Chuanfang Sun Chinese militarist who belonged to the Zhili clique Country: China

1. Chuanfan Sun, Chinese Militarist
2. Military Governor of Fujian Province
3. Losses and Counteroffensive
4. End of Rule

Chuanfan Sun, Chinese Militarist

Chuanfan Sun, also known as "Nanking Warlord" or the leader of the "League of Five Provinces," was a Chinese militarist who belonged to the Zhili Clique and was a protégé of "Jade Marshal" Yu Peifu (1874-1939). Born in Lincheng, Shandong province, Chuanfan Sun received military education at the Baoding Military Academy. In 1904, he was sent to Japan for further training. Upon his return, Chuanfan Sun joined the Baoding militarists and later joined the Zhili Clique, quickly rising through the ranks.

Military Governor of Fujian Province

On March 20, 1923, Chuanfan Sun became the military governor of Fujian province. In 1924, with the start of the First Jiangsu-Zhejiang War, Chuanfan Sun took command of the Fourth Army stationed in Fujian. During the fighting, he supported his ally, Cai E, by attacking the forces of Jiangsu and Shanghai governor Lu Yunsheng from the south, resulting in Lu's defeat and the capture of the Chinese part of Shanghai by the victors. As a reward, Chuanfan Sun was appointed as the military governor of Jiangsu province from September 20, 1924, to December 19, 1926.

Losses and Counteroffensive

His allies in the Zhili Clique in the north suffered defeat in the Second Zhili-Fengtian War, resulting in the northern provinces under their control being transferred to the Manchurian ruler Zhang Zuolin and the Guominjun clique led by Feng Yuxiang. In January 1925, during the Anhui-Fengtian Expedition led by Zhang Zuchang, these allies briefly captured Jiangsu province and Shanghai. Without the support of Chuanfan Sun, Cai E was forced to flee to Japan at the end of January. His army passed on to Chuanfan Sun. In the autumn, Chuanfan Sun launched a counteroffensive and pushed back Zhang Zuchang. Over the next two years, Chuanfan Sun expanded his influence in the provinces of Jiangsu, Fujian, Anhui, and Jiangxi. On November 25, 1925, he became the military governor of Jiangsu and moved his headquarters to Nanjing.

End of Rule

Chuanfan Sun's rule came to an end with the Northern Expedition launched by the National Revolutionary Army under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. In March 1927, Shanghai was taken, and Chuanfan Sun fled to the Japanese-occupied Dalian. On November 13, 1935, he was killed in Tianjin by Shi Jiangyao, the daughter of officer Shi Cunbin, who had fought on the side of Zhang Zuolin in Shandong province a decade earlier. In October 1925, during the war between the Zhili and Fengtian cliques, Chuanfan Sun captured Shi Cunbin and ordered his head to be cut off and displayed on a pike. In retaliation, his daughter received strong support from public opinion and was eventually pardoned by the Nationalist government.