Gongsun Du

Who was Gongsun Du?

Gongsun Du, courtesy name Shengji, was a military general and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He did not get the opportunity to really get into battle until Dong Zhuo seized power from Emperor Shao. Dong Zhuo, hoping to expand the empire, gave Gongsun Du the command to attack present-day Korea from across the sea. Du was successful in his attack and set up the Daifang and Lelang commanderies, among others.

Under another order of Dong Zhuo, Gongsun Du took over the Liaoning prefecture. This would be the beginning of the Gongsun power in the northeast. Gongsun Du would go on to send Gongsun Muo and Zhang Pi to present-day South Korea in an attempt to gain more land. In the ninth year of Jian'an, Gongsun Du died and his son Gongsun Kang took his position and controlled the far northeast.