Du Zeng

Du Zeng (died 319) was a military general and rebel of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was originally a subordinate of Hu Kang who rebelled in Jingzhou but later took command after killing the latter for his growing paranoia. His rebellion coincided with the rebellions of Wang Ru, Du Tao and Wang Ji in Jingzhou and Xiangzhou shortly after the Disaster of Yongjia in 311, but his would be the longest of the four, only ending in 319 with his death at the hands of Zhou Fang.

Du Zeng
杜曾
Administrator of Jingling (竟陵太守) (self-appointed)
In office
312 (312) – 319 (319)
MonarchEmperor Huai of Jin/Emperor Min of Jin
Personal details
BornUnknown
Xinye County, Nanyang Commandery
Died319
ChildrenOne unnamed daughter
In this Chinese name, the family name is Du.

As subordinate of Sima Xin and Hu Kang

Du Zeng was from Xinye County in Nanyang Commandary and started his career under the Prince of Xinye, Sima Xin (司馬歆). Du Zeng was said to be a very strong man, being able to swim across a river while wearing armor. Under Sima Xin, he rose to the rank of Colonel of the Southern Man Tribes and was present wherever Sima Xin went until his death in 303 when he was killed by the rebel Zhang Chang. He would reappear in 312 to join Hu Kang (胡亢) in his rebellion against Jin in Jingzhou after Luoyang fell to Han Zhao troops a year prior. Hu Kang was also another one Sima Xin's officers before his death and served as General of the Serrated Gate. When the Disaster of Yongjia broke out, he took the opportunity to gather men at Jingling and start a rebellion, declaring himself Duke of Chu. Du Zeng became his provisional Administrator of Jingling.[1]

However, Hu Kang proved to be a problematic leader, as his paranoia made him execute many of his generals. Du Zeng plotted to get rid of him but first he acted loyally to gain his trust. Later that year, Hu Kang wanted to campaign against the bandit Wang Chong (王沖) and Du Zeng encouraged him to. Then, Du Zeng had artisans to tamper with Hu Kang's personal guards' weapons before enticing Wang Chong to attack Hu. Hu sent out all his men against Wang Chong, leaving him defenseless against Du Zeng. Du assassinated him and declared himself General of the Household Gentlemen and acting Administrator of Jingling.[2]

Leading the rebellion

Du Zeng's first order of business was to enter an alliance with the Administrator of Nan Commandary, Liu Wu (劉務) through Du's daughter but when he refused, he had him killed. Later, Tao Kan's general Wang Gong (王貢) forged an order from his superior appointing Du Zeng as Grand Commander of the Vanguard. He then killed Wang Chong and expected Du Zeng to surrender but when he refused to answer Tao Kan's summon, Wang Gong panicked and rebelled. Du Zeng and Wang Gong attacked Tao Kan, greatly routing him and causing him to be demoted to commoner status by Wang Dun for a short while.[3]

In 314, Du Zeng sent his general Wang Zhen (王眞) to attack Tao Kan at Linzhang (林障, in present-day Hanyang District, Hubei). Tao was defeated and retreated to Shezhong (灄中, in present-day Pujiang County, Zhejiang) but when reinforcements from Zhou Fang arrived, they drove Wang Zhen back. The following year, Emperor Min of Jin sent Diwu Yi (第五猗) to Jingzhou, so Du Zeng welcomed him and made diplomatic ties by marrying his nephew to Diwu's daughter. Together, they occupied the area around the Han River.[4]

The same year, Tao Kan had defeated the powerful rebel Du Tao and he set his target to defeating Du Zeng as well. Tao Kan attacked Du Zeng at Shicheng despite warnings from his Marshal Lu Tian (魯恬). Du Zeng once again defeated Tao Kan with his cavalries and after the battle, he sent his generals to Shunyang (尋陽, in present-day Xunyang, Jiangxi) where they saluted Tao Kan before leaving.[5] Du Zeng then attacked Xun Song (荀崧) at Wancheng to follow-up his victory but through the efforts of Song's 12-year-old daughter, Xun Guan, who bravely charged into enemy lines to deliver a letter to Zhou Fang, he was forced to lift the siege. Later, Du Zeng pretended to ask Xun Song for permission to clear bandits around Dan River. Despite Tao Kan's warning, Xun Song allowed him and Du Zeng attacked Xiangyang instead but was repelled.[6]

Wang Yi replaced Tao Kan in campaigning against Du Zeng later that year. Many of Tao's generals were unhappy because of this and defected to Du Zeng. Together, they thwarted Wang Yi's attempts to quell his rebellion.[7] In 317, Wang Dun sent Zhao You (趙誘) and Zhu Gui (朱軌) to help his cousin, and the generals were considering surrender and so did Du Zeng. Thus, Du Zeng pledged to Wang Yi that he would defeat Diwu Yi to clear his name. However, he later went to Yangkou (揚口, in present-day Qianjiang, Hubei) and placed Wang Yi under siege. Zhao You and Zhu Gui fought Du at Lake Nüguan (女觀, in present-day Zhicheng, Hubei) but they all perished in battle.[8] Du Zeng pressed on to Miankou (沔口, in present-day Hankou, Hubei) and Sima Rui responded by sending Zhou Fang to deal with him.

Zhou Fang and Du Zeng faced each other at Dunyang (沌阳, in present-day Wuhan, Hubei). Du Zeng was focused on destroying Zhou's left and right wing but despite his success, Zhou was able to keep his men's morale high. By noon, both of Zhou's wings were defeated but he persisted in remaining calm. Du Zeng closely approached his center when suddenly he and his men started beating their drums. Zhou Fang's men violently charged into Du Zeng's lines, killing, and scattering their thousands. Zhou Fang pursued Du Zeng through the night until they reached Wudang, where Du held out.[9]

Du Zeng lasted for two years until 319. Du Zeng was caught in a surprise attack by Zhou Fang, causing chaos among his men. Overwhelmed, his generals arrested him and gave themselves up to Zhou Fang. Zhou Fang initially wanted to spare him as a prisoner but Zhao You and Zhu Gui's children, Zhao Yin (趙胤) and Zhu Chang (朱昌), wanted to avenge their fathers so Zhou Fang permitted. Du Zeng was beheaded and his body was chopped up and consumed by Zhao Yin and Zhu Chang.[10]

References
  1. (杜曾，新野人，南中郎將蕤之從祖弟也。少驍勇絕人，能被甲游于水中。始為新野王歆鎮南參軍，曆華容令，至南蠻司馬。凡有戰陣，勇冠三軍。會永嘉之亂，荊州荒梗，故牙門將胡亢聚眾於竟陵，自號楚公，假曾竟陵太守。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  2. (亢後與其黨自相猜貳，誅其驍將數十人，曾心不自安，潛謀圖之，乃卑身屈節以事於亢，亢弗之覺，甚信任之。會荊州賊王沖自號荊州刺史，部眾亦盛，屢遣兵抄亢所統，亢患之，問計于曾，曾勸令擊之，亢以為然。曾白亢取帳下刀戟付工磨之，因潛引王沖之兵。亢遣精騎出距沖，城中空虛，曾因斬亢而並其眾，自號南中郎將、領竟陵太守。曾求南郡太守劉務女不得，盡滅其家。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  3. (王貢自王敦所還，至竟陵，矯陶侃之命，以杜曾爲前鋒大都督，擊王沖，斬之，悉降其衆。侃召曾，曾不至。貢恐以矯命獲罪，遂與曾反擊侃。冬，十月，侃兵大敗，僅以身免。敦表侃以白衣領職。侃復帥周訪等進擊杜弢，大破之，敦乃奏復侃官。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 88
  4. (會湣帝遣第五猗為安南將軍、荊州刺史，曾迎猗於襄陽，為兄子娶猗女，遂分據沔漢。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  5. (時陶侃新破杜弢，乘勝擊曾，有輕曾之色。侃司馬魯恬言於侃曰：「古人爭戰，先料其將，今使君諸將無及曾者，未易可逼也。」侃不從，進軍圍之於石城。時曾軍多騎，而侃兵無馬，曾密開門，突侃陣，出其後，反擊其背，侃師遂敗，投水死者數百人。曾將趨順陽，下馬拜侃，告辭而去。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  6. (荀崧小女灌，幼有奇節。崧為襄城太守，為杜曾所圍，力弱食盡，欲求救于故吏平南將軍石覽，計無從出。灌時年十三，乃率勇士數千人，逾城突圍夜出。賊追甚急，灌督厲將士，且戰且前，得入魯陽山獲免。自詣覽乞師，又為崧書與南中郎將周訪請援，仍結為兄弟，訪即遣子撫率三千人會石覽俱救崧。賊聞兵至，散走，灌之力也。) Book of Jin, Volume 96
  7. (旣至，敦留侃不遣，左轉廣州刺史，以其從弟丞相軍諮祭酒廙爲荊州刺史。荊州將吏鄭攀、馬雋等詣敦，上書留侃，敦怒，不許。攀等以侃始滅大賊，而更被黜，衆情憤惋；又以廙忌戾難事，遂帥其徒三千人屯溳口，西迎杜曾。廙爲攀等所襲，奔于江安。杜曾與攀等北迎第五猗以拒廙。廙督諸軍討曾，復爲曾所敗。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 89
  8. (而大敗於女觀湖，誘、軌並遇害。曾遂逐暠，徑造沔口，大為寇害，威震江、沔。) Book of Jin, Volume 58
  9. (元帝命訪擊之。訪有眾八千，進至沌陽。曾等銳氣甚盛，訪曰：「先人有奪人之心，軍之善謀也。」使將軍李恆督左甄，許朝督右甄，訪自領中軍，高張旗幟。曾果畏訪，先攻左右甄。曾勇冠三軍，訪甚惡之，自於陣後射雉以安眾心。令其眾曰：「一甄敗，鳴三鼓；兩甄敗，鳴六鼓。」趙胤領其父余兵屬左甄，力戰，敗而復合。胤馳馬告訪，訪怒，叱令更進。胤號哭還戰，自旦至申，兩甄皆敗。訪聞鼓音，選精銳八百人，自行酒飲之，敕不得妄動，聞鼓音乃進。賊未至三十步，訪親鳴鼓，將士皆騰躍奔赴，曾遂大潰，殺千餘人。訪夜追之，諸將請待明日，訪曰：「曾驍勇能戰，向之敗也，彼勞我逸，是以克之。宜及其衰乘之，可滅。」鼓行而進，遂定漢、沔。曾等走固武當。訪以功遷南中郎將、督梁州諸軍、梁州刺史，屯襄陽。) Book of Jin, Volume 58
  10. (王敦遣周訪討之，屢戰不能克，訪潛遣人緣山開道，出曾不意以襲之，曾眾潰，其將馬俊、蘇溫等執曾詣訪降。訪欲生致武昌，而硃軌息昌、趙誘息胤皆乞曾以復冤，於是斬曾，而昌、胤臠其肉而啖之。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
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