Chen Deng
Chen Deng (c. 170 – c. 209),
courtesy name Yuanlong, was a Chinese military general and politician who lived in the late
Eastern Han dynasty of China. Born in a family of government officials in
Xu Province, he started his career as a county chief at the age of 24 and later became an agriculture official under
Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province. After Tao Qian's death in 194, Chen Deng supported
Liu Bei to be the new Governor. However, in 196, he was forced to become a subordinate of the warlord
Lü Bu after the latter seized control of Xu Province from Liu Bei. During this time, Chen Deng and his father
Chen Gui pretended to be loyal towards Lü Bu, while secretly undermining his influence by dissuading him from allying with another warlord
Yuan Shu. Chen Deng also secretly agreed to serve as a
mole in Xu Province for the warlord
Cao Cao, who controlled the Han central government. Chen Deng was then appointed as the Administrator of
Guangling Commandery. During the
Battle of Xiapi of 198–199, Chen Deng led his troops to join Cao Cao and assisted him in defeating Lü Bu. After the victory, Chen Deng was given an additional appointment as General Who Calms the Waves. During his tenure in Guangling Commandery, he gained high popularity among the people for good and benevolent governance – to the point where the people even wanted to follow him after learning that he had been reassigned to another commandery. He also resisted two invasions by the forces of
Sun Ce, a warlord who controlled territories in the
Jiangnan (or Jiangdong) region. He died in an unknown year at the age of 38 due to an illness caused by
intestinal parasites.
Provided by Wikipedia