Lu Kang (Han dynasty)

Lu Kang (126–195), courtesy name Jining, was an official who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty.

Lu Kang was from Wu County (吳縣), Wu Commandery (吳郡), which is in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu. His grandfather Lu Xu (陸續) served as a minor officer in a commandery in the early Eastern Han dynasty. Lu Xu was implicated in an alleged plot by the prince Liu Ying to overthrow Emperor Ming, and was arrested and tortured. Emperor Ming eventually pardoned Lu Xu but had him placed under permanent house arrest. Lu Xu died of old age. Lu Kang's father, Lu Bao (陸襃), had a reputation for being morally upright. The Han government repeatedly asked Lu Bao to join the civil service but he refused.

Lu Kang was already known for being virtuous and diligent at a young age. He was nominated by Wu Commandery's Administrator Li Su (李肅) as a xiaolian (civil service candidate), and was appointed as a minor officer in Wu Commandery. After Li Su was executed for committing some offence(s), Lu Kang collected Li's body, brought back to Li's home in Yingchuan (潁川) for burial, and mourned Li's death. Zang Min (臧旻), the Inspector of Yang Province, nominated him as a maocai (茂才), so Lu Kang was appointed as the Prefect (令) of Gaocheng County (高成縣). Gaocheng County was very remote and its security was poor. Every household in the county was armed with bows and arrows. When the previous Prefects entered office, they made the locals build and repair the city walls. After arriving in Gaocheng County, Lu Kang freed the labourers and governed the county so well that the people were very pleased with him and even criminal activities ceased to exist in the county. The commandery office reported Lu Kang's achievements to the Han imperial court. In 178, during the reign of Emperor Ling, Lu Kang was promoted to serve as the Administrator (太守) of Wuling (武陵). Later, he was reassigned to be the Administrator of Guiyang (桂陽) and Le'an (樂安) commanderies. He governed his jurisdictions well.

Around the time, Emperor Ling wanted to build bronze statues but realised that the imperial treasury was unable to support his spending, so he issued a decree to increase taxes and recruit labour from the masses. Lu Kang observed that the people were already suffering from natural disasters such as floods and droughts, so he wrote a memorial to Emperor Ling, advising him against constructing the bronze statues and urging him to relieve the people's burdens. The eunuchs (Emperor Ling's close aides) accused Lu Kang of defaming the emperor and showing disrespect in the memorial, so Lu was arrested and brought to the office of the Minister of Justice (廷尉) for questioning. Liu Dai, an Imperial Clerk (侍御史), carefully examined Lu Kang's case and wrote to the imperial court to explain matters for Lu and clear his name. Lu Kang was released but was dismissed from office and sent home. However, not long later, he was recalled back to the court to serve as a Consultant (議郎).

Around 180, Huang Rang (黃穰), a bandit chief from Lujiang (廬江), allied with barbarians from Jiangxia (江夏) and formed an army of over 100,000 men. They attacked and conquered four counties in the region. Lu Kang was appointed as the Administrator of Lujiang and was tasked with suppressing Huang Rang's rebellion. While in office, he upheld law and order and succeeded in defeating Huang Rang and forcing Huang's forces into surrender. He received praise from the imperial court for his achievement. By the time Emperor Xian came to the throne in the 190s, the Han Empire was already in a state of chaos as the central government was weak and various warlords were fighting for power. Lu Kang was aware of the high risks involved in paying tribute to the emperor, because his convoy might be attacked and robbed along the way to the capital. In spite of this, he ordered his men to escort the tribute to the capital and they succeeded. Emperor Xian issued a decree to praise Lu Kang, promote him to "General of Loyalty and Righteousness" (忠義將軍), and increase his income to 2,000 dan (石).

Around the time, the warlord Yuan Shu had garrisoned his forces in Shouchun (壽春) and was planning to attack Xu Province. When he realised he was running short of supplies, he sent a messenger to Lujiang to request 30,000 hu (斛) of grain from Lu Kang. Lu Kang saw Yuan Shu as a traitor and refused to have any contact with him. He also fortified Lujiang's defences and prepared for war. Yuan Shu was angered and he sent Sun Ce to lead an army to attack Lujiang. Sun Ce had a personal vendetta against Lu Kang because he once visited Lu, but Lu refused to meet him in person, and instead sent a Registrar (主簿) to meet him. Sun Ce's forces besieged Lujiang but Lu Kang's troops held their ground. Some of Lu Kang's subordinates and soldiers who were on leave returned to Lujiang and made their way back into the city under the cover of night to help Lu Kang defend the city. Lujiang fell to Sun Ce's forces after a siege that lasted two years. Lu Kang died of illness at the age of 70 (by East Asian age reckoning) during the siege.

Lu Kang's family and kin comprised some 100 members. Over half of them died of starvation or in war during the chaos towards the end of the Han dynasty.

Lu Kang had two known sons. The elder one, Lu Jun (陸儁), was appointed as a Gentleman (郎中) by the Han imperial court in recognition of Lu Kang's unwavering loyalty to the Han Empire during the siege of Lujiang. The younger one, Lu Ji, was a scholar who came to serve under the warlord Sun Quan as the Administrator of Yulin (鬱林). Lu Ji was also one of the 24 Filial Exemplars.

One of Lu Kang's grandsons, Lu Shang (陸尚), was also appointed as a Gentleman (郎中) by the Han court in recognition of Lu Kang's success in suppressing Huang Rang's rebellion.

Lu Kang was a granduncle of Lu Xun. He raised Lu Xun, who was orphaned at a young age. When Yuan Shu's forces (led by Sun Ce) were about to attack Lujiang, Lu Kang sent Lu Xun and his family members back to their home in Wu County for their safety. After Lu Kang's death, Lu Xun became the new head of the family because he was much older than Lu Kang's son Lu Ji, even though Lu Ji was one generation older than him.