Eastern Wu
People grouped by the state they served. Contenders are not a court: Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Lü Bu, and others who never founded one of the three kingdoms.
Sun Quan
Founder of Eastern Wu. He inherited Jiangdong at eighteen, chose to resist at Red Cliffs, took Jing province, and became emperor in 229. His long reign ended less open than it began.
175–210BothZhou Yu
Commander of the allied front at Red Cliffs. He died of illness at Baqiu at thirty-six. The jealous man who is huffed to death by Zhuge Liang is the novel’s Zhou Yu, not the historian’s.
175–200BothSun Ce
Sun Jian’s eldest son and Sun Quan’s brother. With Zhou Yu he conquered Jiangdong. He was assassinated in 200. The base is his; the imperial title came later.
183–245BothLu Xun
Of the Lu clan of Wu. He lulled Guan Yu with a letter, then burned Liu Bei’s camps at Yiling. He died in Sun Quan’s succession quarrel.
172–217BothLu Su
Before Red Cliffs he argued against surrender and for lending Jing to Liu Bei. After Zhou Yu he held the command. He died in 217.
dates unknownBothHuang Gai
A veteran of three Sun lords. At Red Cliffs he proposed and carried out the fire attack. The beating is the novel. The fire plan is the Records.
178–220BothLü Meng
A Wu general from Runan. He fought at Wulin, succeeded Lu Su at Lukou, and took Jing Province. Guan Yu died in the retreat. Lü Meng fell ill and died the same winter, at forty-two.
226–274BothLu Kang
Lu Xun’s son and Wu’s last major commander. When Bu Chan surrendered Xiling to Jin, Lu Kang beat off Yang Hu’s relief and recovered the city. He repeatedly warned Sun Hao. He died of illness in 274.
174–241BothZhuge Jin
Zhuge Liang’s elder brother. He served Wu, rose to senior general, and was trusted as an envoy to Shu. He died in 241. His son Zhuge Ke later ruled as regent and was killed by Sun Jun.
156–236BothZhang Zhao
A Pengcheng elder whom Sun Ce entrusted with Sun Quan. Before Red Cliffs he argued for surrender. After Sun Quan took the imperial title he still argued in open court. He died in 236 at eighty-one, never chancellor.
168–243RecordsGu Yong
From Wu commandery. Chancellor of Wu from 225 until his death in 243, about nineteen years. He spoke little and was careful with appointments. His son Gu Shao died young.
unknown–247RecordsBu Zhi
From Linhuai. He began by growing melons for a living, crossed south, and rose to be a senior general and, after Lu Xun, chancellor. He died of illness in 247.
166–206BothTaishi Ci
From Donglai. He rode to Pingyuan to fetch help for Kong Rong, later fought Sun Ce, was captured, and became a Wu officer. He died of illness in 206, at forty-one.
dates unknownBothGan Ning
From Ba commandery. He served Liu Biao and Huang Zu, then Sun Quan. The biography records the defeat of Huang Zu, Hefei, and a night raid of about a hundred riders at Ruxu. He died of illness; the year is not stated.
dates unknownBothCheng Pu
From Youbeiping. He served Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan. At Red Cliffs he and Zhou Yu were the left and right commanders. He first looked down on Zhou Yu, then accepted him. The histories do not date his death.
unknown–227BothHan Dang
From Liaoxi. He joined Sun Jian at the start, skilled with bow and horse, and served Sun Ce and Sun Quan. He died of illness in 227.
unknown–220RecordsJiang Qin
From Jiujiang. An officer in Sun Ce’s conquest of Jiangdong. Sun Quan urged him to study, as he urged Lü Meng. He died of illness at the end of Jian’an.
dates unknownBothZhou Tai
From Jiujiang. When Sun Quan was attacked at Xuancheng, Zhou Tai shielded him and took twelve wounds. Years later Sun Quan had him bare the scars and drank to each one. The year of his death is not recorded.
unknown–271BothDing Feng
From Lujiang. A late Wu general. In snow at Dongxing he broke a Wei force at close quarters, and he later helped kill the regent Sun Chen. He died of illness in 271.
unknown–228RecordsLü Fan
From Runan. From Sun Ce’s time he handled supplies and accounts. Under Sun Quan he rose to grand marshal. He died of illness in 228, known for keeping the books strictly.
182–249BothZhu Ran
From Danyang, born Shi, nephew of Zhu Zhi, and a schoolmate of Sun Quan. After Lü Meng he held Jiangling and kept Cao Zhen and Xiahou Shang off the city for six months. He died of illness in 249.
unknown–249BothQuan Cong
From Qiantang in Wu commandery. Sun Quan married a daughter, Sun Luban, to him. When Guan Yu attacked Fan he urged an attack on Jing Province. He died of illness in 249.
188–219RecordsLu Ji
From Wu commandery, son of Lu Kang the elder. At six he hid oranges at a feast to take home to his mother. He later worked on astronomy and the classics and spoke bluntly to Sun Quan. He died of illness at thirty-two in the late Jian’an years. He is not Lu Xun’s son Lu Kang.
155–191BothSun Jian
From Fuchun in Wu commandery, father of Sun Quan. He fought the Yellow Turbans and defeated Dong Zhuo’s army at Yangren, where Hua Xiong was killed. In 191, attacking Liu Biao, he was shot dead by Huang Zu’s men on Xian Mountain, at thirty-seven.
243–260BothSun Liang
Sun Quan’s youngest son, courtesy name Ziming — the same as Lü Meng’s. He became emperor at about ten. Zhuge Ke, then Sun Jun and Sun Chen, held the government. He was deposed in 258 and died in 260 at eighteen.
235–264BothSun Xiu
Sun Quan’s sixth son. After Sun Chen deposed Sun Liang, Sun Xiu was brought to the throne and then had Sun Chen killed. He reigned six years and died of illness in 264, at thirty, as the news of Shu’s fall was arriving.
242–284BothSun Hao
Last emperor of Wu, son of Sun He. He began with relief for the people, then ruled by cruel punishments, moved the capital, and rejected advice. In 280 Wang Jun took Jianye. Sun Hao surrendered and Jin titled him Marquis of Guiming. He died in Luoyang in 284.
203–253BothZhuge Ke
Son of Zhuge Jin. Quick and sharp in argument, he was given great trust late in Sun Quan’s life. As regent for Sun Liang he won at Dongxing, then failed against Hefei. In 253 Sun Jun killed him and exterminated the three clans.
dates unknownBothDa Qiao
Elder daughter of the Qiao family of Lujiang. When Sun Ce took Wan in 199 he married her. The histories say only “the elder Qiao.” They give no personal name and no later life. The novel calls her Da Qiao.
dates unknownBothXiao Qiao
Younger daughter of the Qiao family of Lujiang, wife of Zhou Yu. The histories mention her once, in Zhou Yu’s biography. The Bronze Bird Terrace wanting both Qiaos is a Romance episode.