Ling Tong, courtesy name Gongji, is a commander of Eastern Wu in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. His father Ling Cao serves the Sun family before him, and after Ling Cao is killed in battle, Ling Tong continues the family’s military service.
Ling Tong carries a deep personal hatred toward Gan Ning. Before joining Eastern Wu, Gan Ning fights on the opposing side and is responsible for Ling Cao’s death. Even after Gan Ning enters Sun Quan’s service, the two warriors remain divided by this blood feud.
Their relationship gradually changes through later campaigns. When Ling Tong falls into danger, Gan Ning intervenes to save him, and shared battlefield experience begins to overcome the hostility between them.
Ling Tong continues to serve as a young and courageous commander under Sun Quan. His transformation from the son of a slain warrior seeking vengeance into a comrade of his father’s former killer creates one of the most dramatic personal relationships among the generals of Eastern Wu.
