Sun Cheng

Sun Cheng ( Chinese  孫 程 ; † 132 ) was a eunuch during the Han dynasty who, unlike most eunuchs, was loyal to the imperial family and tried (unsuccessfully) to stamp out corruption.

Life

Under the reign of Emperor An , many of his confidants took on key positions in government, such as the eunuchs Jiang Jing and Li Run, his nurse Wang Sheng and his wife Empress Yan Ji . They bought power and wealth. The nine-year-old Crown Prince Liu Bao fell victim to their ruthless rule in 124, whom they slandered and deposed by the emperor.

In 125 Emperor An died suddenly, and although Liu Bao was the only male descendant, Empress Yan looked for a younger successor whom she could more easily control. She chose Liu Yi , the Marquis of Beixiang.

When the young emperor became seriously ill in the same year, Sun Deng feared that the empress mother Yan would again succeed Prince Bao. He therefore conspired with some eunuchs and they swore an oath to bring Prince Bao to power as the rightful heir. A few days after Emperor Liu Yi's death, they stormed the palace and received Prince Bao there, whom they proclaimed Emperor Shun . Her troops fought with those of the Empress Mother faction for several days, but the eunuchs led by Sun Cheng held their own and the Yan family was wiped out.

In gratitude for their contribution to his coming to power, Emperor Shun appointed the 18 eunuchs around Sun Cheng and Sun himself as margraves.

Emperor Shun was humble but also feeble, and soon the eunuchs and officials around him gained great power over him. They were all corrupt and a bad influence. Sun Cheng was not pleased with the situation. When the eunuch Zhang Fang was charged with corruption by the governor of the capital city district, Yu Xu, in 126, Zhang Fang alleged that he had been slandered and ordered Yu Xu to be executed. Sun Cheng and Zhang Xian (another eunuch who participated in Emperor Shun's takeover) stepped in at great danger to their own lives and managed to have Yu Xu spared; Zhang Fang, however, was banished. His followers among the officials attacked Sun Cheng and his 18 comrades and denounced them as arrogant. Emperor Shun therefore ordered them from the capital Luoyang to see their brands . Of the 19 marquis, Sun Cheng was the only one who was angry about this development. He sent his marquis seal and emblems back to the emperor and remained secretly in the capital to guide the emperor on the right path. He was soon arrested, but Emperor Shun remembered his merits and sent him to his march without further sanctions. He also took his advice to stamp out corruption.

Emperor Shun later commemorated the merits of the 19 eunuchs and called them back to the capital in 128. However, he largely declined their advice. Sun Cheng died in 132 and was buried with great honors and the posthumous name of Gang ( indomitable ).