Chinese Name: Sun Li 

Japanese Name: Byō’utsuchi Sonritsu 

Rank: 39th of the 108 Stars of Destiny

Nickname: The Sickly General

Sun Li was extremely tall and was highly skilled in the use of many weapons. He was a Major in charge of the cavalry in Dengzhou—his brother was Sun Xin (plate 49). 

The Xie brothers (plates 75; 100) had been tasked with hunting and killing the tigers in Dengzhou. If they succeeded they would be rewarded, and if they failed they would be punished. They killed a tiger with a poisoned arrow, and it rolled down the hillside and into the garden of Squire Mao. When they tried to retrieve it, Squire Mao insisted his son had been the one to kill the tiger, and he would take it in for the reward. The Xie brothers angrily trashed the Mao home but were seized by the servants and taken to the Yamen for trial. They were held at the prison, and Squire Mao, not wanting any further trouble with the Xie brothers, bribed the warden to have them killed. 

Sun Li was enlisted by his brother and sister-in-law to help rescue her cousins, the Xie brothers (See plate 47 for more story details). After the rescue, Sun Li, the Xie brothers, and their friends, made their way to Squire Mao’s home. They killed him and his son and looted the property. They met up with the remainder of their comrades, and the group made their way to Liangshan without delay to seek refuge and join the army of outlaws at Liangshan Marsh. 

Sun Li is shown here as he is about to dispatch Squire Mao’s son. 

Kuniyoshi recreation