Sun Liang (243According to Sun Liang's biography in Sanguozhi, he was 16 (by East Asian reckoning) when he was demoted to Prince of Kuaiji in Nov 258. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 243. Vol.03 of Jiankang Shilu indicated that Sun Liang was born in the 7th year of the Chi'wu era, which corresponds to 244 in the Julian calendar. – 260), courtesy name Ziming, was the second emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the youngest son and heir of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Wu. He is also known as the Prince of Kuaiji or (less frequently) Marquis of Houguan (), which were his successive titles after he was deposed in November 258 by the regent Sun Chen and is sometimes known as the Young Emperor (少帝).(臣闻五帝三王皆立史官，叙录功美，垂之无穷。汉时司马迁、班固，咸命世大才，所撰精妙，与六经俱传。大吴受命，建国南土。大皇帝末年，命太史令丁孚、郎中项峻始撰《吴书》。孚、峻俱非史才，其所撰作，不足纪录。至少帝时，更差韦曜、周昭、薛莹、梁广及臣五人，访求往事，所共撰立，备有本末。昭、广先亡，曜负恩蹈罪，莹出为将，复以过徙，其书遂委滞，迄今末撰奏。臣愚浅才劣，适可为莹等记注而已，若使撰合，必袭孚、峻之迹，惧坠大皇帝之元功，损当世之盛美。莹涉学既博，文章尤妙，同寮之中，莹为冠首。今者见吏，虽多经学，记述之才，如莹者少，是以㥪㥪为国惜之。实欲使卒垂成之功，编于前史之末。奏上之后，退填沟壑，无所复恨。) Hua He's memorial in Sanguozhi vol.53. He was succeeded by his brother Sun Xiu, who managed to oust Sun Chen from power and kill him. Two years after Sun Liang's dethronement, he was falsely accused of treason and demoted from a prince to a marquis, after which he killed himself.
Early life Sun Liang was born in 243, to Sun Quan and one of his favourite consorts, Consort Pan. As Sun Quan's youngest son, he was well-cared for by his father, who was very happy to have a son in his old age.孫亮字子明，權少子也。權春秋高，而亮最少，故尤留意。Sanguozhi vol.48. He was also born in a palace atmosphere where officials were aligning themselves with either of his two older brothers who were fighting for supremacy – Sun He, the Crown Prince, and Sun Ba, the Prince of Lu, who had designs on the position. In September or October 250, fed up with Sun Ba's constant attacks against Sun He, Sun Quan ordered Sun Ba to kill himself and deposed Sun He. At the urging of his eldest daughter Sun Luban, who had been making false accusations against Sun He and his mother Lady Wang and therefore wanted to see Sun He deposed, he made Sun Liang the new Crown Prince in December 250 or January 251. Sun Luban then had Sun Liang married to Quan Huijie, a grandniece of her husband, Quan Cong and connecting Sun Liang to a powerful local family.姊全公主嘗譖太子和子母，心不自安，因倚權意，欲豫自結，數稱述全尚女，勸為亮納。赤烏十三年，和廢，權遂立亮為太子，以全氏為妃 Sanguozhi vol.48. In 251, Sun Quan instated Sun Liang's mother, Consort Pan, as the Empress.太元元年夏，亮母潘氏立為皇后 Sanguozhi vol.48.
In 252, Sun Liang lost both his parents in rapid succession. Early that year, Empress Pan was murdered and in the winter Sun Quan died, so Sun Liang became the new emperor.權不豫，夫人使問中書令孫弘呂后專制故事。侍疾疲勞，因以羸疾，諸宮人伺其昏臥，共縊殺之，託言中惡。後事泄，坐死者六七人。權尋薨，合葬蔣陵。Sanguozhi vol.50.夏四月，權薨，時年七十一，謚曰 大皇帝 Sanguozhi vol. 47.
Reign Zhuge Ke's regency Prior to his death, Sun Quan had selected Zhuge Ke as the regent for Sun Liang, on the advice of trusted kinsman Sun Jun,吳書曰：權寢疾，議所付託。時朝臣咸皆注意於恪，而孫峻表恪器任輔政，可付大事。權嫌恪剛很自用，峻以當今朝臣皆莫及，遂固保之，乃徵恪 Wushu annotation to Sanguozhi vol. 64. but he would last only eighteen months.冬，權寢疾，徵大將軍諸葛恪為太子太傅，會稽太守滕胤為太常，並受詔輔太子 Sanguozhi vol.48.久之，權不豫，而太子少，乃徵恪以大將軍領太子太傅，中書令孫弘領少傅。權疾困，召恪、弘及太常滕胤、將軍呂據、侍中孫峻，屬以後事 Sanguozhi vol.64. On 17 February 253, Lady Quan was chosen to be his Empress.(二年春正月丙寅，立皇后全氏，大赦) Sanguozhi vol.48. That same year Zhuge Ke launched a major campaign against the larger rival state of Cao Wei at Hefei but suffered a disastrous defeat which, combined with his handling of the aftermath, led to Zhuge Ke becoming vulnerable. Sun Jun turned against Zhuge Ke, he told Sun Liang that Zhuge Ke was plotting treason, and he set up a trap at a feast for Zhuge Ke.孫峻因民之多怨，眾之所嫌，搆恪欲為變，與亮謀，置酒請恪 Sanguozhi vol.64. During the middle of the feast, assassins that Sun Jun had arranged for killed Zhuge Ke, and Sun Jun's forces then wiped out the Zhuge family.中子竦，長水校尉。少子建，步兵校尉。聞恪誅，車載其母而走。峻遣騎督劉承追斬竦於白都。建得渡江，欲北走魏，行數十里，為追兵所逮。恪外甥都鄉侯張震及常侍朱恩等，皆夷三族。Sanguozhi vol.64.
Sun Jun's regency Sun Jun's rise to regent brought no stability to the Wu court, as there were almost annual coup attempts. Sun Jun had ordered the suicide of Sun He及恪被誅，孫峻因此奪和璽綬，徙新都，又遣使者賜死 Sanguozhi vol.59. while his overall behaviour was arrogant, violent, and he would defile the women of Sun Liang's palace, earning him many an enemy.峻素無重名，驕矜險害，多所刑殺，百姓囂然。又姦亂宮人，與公主魯班私通 Sanguozhi vol. 64. In the Autumn of 254 the plot of Sun Ying (), the Marquis of Wu and son of former Crown Prince Sun Deng, and the army officer Huan Lü () was exposed, and they were destroyed.秋，吳侯英謀殺峻，覺，英自殺 Sanguozhi vol.48. In 255 Sun Lin sought to intervene in a rebellion by the Wei generals Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin against the Wei controller Sima Shi, but though they would take in Wen Qin, Sun Jun withdrew after Sima Shi quickly put down the rebellion. That year would the plot of some military officers plot discovered秋七月，將軍孫儀、張怡、林恂等謀殺峻，發覺，儀自殺，恂等伏辜 Sanguozhi vol.48. which would strike at the Sun family as Sun Luban, the lover of Sun Jun and aunt of Sun Liang, falsely implicated her sister Sun Luyu in the plot.
In 256, Sun Jun, at Wen Qin's urging, was planning an attack against Cao Wei, when he suddenly fell mortally ill, and he commissioned his cousin Sun Chen to succeed him as regent.
Sun Chen's regency Sun Jun's death would not bring an end to the court intrigue, as the northern families would continue to be forced out by southern magnates. Sun Chen saw off some powerful opponents, including senior minister Teng Yin and General Lü Ju, within the court and become extremely arrogant.負貴倨傲，多行無禮 Sanguozhi vol.64. Wu did have to send an envoy Diao Xuan (刁玄) to their allies Shu-Han to explain the recent troubles at court十二月，使五官中郎將刁玄告亂于蜀 Sanguozhi vol.48.
In 257, at the age of 14, Sun Liang began to personally handle some important matters of state.夏四月，亮臨正殿，大赦，始親政事 Sanguozhi vol.48. He established a personal guard corps that he trained with every day, consisting of 3,000 young relatives of soldiers between 15 and 18 led by brave relatives of officers, stating that he intended to grow up with them.綝所表奏，多見難問，又科兵子弟年十八已下十五已上，得三千餘人，選大將子弟年少有勇力者為之將帥。亮曰：「吾立此軍，欲與之俱長。」日於苑中習焉。Sanguozhi vol.48. Sun Chen began to be somewhat apprehensive of the young emperor who was asking awkward questions, with Sun Liang showing signs of discontent at simply being required to rubber stamp rather than rule as his father had.綝以孫亮始親政事，多所難問，甚懼 Sanguozhi vol.64.(吳歷曰：亮數出中書視孫權舊事，問左右侍臣: 先帝數有特制，今大將軍問事，但令我書可邪！) Wuli annotation in Sanguozhi vol.48.
There was a problem with his cousin Sun Ji, son of Sun Ba, who served in the palace and was arrested for stealing a horse. Sun Liang asked Diao Xuan what the punishment for this was; he was informed it was death. But, Diao Xuan thought that given Sun Ba had been executed while young, Sun Liang might show pity. Sun Liang wanted to spare Sun Ji but did not wish to undermine the law by favouring a relative and gratefully seized upon Diao Xuan's suggestion of an amnesty for those in the palace.(霸二子，基、壹。五鳳中，封基為吳侯，壹宛陵侯。基侍孫亮在內，太平二年，盜乘御馬，收付獄。亮問侍中刁玄曰：「盜乘御馬罪云何？」玄對曰：「科應死。然魯王早終，惟陛下哀原之。」亮曰：「法者，天下所共，何得阿以親親故邪？當思惟可以釋此者，柰何以情相迫乎？」玄曰：「舊赦有大小，或天下，亦有千里、五百里赦，隨意所及。」亮曰：「解人不當爾邪！」乃赦宮中，基以得免。) Sanguozhi vol.59.
Two sources tell a tale of Sun Liang's intelligence at that age. In the Wu Li, by contemporary Hu Chong who served Wu and had access to the imperial archives, tells of Sun Liang asking for honey to go with his plums but when it was brought to him, there were rat droppings in it. Sun Liang interrogated the eunuch assigned to bring the honey and the official in charge of managing the storehouse, both denied responsibility. Rather than have them both arrested and a full investigation start, the young Emperor broke open the droppings and, on seeing they were dry inside, knew they had only recently been added, and it was the eunuch to blame.(亮後出西苑，方食生梅，使黃門至中藏取蜜漬梅，蜜中有鼠矢，召問藏吏，藏吏叩頭。亮問吏曰：「黃門從汝求蜜邪？」吏曰：「向求，實不敢與。」黃門不服，侍中刁玄、張邠啟：「黃門、藏吏辭語不同，請付獄推盡。」亮曰：「此易知耳。」令破鼠矢，矢裏燥。亮大笑謂玄、邠曰：「若矢先在蜜中，中外當俱溼，今外溼裏燥，必是黃門所為。」黃門首服，左右莫不驚悚。) Wu Li annotation in Sanguozhi, vol.48. Liu Song historian Pei Songzhi notes that had the eunuch added feces to the honey then it would have got wet anyway so the story isn't realistic but to display Sun Liang's intelligence.(臣松之以為鼠矢新者，亦表裏皆溼。黃門取新矢則無以得其姦也，緣遇燥矢，故成亮之慧。然猶謂《吳曆》此言，不如《江表傳》為實也) Pei Songzhi's commentary in Sanguozhi vol.48. The alternative account is the Jiangbiao zhuan by Jin official Yu Pu, who collected tales in the area after Wu's fall, which tells of Sun Liang sending the eunuch to collect sugarcane that had been sent from Jiaozhi (modern day Vietnam) from the storehouse. Given the eunuch had been sent with a silver bowl and a lid, the Emperor was surprised to discover rat droppings when it was presented with the eunuch accusing the official of being negligent. Sun Liang summoned the storehouse official and asked if the eunuch had a grudge. As it turned out, the official had rejected a past request from the eunuch; Sun Liang's suspicions about the eunuch were confirmed. The eunuch was whipped and sent for punishment.(江表傳 曰：亮使黃門以銀碗并蓋就中藏吏取交州所獻甘蔗餳。黃門先恨藏吏，以鼠矢投餳中，啟言藏吏不謹。亮呼吏持餳器入，問曰：「此器旣蓋之，且有掩覆，無緣有此，黃門將有恨於汝邪？」吏叩頭曰：「嘗從某求宮中莞席，宮席有數，不敢與。」亮曰：「必是此也。」覆問黃門，具首伏。即於目前加髠鞭，斥付外署。) Jiangbiao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi, vol.48.
Removal Later that year, the Cao Wei general Zhuge Dan declared a rebellion against the regent Sima Zhao (Sima Shi's brother) and requested Eastern Wu assistance but Sun Chen's efforts to reinforce would prove ineffective. Zhuge Dan's rebellion failed in 258 with a major opportunity lost, and the Eastern Wu forces suffered a series of setbacks; the famed general Zhu Yi was executed by Sun Chen after retreating when supplies ran out,(朱異以軍士乏食引還，綝大怒，九月朔己巳，殺異於鑊里) Sanguozhi vol.48. members of Quan clan surrendered to Sima Zhao(十一月，全緒子禕、儀以其母奔魏。十二月，全端、懌等自壽春城詣司馬文王。) Sanguozhi vol.48. and Wen Qin was executed by Zhuge Dan.(三年春正月，諸葛誕殺文欽) Sanguozhi vol.48.
Sun Chen became unpopular due to the defeat(綝旣不能拔出誕，而喪敗士衆，自戮名將，莫不怨之) Sanguozhi vol.64. and was concerned by Sun Liang's asking of difficult questions in the last year so he chose not to return to Jianye on grounds of illness but instead sent his younger brothers to entrench military authority at the capital.綝以孫亮始親政事，多所難問，甚懼。還建業，稱疾不朝，築室於朱雀橋南，使弟威遠將軍據入蒼龍宿衞，弟武衞將軍恩、偏將軍幹、長水校尉闓分屯諸營，欲以專朝自固。亮內嫌綝，乃推魯育見殺本末，責怒虎林督朱熊、熊弟外部督朱損不匡正孫峻，乃令丁奉殺熊於虎林，殺損於建業。Sanguozhi vol.64. Sun Liang was not happy with his overpowerful minister's handling of the campaign, disrespectful attitude, refusing to follow orders or answer summons.(《江表傳》曰：亮召全尚息黃門侍郎紀密謀，曰 「孫綝專勢，輕小於孤。孤見勑之，使速上岸，為唐咨等作援，而留湖中，不上岸一步。又委罪朱異，擅殺功臣，不先表聞。築第橋南，不復朝見。此為自在，無復所畏，不可久忍。) Jiangbiao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol.64. A further cause of friction occurred when he began investigating his aunt Sun Luyu's death. Sun Luban, despite her role in the death of her sister, declared no knowledge and shifted blame onto Sun Luyu's sons Zhu Xiong and Zhu Sun. Sun Chen tried to intervene as Zhu Sun was married to his younger sister, but Sun Liang ordered Ding Feng to kill them both.亮內嫌綝，乃推魯育見殺本末，責怒虎林督朱熊、熊弟外部督朱損不匡正孫峻，乃令丁奉殺熊於虎林，殺損於建業。綝入諫不從，亮遂與公主魯班、太常全尚、將軍劉承議誅綝 Sanguozhi vol.64.