Sun Jiadong,1born on April 8, 929, was born in Fuxian County, Liaoning Province. The family ranks sixth, with three brothers and two sisters. Plus his parents, there are eight people in all.

Father Sun was then the principal of Gaiping Normal School. His father, who works in education, named him Jiadong, hoping that he would become a pillar of the country when he grew up.