| “ | I, Sun Li, specialize in beheading generals. | „ |
| ~ Sun Li to Wei Yan. |
| “ | Zhuge Liang...How detestable! He is a petty thief! If I catch him, I will skin him alive and rip him apart! | „ |
| ~ Sun Li cursing Zhuge Liang in front of Sima Yi. |
Sun Li is a general, Cao Wei's minion, and a minor antagonist in the 14th-century Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and it's multiple adaptations. He appeared mostly in the later parts of the story.
Biography[]
Sun Li was an officer first serving under the grand commander Cao Zhen who was the uncle of the at the time Wei Emperor Cao Rui. Sun Li was one of the generals who defended Cao Wei against the rival state of Shu-Han when their Prime Minister Zhuge Liang invaded them during his so called five northern campaigns. After Cao Zhen died he served under his replacement, Sima Yi, whom Sun Li started to admire and respect. Sima Yi promoted him to a higher post and trusted him in many missions against Zhuge Liang as well as Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes. In 229 AD he personally led an attack against Shu forces at Wudu but fell into an ambush by Wei Yan and retreated.
When Zhuge Liang send a woman's dress to Sima Yi as a gift in order to make him angry and force him to stop defending, Sun Li became furious, threating to behead the messenger, curshing Zhuge Liang and attempted to attack the Shu army thus defying his superior's orders. Sima Yi had to intervene and threatened him in order to stop him. Eventually, all five Shu-Han invasions failed and Zhuge Liang himself died.
Sima Yi was removed from his office but Sun Li and other generals supported him and told him that they will follow him if he ever needs them despite serving under his enemy and rival Cao Shuang. He went on to fight the Shu and Wu forces in the following years and got promoted to a higher rank, becoming a Minister of Works shortly before dying in 250 AD.
Other Media[]
Sun Li appeared in the 2010 TV series adaptation of Three Kingdoms as a supporting antagonist in episodes 89-95, where he was portrayed by Li Yatian.
Sun Li also appeared as a supporting character in the second part of the 2017 TV series The Advisors Alliance, where he was portrayed by Yan Jie.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Sima Yi
- Cao Zhen
- Sima Zhao
- Sima Shi
- Zhang He
- Guo Hai
- Hao Zhao
Enemies[]
- Zhuge Liang
- Wei Yan
- Jiang Wei
- Wang Ping
- Zhao Yun
- Yang Yi
- Ma Dai
- Ma Su
Gallery[]
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Wei Empire Wu Empire Shu Empire Jin Empire Other Villains Lu Bu's Army Nanman Tribe Yellow Turbans Yuan Shao's Army Zhong Dynasty Others | ||