Gongsun Kang 公孫康

Gongsun Kang was the son of Gongsun Du. Gongsun Du was originally a man of Xiangping in Liaodong, and on the recommendation of Xu Rong, Dong Zhuo's General of the Household, he became Administrator of Liaodong. Earlier, Gongsun Zhao, a man of the Dependent State who was acting Prefect of Xiangping, had summoned Gongsun Du's son Gongsun Kang to serve as a squad leader; on taking office Gongsun Du arrested Gongsun Zhao and had him flogged to death in the marketplace of Xiangping. Records, Wei 8 §36–37

Gongsun Du made himself Marquis of Liaodong and Governor of Ping Province, and when Cao Cao memorialized to make him General of Martial Might and Marquis of Yongning District, he stored the seal and ribbon in the arsenal. When Gongsun Du died his son Gongsun Kang succeeded to his position, and the title of Marquis of Yongning District was conferred on his younger brother Gongsun Gong. This was the 9th year of Jian'an (204). Records, Wei 8 §39–40

When Cao Cao, as Minister of Works, summoned Guan Ning, who had come to Liaodong to escape the turmoil of the central lands, Gongsun Kang blocked the order and did not make it known. Later, when Guan Ning answered Emperor Wen's summons and crossed the sea to return home, he sealed up and sent back everything that Gongsun Du, Gongsun Kang and Gongsun Gong had given him in turn during his stay in Liaodong. Records, Wei 11 §76–77 · 80

When Cao Cao was about to attack Yuan Tan, King Qiao of the Wuhuan of Liucheng was preparing to send 5,000 horsemen to Yuan Tan. At this time the Administrator of Liaodong Gongsun Kang, styling himself Governor of Ping Province, sent his envoy Han Zhong with the seal and ribbon of a chanyu to confer on King Qiao provisionally. When Qian Zhao, sent by Cao Cao, arrived at King Qiao's gathering, Han Zhong was also present. Records, Wei 26 §47

During the Jian'an era Gongsun Kang sent out troops against Goguryeo, which had repeatedly raided Liaodong since the time of Bogu, crushed the kingdom and burned its settlements. Baqi of Goguryeo, who had failed to take the throne, came together with the Juannu chief (jia), each leading more than 30,000 commoner households, and surrendered to Gongsun Kang. Gongsun Kang also split off the wasteland south of Tunyou County to form Daifang Commandery, and sent Gongsun Mo, Zhang Chang and others to gather the scattered people and raise troops against the Han (韓) and the Ye; the former inhabitants gradually returned, and thereafter the Wa and the Han (韓) belonged to Daifang. Records, Wei 30 §56 · 86

In the 12th year of Jian'an (207), when Cao Cao attacked the Wuhuan and beheaded Tadun, Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi fled to Liaodong together with Supuwan, chanyu of Liaodong, and others. Earlier the Administrator of Liaodong Gongsun Kang, relying on his remoteness, had refused to submit, so someone urged Cao Cao to attack him while he was at it, saying that the Yuan Shang brothers could be captured. Cao Cao said that he would make Gongsun Kang behead Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi and send their heads, so there was no need to trouble the troops. Records, Wei 6 §70Records, Wei 1 §100–101

In the 9th month, when Cao Cao returned from Liucheng, Gongsun Kang at once beheaded Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi, Supuwan and others and sent their heads. When his generals asked the reason, Cao Cao replied, 'He has always feared Yuan Shang and the others. If I press them hard they will join forces; if I ease off they will turn on one another. That is how the situation stands.' The biography of Yuan Shao records that Gongsun Kang lured them in, beheaded them and sent their heads. Records, Wei 1 §101–102Records, Wei 6 §70

Gongsun Kang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Xiangping and appointed General of the Left. When he died, his sons Gongsun Huang, Gongsun Yuan and others were all young, so the people set up Gongsun Gong as Administrator of Liaodong. When Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, took the throne, he sent an envoy to make Gongsun Gong General of Chariots and Cavalry with Provisional Credentials and enfeoff him as Marquis of Pingguo, and posthumously granted Gongsun Kang the title of Grand Marshal. The Records does not state the year of Gongsun Kang's death. Records, Wei 8 §41

Later, when word came that Gongsun Yuan had accepted the title of King of Yan from Sun Quan and there was talk of a punitive expedition, Liu Shao said that when the Yuan Shang brothers had once taken refuge with Gongsun Yuan's father Gongsun Kang, Gongsun Kang had beheaded them and sent their heads, which was an act of loyalty by Gongsun Yuan's forebears, and that he should be treated leniently and given a way to make a fresh start. Records, Wei 21 §66

Chen Shou wrote that after Gongsun Du seized Liaodong in the 6th year of Zhongping (189), the house was destroyed after three generations and fifty years, under Gongsun Yuan. In his assessment he said that 'Gongsun Du was cruel and tyrannical, without restraint, and Gongsun Yuan carried on his enterprise and added to its viciousness', but he said nothing separately about Gongsun Kang. Records, Wei 8 §50 · 71