Gu Cheng

Life

Gu Cheng was tall and powerfully built, with exceptional physical strength, and was skilled with a particular weapon. At the end of the Yuan, he was selected for his courage to serve in Zhu Yuanzhang’s personal guard; in 1356 he became a 百戶, in 1358 a 千戶, and in 1364 a 百戶 of Fengxiang Guard.

During the early Ming, he successively held 衛指揮僉事 posts at Chengdu Rear Guard and Guizhou Guard; in 1375 he was transferred to defend Guizhou, in 1381 he became a 步騎先鋒, and in 1382 he became commander of Puding Guard. In 1392 he became 都指揮同知 in the Guizhou Provincial Administration; in 1396 he served as 征南將軍, 征南總兵官, and 都督僉事 of the Right Army Command.

In 1399, he accompanied Geng Bingwen in resisting the Yan forces and was captured. The Prince of Yan released him, sent him to Beiping, and assigned him to assist the heir in holding the city; during the remainder of the Jianwen reign, Gu Cheng held the posts of 都督, 右都督, and 都督同知, and in 1402 was made Marquis of Zhenyuan.

Gu Cheng was loyal and cautious, read widely in books and histories, and offered many plans while stationed in Beiping. After the Prince of Yan took the throne, Gu Cheng received a hereditary succession charter and continued to command in Guizhou; in 1413 he held the post of 總兵官. He died in 1414 and was posthumously elevated to Duke of Xia, with the posthumous name Wuyi.

Family and posthumous legacy

Gu Cheng’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were 顧萬一, 顧千二, and 顧百四, respectively; he had six sons—顧絙, 顧三聖保, 顧勇, 顧剛忠, 顧銑, and 顧銳, and five daughters—顧德柔, 顧德真, 顧德能, 顧德善, and 顧德瑜.

His genealogy includes descendants identified as 孫, 曾孫, 玄孫, 六世孫, 八世孫, 九世孫, and 五世孫, as well as daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law. The temple stele was by 金善; the family biographies were by 李維楨 and 何喬遠; and the spirit-path stele was by 楊寓.