Ling Tong
| Ling Tong | |
|---|---|
| General of Sun Quan | |
| Born | 189 |
| Died | 217(aged 28) |
| Names | |
| Traditional Chinese | 凌統 |
| Simplified Chinese | 凌统 |
| Pinyin | Líng Tǒng |
| Wade–Giles | Ling T'ung |
| Courtesy name | Gongji (traditional Chinese: 公績; simplified Chinese: 公绩; pinyin: Gōngjì; Wade–Giles: Kung-chi) |
Ling Tong (189–217),courtesy name Gongji, was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He started his service under Sun Quan when he was still a teenager and, throughout his entire life, had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of the state of Eastern Wu, which Sun Quan established in 229. He fought in numerous battles for his lord, including those against Huang Zu, Liu Bei and the Shanyue tribes, but is best known for his performance in the campaigns against Sun Quan's rival Cao Cao, in which he displayed great skill in extremely adverse situations.
Ling Tong was more than just a military serviceman – he received high praise from the scholar-gentry for his gracious demeanour, bonhomie and generosity. Even though he had achieved fame and glory when he visited his hometown later in his life, he still treated commoners with utmost respect and humanity. Behind the frontline, Ling Tong conceived a strategy for dealing with and pacifying the Shanyue tribes – impressing them with a show of military might and offering them potential rewards – which led to the Wu government successfully recruiting over 10,000 Shanyue soldiers into their army and maintaining relative stability in the region. Ling Tong was also known for his integrity and loyalty; he, along with Lü Meng, were among Sun Quan's most valued generals.
Ling Tong was from Yuhang County (餘杭縣), Wu Commandery (吳郡), which is in present-day Yuhang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang. His father, Ling Cao, was a military officer serving under the warlord Sun Ce. Ling Cao held the rank of Colonel Who Defeats Bandits (破賊校尉) and continued serving Sun Quan after Sun Ce's death in 200 CE. In 204, Sun Quan attacked Huang Zu, the Administrator (太守) of Jiangxia (江夏; around present-day Yunmeng County, Hubei), a commandery on the eastern border of Jing Province. During the ensuing Battle of Xiakou, Ling Cao sailed alone a distance ahead on a small boat to infiltrate the enemy formation. Huang Zu abandoned his position and fled. Ling Cao was killed in the midst of battle by a stray arrow fired by Huang's subordinate, Gan Ning.
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