Sun Xiu (emperor) - Early Life

Early Life

Sun Xiu was born in 235 to the founding emperor of Eastern Wu, Sun Quan, and his concubine Consort Wang. In his young age, he was known for his studiousness. About 250, Sun Quan had him marry the daughter of his sister Sun Xiaohu (孫小虎) and her husband Zhu Ju.

Emperor Jing of Wu
Traditional Chinese 吳景帝
Simplified Chinese 吴景帝
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin Wú Jǐngdì
- Wade–Giles Wu Ching-ti

In 252, just before Sun Quan's death, he was created the Prince of Langye, with his fief at Hulin (虎林, in modern Chizhou, Anhui). Later that year, after his younger brother Sun Liang became emperor under the regency of Zhuge Ke, Zhuge did not want the princes to be based near the important military bases along the Yangtze River, so he moved Sun Xiu to Danyang (丹陽, in modern Xuancheng, Anhui, not the modern locale in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). Unlike his brother Sun Fen (孫奮) the Prince of Qi, who initially resisted, Sun Xiu did not put up any resistance to the move. Once he was at Danyang, however, the governor of Danyang Commandery, Li Heng (李衡), found many excuses to bully the young prince. Sun Xiu could not endure it, and so he petitioned his brother for another move; his brother had him moved to Kuaiji (會稽, in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang).

In 255, at the instigation of Sun Xiu's sister Sun Dahu (孫大虎), the regent Sun Jun, who had killed and replaced Zhuge in 253, killed Princess Xiaohu. Sun Xiu became fearful, and sent his wife Princess Zhu back to the capital Jianye, effectively offering to divorce her, but Sun Jun declined by sending Princess Zhu back to Sun Xiu.

In 258, after Sun Liang had tried to but failed to remove Sun Chen, Sun Jun's cousin and successor, Sun Chen had Sun Liang removed from the throne. He welcomed Sun Xiu to the capital and had him declared emperor.

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