Pu Shougeng

Pu Shougeng (traditional Chinese: 蒲壽庚; simplified Chinese: 蒲寿庚; Wade–Giles: Pʽu Shou-keng; fl. c. 1250–1281) was a Muslim merchant and administrator in China under the Song and Yuan dynasties.

The name Pu probably comes from Arabic Abū (father). Pu's family background is unknown. According to one theory, his family came from Central Asia to Sichuan during the early Song and later emigrated to Quanzhou. According to another, they came from Champa during the later Song. The most likely scenario is that his family was of South Arabian origin and settled in Guangzhou.[1]

Pu was one of the wealthiest merchants in Fujian when, around 1250, he was appointed Superintendent of Shipping Trade in Quanzhou. He held the post for almost thirty years, using it to amass great wealth. When the Song expropriated his fortune to finance their war with the Mongols, Pu defected. The Mongol Yuan dynasty made him Commissioner for Infantry and Cavalry for Defence and Attack and later Assistant Civil Councillor of Jiangxi. In 1281, he was appointed one of two executive assistants to the provincial secretariat of Fujian. Thereafter he fades from view, but his family remained prominent under the Yuan. Many members of his family were tortured and slaughtered in the Ispah rebellion. The survivors remained devout Muslims and were prohibited from holding public office under the Ming on account of their defection from the Song.[1]