Sun Jian (c. 155–191),
courtesy name Wentai, was a military general and warlord who lived in the late
Eastern Han dynasty. He allied himself with
Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust
Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet
Emperor Xian in his power. Although he controlled neither many troops nor much land, Sun Jian's personal bravery and resourcefulness were feared by Dong Zhuo, who placed him among
Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and
Liu Biao as the most influential men at that time. After the coalition disbanded in the next year, China fell into massive civil war. In 191, Sun Jian was killed in battle during an offensive campaign against Liu Biao.