Photo: 不明 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Sun Li-jen, born on December 8, 1900 in Lujiang County, People's Republic of China, was a military personnel and basketball player. Death is recorded on November 19, 1990, at the age of 89. Sun Li-jen studied at Tsinghua University. Recorded honors include Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Legion of Merit, Legionnaire of Legion of Merit and 1 more.
My Take
Sun Li-jen fascinates me as a soldier-scholar who earned the nickname Rommel of the East. Educated at Tsinghua and trained abroad, he combined intellect with battlefield brilliance during the Sino-Japanese War and the Civil War, collecting honors from Britain and the United States alike. What lingers with me is the irony of a man so internationally respected facing a difficult later life. I find his earlier life as a basketball player charming too, a hint of the athleticism behind the general. He strikes me as a principled, world-class figure whose story carries both glory and melancholy.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sun Li-jen
- Name (Japanese)
- 孫立人
- Born
- December 8, 1900 – November 19, 1990
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rat
- Origin
- Lujiang County, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- military personnel / basketball player
2. Background
- University
- Tsinghua University
Awards & achievements
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Officer of the Legion of Merit
- Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
- Order of the Cloud and Banner
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun%20Li-jen
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%AB%E7%AB%8B%E4%BA%BA
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q711110
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-24
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Sun Li-jen born?
Born December 8, 1900.
When did Sun Li-jen die?
Died November 19, 1990, aged 89.
Where was Sun Li-jen from?
Sun Li-jen was from Lujiang County, People's Republic of China.
What did Sun Li-jen do?
Sun Li-jen worked as military personnel, basketball player.
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