Lu Kang (226 – August or September 274), courtesy name Youjie, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Lu Xun, the third Imperial Chancellor of Wu. Lu Kang inherited his father's mantle but was less involved in politics as he served mainly in the Wu military. He rose to prominence during the reign of the fourth and last Wu emperor, Sun Hao. In 272, he successfully suppressed a rebellion by Bu Chan and fended off invading forces from Wu's rival, the Jin dynasty. After the Battle of Xiling, he actively pursued a policy of détente with the Jin general Yang Hu at the Wu–Jin border. At the same time, he constantly submitted memorials to Sun Hao, urging the tyrannical emperor to change his ways and govern with benevolence, but his advice fell on deaf ears. In early 280, less than six years after Lu Kang's death, the Jin dynasty launched a campaign against Wu and conquered it within five months.
During Sun Quan's reign Lu Kang was the second son of Lu Xun and a maternal grandson of Sun Ce, the elder brother and predecessor of Wu's founding emperor, Sun Quan. Lu Xun died in 245 when Lu Kang was around 19 years old. After his father's death, Lu Kang was commissioned as Colonel Who Establishes Martial Might () and put in charge of 5,000 troops who had been under his father's command. After escorting his father's coffin from Wuchang (武昌; present-day Ezhou, Hubei) back to his ancestral home in Wu Commandery (around present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) for burial, he traveled to the Wu capital Jianye (present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu) to pay his respects to Sun Quan. In Jianye, Sun Quan showed Lu Kang a list of 20 offenses Lu Xun allegedly committed and questioned Lu Kang about them. He did not allow Lu Kang to meet anyone and interrogated him together with a panel of officials. Lu Kang cooperated and responded truthfully. Sun Quan's anger toward Lu Xun gradually subsided.(抗字幼節，孫策外孫也。遜卒時，年二十，拜建武校尉，領遜衆五千人，送葬東還，詣都謝恩。孫權以楊笁所白遜二十事問抗，禁絕賔客，中使臨詰，抗無所顧問，事事條荅，權意漸解。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
In 246, Lu Kang was promoted from Colonel to General of the Household () and ordered to switch posts with Zhuge Ke: he would leave Wuchang and move to Chaisang (柴桑; around present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) while Zhuge Ke would do vice versa. Before Lu Kang left, he had the city walls repaired and his residence renovated while leaving his fruit orchards intact. When Zhuge Ke arrived in Chaisang, he was surprised to see that Lu Kang had left behind a well-maintained residence for him. He also felt ashamed because his garrison at Chaisang was in poor condition when he departed.(赤烏九年，遷立節中郎將，與諸葛恪換屯柴桑。抗臨去，皆更繕完城圍，葺其墻屋，居廬桑果，不得妄敗。恪入屯，儼然若新。而恪柴桑故屯，頗有毀壞，深以為慙。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
In 251, Lu Kang fell ill and went to Jianye for medical treatment. When his condition improved and he was preparing to leave, Sun Quan came to bid him farewell. With tears in his eyes, Sun Quan told Lu Kang: "Previously, I believed slanderous rumors and failed to understand your father's well-meaning advice. I have let you down. I have burned all the documents containing the allegations against your father so that nobody can ever see them."(太元元年，就都治病。病差當還，權涕泣與別，謂曰：「吾前聽用讒言，與汝父大義不篤，以此負汝。前後所問，一焚滅之，莫令人見也。」) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
During the reigns of Sun Liang and Sun Xiu Sun Quan died in 252 and was succeeded by his youngest son, Sun Liang, as emperor of Wu. After his coronation, Sun Liang promoted Lu Kang to the rank of General under the title "General of Vehement Might" (). In 257, Zhuge Dan, a general from Wu's rival state Wei, started a rebellion in Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Anhui) and requested reinforcements from Wu. Sun Liang appointed Lu Kang as the Area Commander of Chaisang (柴桑; around present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) and ordered him to lead troops to Shouchun to support Zhuge Dan. Although the rebellion was ultimately suppressed by Wei forces, Lu Kang managed to defeat some Wei forces in battle. In recognition of his efforts, the Wu government promoted him to the position of General Who Attacks the North ().(建興元年，拜奮威將軍。太平二年，魏將諸葛誕舉壽春降，拜抗為柴桑督，赴壽春，破魏牙門將偏將軍，遷征北將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
In 259, during the reign of Sun Liang's successor Sun Xiu, Lu Kang was appointed as General Who Guards the Army () and placed in charge of Xiling (西陵; around present-day Yichang, Hubei). The area under his jurisdiction covered the lands from Guan Yu's Shallows to Baidicheng. Sun Xiu granted him acting imperial authority in the following year.(永安二年，拜鎮軍將軍，都督西陵，自關羽至白帝。三年，假節。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Early career under Sun Hao Sun Xiu died in 264 and was succeeded by his nephew Sun Hao as the emperor of Wu. Sun Hao promoted Lu Kang to the position of Senior General Who Guards the Army () and appointed him as the nominal Governor of Yi Province () even though Yi Province was not Wu territory. After the Wu general Shi Ji died in 270, Sun Hao put Lu Kang in charge of overseeing military affairs in Xinling (), Xiling (), Yidao (), Le District (), and Gong'an counties, with his administrative centre at Le District (east of present-day Songzi, Hubei).(孫皓即位，加鎮軍大將軍，領益州牧。建衡二年，大司馬施績卒，拜抗都督信陵、西陵、夷道、樂鄉，公安諸軍事，治樂鄉。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Proposing 17 policy changes When Lu Kang heard that there were many flaws in the Wu government's policies, he became worried so he wrote a memorial to Sun Hao as follows:(抗聞都下政令多闕，憂深慮遠，乃上疏曰： ...) Sanguozhi vol. 58. The 17 policy changes proposed by Lu Kang were lost over time.(十七條失本，故不載。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Speaking up against corruption in the Wu government When the official He Ding () was abusing his authority and eunuchs were interfering in state affairs, Lu Kang wrote a memorial to advise Sun Hao:(時何定弄權，閹官預政；抗上疏曰： ...) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Battle of Xiling
Initial stages In 272, Bu Chan, the military commander stationed at Xiling (西陵; around present-day Yichang, Hubei), started a rebellion against Wu and wanted to defect to the Jin dynasty. When Lu Kang received news of the revolt, he immediately ordered his subordinates Zuo Yi (), Wu Yan, Cai Gong () and others to lead separate forces and head towards Xiling as directly as possible. He instructed his men to construct defensive structures all the way from Chixi () to Gushi () to form an encirclement around Bu Chan's position, while at the same time defending the area from attacks by Jin forces. He ordered them to work day and night to complete the construction works as if the enemy had already arrived, resulting in his soldiers being all tired and worn out.(鳳皇元年，西陵督步闡據城以叛，遣使降晉。抗聞之，日部分諸軍，令將軍左弈、吾彥、蔡貢等徑赴西陵，勑軍營更築嚴圍，自赤谿至故市，內以圍闡，外以禦寇，晝夜催切，如敵以至，衆甚苦之。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Lu Kang's subordinates said: "With our current strength, we can attack Bu Chan and destroy him before Jin forces arrive. Why are we exhausting ourselves by constructing defensive structures instead?" Lu Kang explained: "Xiling's fortifications are very stable and it has sufficient supplies. Besides, I was the one who oversaw the construction of Xiling's defences. If we attack it now, I don't think we can conquer it easily. If Jin forces show up and we don't have adequate defensive structures, we will be trapped in between Bu Chan and Jin and have nothing to protect ourselves from the enemy." The officers repeatedly urged Lu Kang to attack Xiling but he refused. Eventually, Lei Tan (), the Administrator of Yidu Commandery, came to see Lu Kang and used kind words to persuade him to attack Xiling. To prove that he was right, Lu Kang relented and ordered an assault on Xiling. As he expected, they did not succeed in capturing the city, so his officers gave up their idea of attacking and complied with Lu Kang's orders to construct the defensive structures.(諸將咸諫曰：「今及三軍之銳，亟以攻闡，比晉救至，闡必可拔。何事於圍，而以弊士民之力乎？」抗曰：「此城處勢旣固，糧穀又足，且所繕脩備禦之具，皆抗所宿規。今反身攻之，旣非可卒克，且北救必至，至而無備，表裏受難，何以禦之？」諸將咸欲攻闡，抗每不許。宜都太守雷譚言至懇切，抗欲服衆，聽令一攻。攻果無利，圍備始合。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Destruction of the dyke near Jiangling When Jin forces led by Yang Hu were approaching Jiangling County, the Wu officers advised Lu Kang against leaving Jiangling to attack Xiling, but Lu Kang said: "Jiangling's fortifications are strong and it has sufficient troops to defend it, so there is no need to worry. Even if the enemy captures Jiangling, they won't be able to hold it for long and our losses will be minimal. However, if we lose Xiling, the tribes in the southern hills will be affected and this will lead to serious problems. I'd rather abandon Jiangling than give up on capturing Xiling. Besides, Jiangling is already very well-defended in the first place."(晉車騎將軍羊祜率師向江陵，諸將咸以抗不宜上，抗曰：「江陵城固兵足，無所憂患。假令敵沒江陵，必不能守，所損者小。如使西陵槃結，則南山羣夷皆當擾動，則所憂慮，難可竟言也。吾寧棄江陵而赴西陵，況江陵牢固乎？」) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Jiangling was situated on flat lands and was a very accessible location. However, Lu Kang later ordered Zhang Xian () to oversee the construction of a large dyke to block the river's flow and direct its waters to flood the flat lands, so as to create a large body of water around the city to serve as a barrier to invaders. When Yang Hu arrived, he planned to make use of this barrier by transporting supplies on boats, but he spread false news that he intended to destroy the dyke to make way for his land army to pass through. When Lu Kang heard that, he saw through Yang Hu's plot and ordered Zhang Xian to destroy the dyke. Lu Kang's officers were shocked and attempted to dissuade him from doing so because they thought he would be doing the enemy a favour, but Lu Kang ignored them. When Yang Hu reached Dangyang (當陽; southwest of present-day Jingmen, Hubei), he was dismayed to hear that the dyke had been destroyed. He had no choice but to transport his supplies on land, resulting in the wasting of time and effort.(初，江陵平衍，道路通利，抗勑江陵督張咸作大堰遏水，漸漬平中，以絕寇叛。祜欲因所遏水，浮船運糧，揚聲將破堰以通步車。抗聞，使咸亟破之。諸將皆惑，屢諫不聽。祜至當陽，聞堰敗，乃改船以車運，大費損功力。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
Final stages Xu Yin (), the commander of the Jin garrison at Badong Commandery (巴東郡; around present-day Fengjie County, Chongqing), led naval forces towards Jianping (建平; around present-day Zigui County, Hubei), while Yang Zhao (), the Inspector of Jing Province (also under Jin control), led troops towards Xiling.
Lu Kang gave orders that: Zhang Xian reinforce Jiangling's defences; Sun Zun (), the Commandant of Gong'an County, patrol the south river bank and resist Yang Hu; and Liu Lü () and Zhu Wan () guard against Xu Yin's attacks. He personally led three armies to hold off Yang Zhao with the aid of the defensive structures they had constructed earlier. However, Lu Kang's subordinates Zhu Qiao () and Yu Zan () defected to Yang Zhao's side. Lu Kang said: "Yu Zan has been serving under me for a long time and he is very aware of my situation. He knows that the tribal soldiers in my army may be unwilling to follow my orders, so he will definitely suggest to the enemy to take advantage of this weakness." Hence, that night, Lu Kang immediately replaced the tribal soldiers in his army with other veteran soldiers whom he trusted more. The following day, as Lu Kang expected, Yang Zhao concentrated his attacks on the unit in Lu Kang's army which used to be made up of tribal soldiers, without knowing that they had been replaced. Lu Kang ordered his archers to retaliate, raining arrows on the enemy and inflicting heavy casualties.(晉巴東監軍徐胤率水軍詣建平，荊州刺史楊肇至西陵。抗令張咸固守其城；公安督孫遵巡南岸禦祜；水軍督留慮、鎮西將軍朱琬拒胤；身率三軍，憑圍對肇。將軍朱喬、營都督俞贊亡詣肇。抗曰：「贊軍中舊吏，知吾虛實者，吾常慮夷兵素不簡練，若敵攻圍，必先此處。」即夜易夷民，皆以舊將充之。明日，肇果攻故夷兵處，抗命旋軍擊之，矢石雨下，肇衆傷死者相屬。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.