Sun Chuanting

Sun Chuanting (Pinyin: Sūn Chuántíng; 1593—1643), styled name Boya, was born in Shanxi, late Ming Dynasty's Defence minister (Bingbu Shangshu), field Marshal (Dushi), led 500,000 Ming troops against Li Zicheng's 700,000 troops. He was defeated and killed by Li in the Battle of Tongguan (1643).

Graduating as chin shih in 1619, he rose in 1635 to be Governor of Shensi, and by active measures stamped out the existing rebel movement. After an unsatisfactory campaign in Honan against the rebels there, he became Viceroy of Shantung and a part of Chihli. The fall of Chi-nan Fu 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 F'ai-feng Fu, long besieged by Li Zicheng. He was then moved to Shensi as Viceroy, and in spite of his representation that all the tried soldiers were dead and the new recruits not yet serviceable, he was obliged to advance against Li who soon scattered his raw levies. With great difficulty he raised fresh forces and again advanced. At first successful, he reached the Chia 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 T'ung pass was forced and Sun was killed, fighting to the last.