Tao Qian () (132–194),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theob ...

Gongzu, was a government official and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known for serving as the Governor of

Xu Province Xuzhou as a historical toponym refers to varied area in different eras. Ordinarily, it was a reference to the one of the Nine Provinces which modern Xuzhou inherited. History Pre-Qin era Xuzhou or Xu Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ...

Early life and career

Tao Qian was from Danyang Commandery (), which is around present-day

Ma'anshan Ma'anshan (), also colloquially written as Maanshan, is a prefecture-level city in the eastern part of Anhui province in Eastern China. An industrial city stretching across the Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders Hefei to the west, Wuhu to the sout ...

Anhui Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...

. As a young man, he was known for being studious and honest. While in the service of the Han dynasty, he led the armed forces in Danyang Commandery to suppress rebellions. When the

Yellow Turban Rebellion The Yellow Turban Rebellion, alternatively translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt in China against the Eastern Han dynasty. The uprising broke out in 184 CE during the reign of Emperor Ling. Although the main rebelli ...

broke out, he was appointed as the Inspector of

and he succeeded in clearing the area of rebel forces. He was sent to the northwestern frontiers during the Liang Province Rebellion, where he served under Zhang Wen. During the campaign, he insulted Zhang Wen and angered him. However, Sun Jian and

Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo () (died 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minist ...

served on the same campaign, and both of them also were unhappy with Zhang Wen's leadership as well. In the chaos of

's ''coup d'état'' and the battles that followed, Tao Qian, having returned to Xu Province, gained control of the neighbouring

Yang Province Yangzhou, Yangchow or Yang Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China mentioned in historical texts such as the ''Tribute of Yu'', '' Erya'' and '' Rites of Zhou''. Name There are four different theories regarding the origin of t ...

. However, after that he showed no ambition to expand his territory any further. Tao Qian was responsible for starting the careers of Wang Lang,

Zhu Zhi Zhu Zhi (156–224), courtesy name Junli, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. He was from Guzhang County (), Danyang Comm ...

and

Chen Deng Chen Deng (c. 170 – c. 209), courtesy name Yuanlong, was a Chinese military general and politician who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Born in a family of government officials in Xu Province, he started his career as a county c ...

, all of whom would play fairly important roles in the historical events leading to the end of the Han dynasty. However, at the same time he was prone to joining forces with unscrupulous characters, such as

Ze Rong Ze Rong () (died 195 C.E.) was a minor warlord and Buddhist leader who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was active in Xu Province and was nominally a subordinate of the provincial governor, Tao Qian. When the warlord Cao C ...

, Cao Hong () and Que Xuan (), and on the other hand not appointing Zhao Yu (), a loyal and capable subordinate, to a position of trust. Those who did not respond to his requests to serve him, such as Zhang Zhao and

Lü Fan Lü Fan (died 228), courtesy name Ziheng, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Eastern Wu during the early Three King ...

, he had imprisoned, and he also attempted to harm the family of Sun Ce, who was serving

Yuan Shu Yuan Shu () (died July or August 199), courtesy name Gonglu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han central government in 189 ...

at the time.

Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province

In 193, Cao Cao's father

Cao Song Cao Song (died 193), courtesy name Jugao, was an official who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the foster son of the eunuch Cao Teng and the father of the warlord Cao Cao, who rose to prominence in the final years of Easter ...

was travelling through

to join Cao Cao in

Yan Province Yan Province or Yanzhou was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), it covered roughly present-day southwestern Shandong, eastern Henan, and the northwestern corner of Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ...

. Tao Qian's subordinate, Zhang Kai (), attacked the baggage train, killing Cao Song and escaping with the loot. The death of Cao Song prompted Cao Cao, then the Governor of Yan province, to lead an army to invade Xu Province and massacre countless civilians – ostensibly to avenge his father. Tao Qian requested aid from his allies in

Qing Province Qingzhou or Qing Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China dating back to BCE that later became one of the thirteen provinces of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The Nine Provinces were first described in the '' Tribut ...

, and was joined by

Tian Kai Tian Kai (died 199) was an official serving under the warlord Gongsun Zan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life Little is recorded about Tian Kai in history. He probably started his career as a subordinate of the warlord Gongsun ...

and his subordinate

Liu Bei Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty who founded the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period and became its first ruler. Although he was a distant relative of the ...

, and with the reinforcements Tao Qian was able to resist Cao Cao. Cao Cao's forces eventually ran out of supplies and had to withdraw back to Yan Province. Tian Kai returned north, but Tao Qian provided Liu Bei with several thousand troops from Danyang, so Liu Bei switched his service from Tian Kai to Tao Qian. Cao Cao launched a second invasion in 194, but was forced to turn back when Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled against him and helped a rival warlord,

Lü Bu Lü Bu () (died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betr ...

, seize control of his base in Yan Province. Tao Qian died of illness in 194. His subordinates

Mi Zhu Mi Zhu ( 165–221), courtesy name Zizhong, was a Chinese military general and politician who served under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty, during the Three Kingdoms period, after Liu Bei founded the state of Shu Han. He was a ...

and

Mi Fang Mi Fang (died 223), courtesy name Zifang, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He was also the younger brother of Mi Zhu, who also served Liu Bei. In 219, Mi Fang surren ...

invited Liu Bei to be the new Governor of Xu Province. Liu Bei initially declined and offered the governorship to

, but Kong Rong eventually convinced him to accept.

In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

In the 14th-century historical novel ''

Romance of the Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD ...

'', Tao Qian is described as a ‘warm and sincere man’, and Zhang Kai's attack on Cao Song is depicted as being done against his will. Later, after Liu Bei helps him drive off Cao Cao's invasion, Tao Qian offers Liu Bei the governorship of Xu Province three times, but Liu Bei declines every time, saying that such an action would be seen as dishonourable. In 194, on his death bed, Tao Qian attempts one last time to ask Liu Bei to take over; Liu Bei still refuses his plea. Tao Qian dies peacefully soon after, and Liu Bei finally accepts his dying request after the common people of Xuzhou and his own brothers exhort him to take command.

Literary and cultural references

Tao Qian appears as a playable faction in '' Total War: Three Kingdoms'', and is prominently featured in the game as an opponent of Cao Cao.

References

Bibliography

* Chen, Shou (3rd century). '' Records of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguozhi''). * * Fan, Ye (5th century). '' Book of the Later Han'' (''Houhanshu''). * Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). ''