, Hao}}
[[Category:243 births]]
[[Category:284 deaths]]
[[Category:3rd-century Chinese monarchs]]
[[Category:Eastern Wu emperors]]
[[Category:Monarchs taken prisoner in wartime]]
[[Category:Heads of government who were later imprisoned]]