Cheng Pu (Demou) 程普 (德謀)

Place of Birth: Tuying, You Bei Ping (Presently Fengrun in Hebei Province)
Life Span: AD 154 – 213 (59 Years)
Titles: Chief Commandant, Grand Administrator of Jiangxia, General of the Gentleman of the Household Who Eliminates Bandits, Commander of the Imperial Corps
Family: Cheng Zi (son), several daughters

Cheng Pu was known as a man of wits and skill, able to handle different situations with a wide range of knowledge. Cheng Pu was a handsome figure and probably had his own following of retainers. It is likely that Cheng Pu first met Sun Jian when the latter was in Xu Province.
The first historical records of Cheng Pu date from the time of the Yellow Turban rebellion. Cheng Pu was appointed at the vanguard of Sun Jian’s army and followed his lord in battles against the Yellow Turbans at Wan and Deng City. After the Yellow Turban rebellion was over, Sun Jian was appointed as Grand Administrator of Chang Sha, and Cheng Pu followed him there. When Dong Zhuo took Luo Yang, the Han Capital, Sun Jian, under command of Yuan Shu, was sent to fight Dong Zhuo as part of the alliance (1). Cheng Pu defeated Dong Zhuo at Yangren, and it was said that his body was covered in scars after the battle.
After the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian regrouped his forces and now attacked Liu Biao in Jing Province. The initial attack on Liu Biao’s general Huang Zu was a complete succes for Sun Jian and his men. However, Sun Jian was killed in a surprise attack at night (2).
Sun Jian’s family at this time was in Lujiang Commandery, teritory of Yuan Shu. The remnants of Sun Jian’s army were brought back under control of Yuan Shu, and Sun Jian’s family continued to serve Yuan Shu. Cheng Pu however did not hold rank under Yuan Shu, and was probably not interested in such a deal either way. Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Han Dang aided Sun Ce, Sun Jian’s first son instead. Under Sun Ce’s command, Cheng Pu played a major role in the consolidation of the counties south of the Yangzi river. He was appointed Chief Commandant of Wu Commandery, and guarded Qiantang (3). Sometime later, Cheng Pu was transferred Danyang instead.
Cheng Pu was given command of two thousand footsoldiers and 50 cavalry troops, and continued to destroy rebels and caitiffs in the regions of Wu, Kuai Ji and Danyang. During a battle against a certain Zu Lang, Sun Ce was surrounded by troops and his life was in danger. Cheng Pu galloped towards the enemy on his horse and killed the rebels with his spear; saving his young master’s life. Sun Ce memorialised Cheng Pu’s accomplishments in the attacks on Liu Xun and Huang Zu in his letter to Cao Cao in the fourth year of Rebuilt Tranquility, in which he appointed Cheng Pu Grand Administrator of Lingling, Commander of the Imperial Corps, and General of the Gentleman of the Household Who Eliminates Bandits (4).
Sun Ce was assasinated in AD 200 and the command of the Sun family clan was transferred to Sun Quan, second son of Sun Jian. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong helped Sun Quan in matters of the state, whereas Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu took care of the military order. Cheng Pu personaly investigated and prosecuted any officers who were disloyal to the new leader of the Sun clan, and lead his army through the three commanderies of Wu, Danyang, and Kuai Ji, slaying rebels to display the might of the new administration.
Sun Quan renewed the attack into the west, and Cheng Pu was sent to attack Jiangxia. After the commandery was captured, Sun Quan appointed Cheng Pu as the new Grand Administrator. The expansion continued and Zhou Yu destroyed Huang Zu in Xiakou, however a new threat in the form of Cao Cao appeared in Northen Jing Province. After Lu Su’s inspection of Jing Province, Zhou Yu suggested to oppose Cao Cao’s army with their own elite navy. Cheng Pu was appointed as the Commander for the campaign, with three other detachments lead by Sun Quan, Lu Su and Zhou Yu (5).
Around november or december of the western year AD 208, Sun Quan sent his fleet up the Yangzi, and met with Cao Cao’s fleet at present day Huarong. Although Cheng Pu was in command of the operation, we can asume that Zhou Yu, the main director of the campaign, was giving the actual orders. The attack was success and Cao Cao’s fleet was forced to retreat. Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu followed up the attack and headed towards Jiangling, now under control of Cao Cao’s cousin Cao Ren.
While Zhou Yu, Gan Ning and Lü Meng were in charge of the attack on Jiangling, it is probable that Cheng Pu stayed south of the Yangzi and directed affairs from there (6). Zhou Yu drove out Cao Ren, took Jiangling, and was appointed as Grand Administrator of Nan Commandery. In AD 210, Zhou Yu died and Cheng Pu took over his position as Grand Administrator of Nan Commandery.
Around AD 211, Sun Quan allowed Liu Bei to borrow Nan Commandery on the advise of Lu Su, and Cheng Pu went back to his old commandery of Jiangxia. Cheng Pu fell ill after a campaign against bandits in his own region, and died in the year AD 213.
Cheng Pu was a respected and senior officer of Wu, who always received merit in his campaigns. He showed unswerving loyalty towards Sun Jian and his sons, and his death left a void of experience in the Wu ranks. Though originally from the north, Cheng Pu excelled at land combat and also had suffient experience with naval affairs. When Sun Quan ascended to the throne of Emperor, Cheng Pu’s son Cheng Zi was awarded the Marquisate of a village in Wu.