ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature
Sun Qian 孫乾, courtesy name Gongyou 公祐, was an official of Liu Bei 劉備 (161-222), the founder of Shu-Han 蜀漢 (221-263), one of the Three Empires 三國 (220~280 CE).
Sun hailed from Beihai 北海 (today's Changle 昌樂, Shandong) and joined Liu Bei when the latter was master of the province of Xuzhou 徐州 (approx. northern Anhui and Jiangsu). Liu used Sun Qian as an envoy to the warlords Yuan Shao 袁紹 (d. 202) and Liu Biao 劉表 (142-208) to negotiate alliances against other contenders. After Liu Bei's conquest of the province of Yizhou (Sichuan), Sun Qian was given the title of "General of Comprising Loyalty" (bingzhong jiangjun 秉忠將軍).