Tang Dynasty General Armor: Duke of Lu Cheng Yaojin: 程咬金

Tang dynasty general  (Cheng Yaojin) in lamellar armor. 

He carries an elaborate heavy battle axe.

Kong Ling Ge - The Duke of Lu Cheng Yaojin KLG-ST2402

Music: Stone Vanguard

There are curious times where interesting coincidence happen at the same time and last month was that. On January 2 of the high quality studios for armored Chinese action figures: Jiao Zong Model and Kong Ling Ge both made their own versions of the famed Tang general Cheng Yaojin.

Although both versions depicted Cheng, the armors they chose to depict him in are quite different, with the Jiao Zong Model version based on that of a heavy Tang imperial guardsman encased in full heavy amor. And the Kong Ling Ge version depicting him in the style of a high level commander. 

This article will cover the Kong Ling Ge version in detail. However with the general's long and storied military career both versions are not mutually exclusive, but may be taken to represent him in 2 distinct phases of his career. Without further ado, one of Taizong's rugged generals: the Duke of Lu: Cheng Yaojin.

BEGINNINGS

A hardy man of action born to a long lineage generals dating back several generations, capable at once of total fearless devotion to friends and superiors, but with a distinct pragmatic edge. Cheng's rise to prominence was anything but straightforward to say the least. His early career revealed the opportunistic nature required to survive in those extremely chaotic times. 

Cheng Yaojin (589-665) emerged as one of the most crucial military figures during one of China's most tumultuous transitions between the Sui and Tang dynasties. Born in Dong'e County of Ji Prefecture (modern-day Dongping, Shandong), he came from a family with a strong tradition of military and civil service stretching back to the Northern Qi dynasty. 

Cheng distinguished himself early through his youth with a mastery of horsemanship and the shuo (a formidable long spear). Though he is commonly depicted with a mighty battle axe in paintings and popular iconography, Cheng excelled and preferred his shou.

Music: Such Wind! Powerful Indeed!

As the Sui dynasty crumbled~ nearly all major pocket of the empire erupted in rebellion, banditry became rampant and various local communities looked to themselves for protection. Cheng demonstrated his first taste of leadership by rallying hundreds of followers to defend their hometown and repelled all marauding foes that threatened their region. This initial show of martial prowess caught the attention of the popular rebel leader Li Mi, who befriended the band and incorporated Cheng into his inner circle, placing him in command of an elite cavalry force of 8,000 riders known as the "Inner Corps."

Under Li Mi's banner, Cheng demonstrated both his battlefield prowess and near suicidal personal loyalty. In one particularly dramatic episode during an all out campaign against Li Mi's archrival Wang Shichong, Cheng's comrade commander, Pei Xingyan's army had the distinct misfortune of running into Wang Shichong's whole army that quickly ambushed and surrounded it at dawn. 

Having being both flatfooted and surrounded, much of Pei's army was slaughtered by Wang's forces. Despite the hopelessness of the obliteration of Pei's forces, Cheng performed one of his most famous feats- 

despite his station as a commander, he personally charged through lines of enemy long spears and rescue the wounded Pei Xingyan, pulling Pei on his own horse then broke through a forest of enemy spears while carrying his comrade to safety.

Similar helmet worn in "Longest Day in Chang'an"

Despite Cheng's own personal heroism, Li Mi's defeat was calamitous, losing the majority of his army overnight and escaping with only a handful of supporters to now become a minor player. Wang by contrast essentially won all of the critical Central Plains and made his capital at Luoyang. Cheng became a prisoner of war under Wang Shichong. His talents and feats were not lost on Wang and many times Wang tried to persuade Cheng to work under him. Despite Wang's attempts to win his loyalty through generous treatment, Cheng remained restless and dissatisfied. 

It was during this period that Cheng's reputation as a fearless warrior was cemented, particularly in an incident where he rescued his wounded colleague Pei Xingyan from certain death, fighting through enemy lines while carrying his injured comrade.

At the time Wang was angling to go to war with the Tang under Li Yuan. Along with his fellow warrior Qin Qiong, Cheng agreed to depart to the Tang at the the most expedient moment, the two seized the perfect moment and defected to the Tang with all their forces - a decision that would shape the rest of his career.

Under the Tang, Cheng's star rose significantly. Though Tang was led by the able Li Yuan's rule (Emperor Gaozu of Tang), it was Li Yuan's young 2nd son Li Shimin who was responsible for winning much of the battles against all of the Tang's rivals. Cheng served under Li Shimin and proved instrumental in the campaigns that crushed various other warlords and irrevocably ensuring Tang supremacy. 

His unwavering loyalty to Li Shimin became evident during the succession crisis of 624 whereby Li Shimin's elder and younger brother ganged up on him and tried to convince Li Yuan to deprive the prince of all power. The 2 princes began an extensive propaganda campaign against Li Shimin and framed him for a number of capital crimes. What's more, they deprived the prince of his famous Jet Black Armor Cavalry who were all encased in black armor and composed of the prince's best warriors.

Tang cataphract and foot guard: Officer of the Guard of Honour. Tomb of Princess Changle (长乐公主墓), Zhao Mausoleum

Then, they began to transfer all of Shimin's best generals away out of the capital. On at least 1 occasion after sharing a banquet with his 2 other brothers Li Shimin succumbed to near fatal food poisoning which left him bed ridden. 

When ordered to be banished to a distant post in Kang Prefecture by Emperor Gaozu due to the brother's rumors, Cheng famously declared to Li Shimin, "Great Prince, if you lose your left and right arms, you will not survive long. I will not leave you, even if it means I will die."

This loyalty paid off spectacularly during the Xuanwu Gate Incident of 626- perhaps the most significant coup of the Tang dynasty, where Cheng played a crucial role in helping Li Shimin assassinate both of his brothers at dawn. Following Li Shimin's ascension as Emperor Taizong, Cheng was rewarded with numerous prestigious positions.

Under Taizong's reign, Cheng's influence grew substantially. He served as Grand Viceroy of Lu Prefecture and was one of only two officials granted the extraordinary privilege of having their descendants inherit their governorships as hereditary Dukes (this was centuries before Tang made allowances of hereditary military governorships known as Jiedushi.) Cheng became the Duke of Lu (not Lu in Shandong, but a different one situated in modern Sichuan.) 

Taizong's old guards. After Taizong's death the generals and strategists that won the realm under him formed his court. Their young sons were enrolled in the imperial guard and many of their daughters became concubines and consorts in the harem. At this time much of the political power rested in the clusters surrounding Chang'an heartlands in Shaanxi. Since the Qin- Han and northern eras, this mid-western region was the power center of China.

After having served 2 Tang Emperors over decades, after Taizong's death, Cheng's military career continued well into Emperor Gaozong's reign. During the Tang campaign against the Western Turks in 657, his order to massacre surrendering Hu Turkic civilians led to his temporary loss of military command. He later received an appointment as Prefect of Qi Prefecture, though he chose to retire. 

Politically Cheng's family's position was greatly strengthened by his service. His second son Cheng Chuliang even married Princess Qinghe, Emperor Taizong's daughter, further cementing the family's position within the Tang elite. 

He died in 665 at his home in Huaide Village, aged 76. In recognition of his service, he was posthumously honored as "Senior General of Chariots and Cavalry" and Grand Viceroy of Yi Prefecture. His eldest son inherited his dukedom. His burial in the Zhao Mausoleum, alongside Emperor Taizong, marked a final acknowledgment of his significance to the Tang dynasty.

His legacy was further cemented by his inclusion among the 24 meritorious officials whose portraits were displayed in the prestigious Lingyan Pavilion. His tombstone, discovered in 1986, revealed additional details about his life not recorded in official records and histories. 

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