View source for Sun Chuanting

{{Short description|Chinese Ming dynasty politician (1593–1643)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Sun Chuanting
|birth_date={{birth date|1593|1|1|df=y}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1643|11|3|1593|1|1|df=y}}
|birth_place=[[Dai County]], [[Shanxi]], [[Ming dynasty]]
|death_place=[[Tongguan County]], [[Shaanxi]], [[Ming dynasty]]
|image= 孙传庭.jpg
|caption= Sun Chuanting's portrait
|nickname=
|allegiance= [[Ming dynasty]] (to 1643)

|
|service_years=1636–1643

|
|rank=Field Marshal

|
|commands=Governor of [[Shaanxi]]<br />[[Ministry of War (imperial China)|Minister of War]]<br />[[Field Marshal]]
|unit=
|battles=
*[[Battle of Zhouzhi]]
*[[Battle of Tongguan Nanyuan]]
*[[Decisive Battles of Henan]]
*[[Battle of Nanyang]]
*[[Battle of Zhuxianzhen]]
*[[Battle of Tong Pass (1643)|Battle of Tongguan]]
}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Sun (surname)|Sun]]|lang=Chinese}}

'''Sun Chuanting''' ({{zh|t=孫傳庭|p=Sūn Chuántíng}}; 1 January 1593 &ndash; 3 November 1643), [[courtesy name]] '''Boya''' (百雅), [[art name]] '''Baigu''' (白谷), [[posthumous name]] '''Zhongjing''' (忠靖), was a politician of the Chinese [[Ming dynasty]], serving as [[Ministry of War (imperial China)|Minister of War]] (Bingbu Shangshu), and [[Field Marshal]] (Dushi). He led 10,000 Ming troops against [[Li Zicheng]]'s 70,000 troops{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}. He was defeated and killed by Li Zicheng in the Battle of Tongguan in 1643.

Sun Chuanting was described by history records as a tall and muscular man who was physically strong and excelled in horseback archery in his early days. Graduating as ''[[Jinshi (imperial examination)|jinshi]]'' in 1619, he rose in 1635 to be Governor of [[Shaanxi]], and by active measures stamped out the existing rebel movement. After an unsatisfactory campaign in [[Henan]] against the rebels there, he became Viceroy of [[Shandong]] and a part of [[Zhili (province)|Zhili]]. The fall of [[Jinan]] in 1639 was made a pretext for imprisoning him; however, in 1642 he was appointed Vice President of the Board of War and hastened with the garrison of Beijing to relieve [[Kaifeng]], long besieged by [[Li Zicheng]].

After Sun scored some initial victories, Li retreated his forces while leaving behind mass amounts of valuables.  The Ming troops were undisciplined and broke rank to loot the valuables.  Li then countered attacked and scattered the Ming troops.  Sun had no choice but to retreat to Shaanxi as Viceroy.  He planned to hold off Li's forces until Ming reinforcements could arrive.  But in spite of Sun's objections that all the trained soldiers were dead and the new recruits not yet serviceable, [[Chongzhen Emperor]] wanted a quick victory against the rebels and Sun was obliged to advance against Li.  Li soon scattered his raw levies.

With great difficulty he raised fresh forces and again advanced. At first successful, he reached the [[Jia County, Shaanxi|Jia]] District only to find that heavy rains had made it impossible for supplies to come forward. He therefore fell back with two divisions, pursued by the rebels. The inexperienced artillerymen deserted their guns and a rout ensued, 40,000 men being lost. Li followed up his advantage, and in November the [[Tong Pass]] was forced and Sun was killed, fighting to the last.<ref>Herbert Allen Giles, A Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 686.</ref>

==In popular culture==

Sun Chuanting is a primary character in the 2013 Chinese historical film ''[[Fall of Ming]]'' ({{zh|links=no|c=大明劫}}), played by actor [[Leon Dai]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Elley | first = Derek | title = Fall of Ming | website = Film Business Asia | date = 16 August 2013 | url = http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/fall-of-ming | access-date = 15 April 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Li Zicheng]]
* [[History of Ming]]
* [[Hong Chengchou]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sun Chuanting}}
[[Category:1593 births]]
[[Category:1643 deaths]]
[[Category:Ming dynasty generals]]
[[Category:People from Xinzhou]]
[[Category:Chinese military personnel killed in action]]
[[Category:Generals from Shanxi]]