In 2019, Sun was the twelfth most common surname in mainland China.[3] A 2013 study found it to be the 12th most common name as well, shared by 18,300,000 people or 1.38% of the population, with the province with the most being Shandong.
Note that in Hong Kong and regions with Cantonese-speaking populations, the surname Xin (辛) is also transliterated as Sun.
Sun Shu (孫叔), the style name of Sunshu Ao, an official in Chu during the Spring and Autumn period His descendants part of the style mame nas their surname.[4]
Hui Sun (惠孫), style name of the son of Wei Wu Gong Hui Sun's grandson later inherited 孫 as his surname.[4]
Sun Shu (孫書), an official in the Qi, was given the name by Duke Jing of Qi because of his contributions in the war between the state of Qi and the state of Lü. Notable descendants through this line include Sun Tzu
People with the surname Xun (荀). changed it to 孫 during the reign of Liu Xun (劉恂), also known as Emperor Xuan of Han, because it had the same pronunciation as the given name of the emperor (in Old Chinese). After the death of Han Xuan Di, some people kept the surname, while others changed it back to their original.
Sun Jing (孫敬) – 2nd-century native of Xindu, Zhili, who was such an ardent student that at night he always tied his hair to a beam overhead, to prevent himself from dozing over his books. He also habitually bolted the door of his study to keep out intruders.[5]
Sun Shao (163–225), first chancellor of the Eastern Wu state in the Three Kingdoms period
Sun Qian, official serving under the Han dynasty warlord Liu Bei
Sun Kang (孫康; 4th century) – A native of Luoyang, who in his youth was so poor that he could not afford a lamp to read by. He therefore studied in winter by light reflected from the snow, and ultimately rose to be a Censor.[6]
Sun Shi (962–1033) – a native of Po-p'ing in Shandong, who graduated as jinshi after nine attempts and entered the public service, rising to high office under the Emperor Cheu Tseung. In 1008 there was a pretended revelation from God in the form of a letter, which the Emperor and his Court regarded with profound awe. But Sun Shi said, "I have heard that God does not speak; how then should He write a letter?"[7]
Sun Changru (孫長孺) – a scholar of the Song dynasty, noted for his vast collection of books, which earned for him the sobriquet of Library Sun. In 1015 he was made magistrate of Xunzhou in Guangxi, and subsequently rose to an important office in the household of the Heir Apparent.[7]
Sun Fang (12th century) – An imperial physician, who called himself the Hermit of the Four Stops. He explained this to mean that when he had taken his fill of plain food, he stopped; when he had put on enough plain clothes to keep himself warm, he stopped; when he had realized a fair proportion of his wishes, he stopped; and that after growing old, free from covetousness or envy, he would also be prepared to stop.[8]
Sun Sike (died 1700) – a Chinese Bannerman, noted for his successes against the Oelots, against the Shensi rebels in 1675–79, and against Galdan. He rose to be a general, and was ennobled as Baron.[9]
Sun Zhizu – a native of Hangzhou, who graduated as jinshi in 1766, and served as a Censor. Author of a work on the discrepancies in the various editions of the famous work by Xiao Tong; and also of a hostile criticism on the Kongzi Jiayu.[5]
Sun Xingyan (1752–1818) – A native of Jiangsu. From 1795 to 1811 he served with distinction in Shantung, where his honesty was often distasteful to his superiors. He published editions of several Classics and topographies he wrote many classical and antiquarian works; and he discovered the graves of Min Sun, Tantai Mieming, and Zeng Dian, three of the disciples of Confucius.[10]
This page lists people with the surnameSun. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
