Cheng Pu

Cheng Pu
General of Sun Quan
Names
Simplified Chinese	程普
Traditional Chinese	程普
Pinyin	Chéng Pǔ
Wade-Giles	Cheng Pu
Style name	Demou (德謀)

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Cheng.

Cheng Pu was a military general serving under the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.

Biography

Early service under Sun Jian

Chen Shou's Records of Three Kingdoms described Cheng Pu as a good looking gentleman who was brilliant at speech. He was originally a local official at his hometown of Right Beiping. When Sun Jian was recruiting volunteers to fight the Yellow Turban rebels, Cheng Pu joined him, and participated in the subjugation of the cities of Wan and Deng. After the alliance against Dong Zhuo was formed, he continued following Sun Jian to fight Dong's forces, and was seriously injured at the battle of Yangren. However, Cheng Pu survived the wound as he received treatment after Sun Jian's ultimate victory at Yangren.

Conflicts between warlords

Through hard fought battles, Sun Jian reclaimed the Han Dynasty's capital, Luoyang, only to find out the once prosperous paradise had been burnt down to ashes. After driving out Lü Bu from the imperial graveyard outside Luoyang, Sun retrieved the imperial seal from one of the graves (or inside a dried well inside the palace). Distrusting Yuan Shao, the leader of the coalition who proposed replacing the emperor with one of the royal relatives, Sun did not give out the imperial seal when he was requested to do so. Thus, Yuan Shao allied himself with Liu Biao, while Yuan Shu formed alliance with Sun to resist. In 191, Yuan Shu urged Sun Jian to attack Liu Biao of Jing Province, and Sun Jian was killed by Liu Biao's ally Huang Zu at the Battle of Xiangyang. Cheng Pu, along with Sun Jian's other old acquaintances, were merged into Yuan Shu's forces. But one year later, he would follow Sun Jian's son, Sun Ce, to start a new journey on pacifying Jiangdong.

Cheng Pu's assistance on Sun Ce's conquest of Jiangdong was tremendous, as he was credited most on taking four cities and five commanderies. He also aided in subduing local bandits around the area, in one occasion, Sun Ce was surrounded by the bandits under the leadership of Zu Lang, Cheng Pu charged in with one of his horseman and led Sun Ce out of the thick of bandits. Thus, he was trusted by his young lord, and was referred by other younger comrades as "Master Cheng".

Battle of Red Cliffs

Main article: Battle of Red Cliffs

In 208, just after Sun Quan defeated Huang Zu at the Battle of Xiakou, he faced yet another bigger threat, Cao Cao, from the north. Even they were drastically disadvantaged, Cheng Pu along several military generals advocated the defense of Jiangdong. Therefore, he served as second in command to Zhou Yu at the Battle of Red Cliffs and defeated Cao Cao's navy on the river. He was appointed as the Governor of Jiangxia thereafter, and was charged with the task to reinforce Zhou Yu to take over Nan Commandery.

Death

After Nan Commandery was acquired, and Jing Province was given to Liu Bei on terms, Cheng Pu returned to his post. One day he decided to carry out the execution of several hundred betrayers by burning them to death, probably because of the smoke, Cheng got seriously ill right after the execution, and after a hundred days or so, he died on his deathbed, he was succeeded by his son, Cheng Zi (程咨).

Appointments and titles held

• Commandant of Wu Commandery (吳郡都尉)
• Commandant of Danyang (丹陽都尉)
• General of the Household Who Eliminates Bandits (蕩寇中郎將)
• Administrator of Lingling (零陵太守)
• Right Commander (右督)
• Major General (裨將軍)
• Administrator of Jiangxia (江夏太守)
• Administrator of Nan Commandery (南郡太守)
• General Who Eliminates Bandits (蕩寇將軍)

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms

References

• Chen Shou (2002). Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 55, Biography of Cheng Pu. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80665-198-5. 
• Luo Guanzhong (1986). Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80520-013-0. 
• Lo Kuan-chung; tr. C.H. Brewitt-Taylor (2002). Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3467-9. 

Persondata
Name	Cheng, Pu
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