Lu Kang
Encyclopedia
Lu Kang style name
Youjie (幼節), was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu
during the Three Kingdoms
era of Chinese history
. He was the son of Lu Xun
and a maternal grandson of Sun Ce
. He was praised for his talent and wisdom.
and Shu
, Wu's power was derived from individual commanders whose generalship is always passed on to their descendant. After Lu Xun died, Lu Kang was named the army commander and governed Jing Province.
When Lu Xun died, Sun Quan
trusted Lu Kang heavily. Although he did not show the same promise as Lu Xun he is seen as the last great general of Wu.
When Shu was about to fall to Zhong Hui
and Sima Zhao
, Lu Kang offered his advice to Sun Quan to attack Shu, saying that "Since Shu is about to fall, it must be in our hands and not in Wei's". Sun Quan agreed but died of natural causes during the preparation and the attack could never be launched.
Lu Kang was famous for his utilization of military constructions during his campaign. On one famous instance, a Wu defector Bu Chan was attempting to surrender a Wu border fortification to Wei. This would have given Wei unblocked access to Jing Province's largest city Jiangling. Lu Kang forced marched his men to the fortification before Wei could send any reinforcements. Lu Kang built two walls, one for siege of the fortification, and the other to defend against Wei's reinforcement. Wei's army led by Yang Hu
was forced to retreat, seeing no way out, Bu Chan committed suicide, and the fortification surrendered.
Lu Kang was also noted for his foresight. Upon inspecting the border, he recognized many defensive shortcomings. He reported these problems to the emperor and suggested several solutions. However, the tyrannical emperor Sun Hao
was a hedonist and did not accept any of his suggestions.
Although a famous military commander, Lu Kang recognized the weaknesses within Wu and the need for economic development. He actively pursed a détente with Yang Hu
, a general of the Jin Dynasty
, in which they trusted each other and allowed civilians to freely trade across the border.
When Lu Kang was alive, Yang Hu did not dare to attack Wu, and immediately after Lu's death, Yang began a series of petitions to the government for an invasion of Wu. After Lu Kang's death, his command was divided into four parts, led by his five sons: oldest son Lu Yan (陸晏) was named as the commander-in-chief of the land force, third eldest son Lu Xuan (陸玄) was named as the deputy commander-in-chief of the land force, second eldest son Lu Jing (陸景) was named as the commander-in-chief of the navy, and fourth eldest son Lu Ji was named as the deputy commander-in-chief of the navy, and the fifth eldest son Lu Yun (陸雲) named as the commander of local garrison respectively. Such division greatly weakened the defense of Wu and three out of these five sons of his were killed in the battles several years after his death, when the Jin Dynasty conquered Wu and united China. The surviving two sons, Lu Ji and Lu Yun returned home to become famous scholars and would later excel in the imperial court they once fought.
Lu Kang had eight sons, with two of them, Lu Ji and Lu Yun becoming competent generals of Wu and later famous writers of Jin Dynasty. Both became high ranking officials in the imperial court of Jin Dynasty after more than a decade after the fall of Wu. However, both sons were executed with their entire families during the War of the Eight Princes
. The wife of Lu Jing was Sun Hao's sister.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Youjie (幼節), was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was the son of Lu Xun
Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)
Lu Xun was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is best known for defeating Liu Bei's forces at the Battle of Xiaoting in 222.-Early life:...
and a maternal grandson of Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
. He was praised for his talent and wisdom.
Biography
Lu Kang started out as a soldier under his father's command. Unlike the rival states of WeiCao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
and Shu
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
, Wu's power was derived from individual commanders whose generalship is always passed on to their descendant. After Lu Xun died, Lu Kang was named the army commander and governed Jing Province.
When Lu Xun died, Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
trusted Lu Kang heavily. Although he did not show the same promise as Lu Xun he is seen as the last great general of Wu.
When Shu was about to fall to Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....
and Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao was a military general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, Lu Kang offered his advice to Sun Quan to attack Shu, saying that "Since Shu is about to fall, it must be in our hands and not in Wei's". Sun Quan agreed but died of natural causes during the preparation and the attack could never be launched.
Lu Kang was famous for his utilization of military constructions during his campaign. On one famous instance, a Wu defector Bu Chan was attempting to surrender a Wu border fortification to Wei. This would have given Wei unblocked access to Jing Province's largest city Jiangling. Lu Kang forced marched his men to the fortification before Wei could send any reinforcements. Lu Kang built two walls, one for siege of the fortification, and the other to defend against Wei's reinforcement. Wei's army led by Yang Hu
Yang Hu
Not to be confused with Yang Hu :zh:阳虎/陽虎, the Spring and Autumn retainer-usurper in the state of Lu.Yang Hu , style name Shuzi , was a military general during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history...
was forced to retreat, seeing no way out, Bu Chan committed suicide, and the fortification surrendered.
Lu Kang was also noted for his foresight. Upon inspecting the border, he recognized many defensive shortcomings. He reported these problems to the emperor and suggested several solutions. However, the tyrannical emperor Sun Hao
Sun Hao
Sun Hao , style name Yuanzong , originally named Sun Pengzu with the style name Yuanzong , was the fourth and last emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was the son of Sun He, a one-time crown prince of the founding emperor Sun Quan...
was a hedonist and did not accept any of his suggestions.
Although a famous military commander, Lu Kang recognized the weaknesses within Wu and the need for economic development. He actively pursed a détente with Yang Hu
Yang Hu
Not to be confused with Yang Hu :zh:阳虎/陽虎, the Spring and Autumn retainer-usurper in the state of Lu.Yang Hu , style name Shuzi , was a military general during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, a general of the Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, in which they trusted each other and allowed civilians to freely trade across the border.
When Lu Kang was alive, Yang Hu did not dare to attack Wu, and immediately after Lu's death, Yang began a series of petitions to the government for an invasion of Wu. After Lu Kang's death, his command was divided into four parts, led by his five sons: oldest son Lu Yan (陸晏) was named as the commander-in-chief of the land force, third eldest son Lu Xuan (陸玄) was named as the deputy commander-in-chief of the land force, second eldest son Lu Jing (陸景) was named as the commander-in-chief of the navy, and fourth eldest son Lu Ji was named as the deputy commander-in-chief of the navy, and the fifth eldest son Lu Yun (陸雲) named as the commander of local garrison respectively. Such division greatly weakened the defense of Wu and three out of these five sons of his were killed in the battles several years after his death, when the Jin Dynasty conquered Wu and united China. The surviving two sons, Lu Ji and Lu Yun returned home to become famous scholars and would later excel in the imperial court they once fought.
Lu Kang had eight sons, with two of them, Lu Ji and Lu Yun becoming competent generals of Wu and later famous writers of Jin Dynasty. Both became high ranking officials in the imperial court of Jin Dynasty after more than a decade after the fall of Wu. However, both sons were executed with their entire families during the War of the Eight Princes
War of the Eight Princes
The War of the Eight Princes or Rebellion of the Eight Kings or Rebellion of the Eight Princes was a civil war for power among princes and dukes of the Chinese Jin Dynasty from AD 291 to AD 306. It was fought mostly in northern China and devastated the country, later triggering the Wu Hu ravaging...
. The wife of Lu Jing was Sun Hao's sister.
Appointments and titles held
- Colonel Who Establishes Martial Might (建武校尉)
- Marquis of Jiangling (江陵侯) - inherited by Lu Kang from his father Lu Xun
- General of the Household Who Establishes Moral Integrity (立節中郎將)
- General Who Inspires Might (奮威將軍)
- Area Commander of Chaisang (柴桑督)
- General Who Attacks the North (征北將軍)
- General Who Guards the Army (鎮軍將軍)
- Senior General Who Guards the Army (鎮軍大將軍)
- Governor of Yi Province (益州牧)
- Grand Marshal (大司馬)
- Governor of Jing Province (荊州牧)
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms