Ling Tong

Ling Tong () (189–217), courtesy name Gongji, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. 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 archrival Cao Cao, in which he displayed great skill and tact in extremely adverse situations. Ling Tong received high praise from the scholar-gentry for his gracious demeanour, bonhomie and generosity. Despite having achieved fame and glory, when visiting his hometown later in his life, he treated commoners with 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 recruiting over 10,000 Shanyue soldiers into their army and maintaining relative stability in the region. Due to his integrity and loyalty, Ling Tong, along with Lü Meng, was among Sun Quan's most valued generals.