Zhou Tai 周泰

Zhou Tai, courtesy name Youping, was a man of Xiacai County in Jiujiang Commandery. Together with Jiang Qin he followed Sun Ce and served him respectfully at his left and right, and he won merit in many battles. When Sun Ce entered Kuaiji, Zhou Tai was appointed Major of Separate Command and given troops. Sun Quan valued his character and asked to have him for himself. Records, Wu 10 §27

When Sun Ce was suppressing the mountain bandits of six counties, Sun Quan stayed at Xuancheng; the guards under him numbered fewer than a thousand, and he was careless and did not even set up a stockade. Several thousand mountain bandits suddenly fell upon them, and by the time Sun Quan had barely mounted his horse, the bandits' blades were already clashing at his left and right, and one even struck his saddle. While no one could steady himself, Zhou Tai alone threw himself forward with fury and protected Sun Quan, and thanks to Zhou Tai the men around him were also able to fight. When the bandits had scattered, Zhou Tai was found to have wounds in twelve places on his body, and he came to only after a long while. Chen Shou wrote that had it not been for Zhou Tai that day, Sun Quan would have been in grave danger. Records, Wu 10 §27–28

Sun Ce was deeply grateful to him and made him Chief of Chungu County. Later he followed the attack on Wan and the campaign against Jiangxia, and on the way back, passing through Yuzhang, he again became Chief of Yichun County; wherever he was posted, he received the taxes of that place as his salary. The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that in the 8th year of Jian'an (203), when Sun Quan passed through Yuzhang on his way back from attacking Huang Zu in the west, he made Han Dang, Zhou Tai, Lü Meng and others prefects and chiefs of counties that were difficult to govern. Records, Wu 10 §28Records, Wu 2 §7

He followed the campaign against Huang Zu and won merit. Later, together with Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu, he resisted Cao Cao at Chibi and attacked Cao Ren at Nan Commandery. When Jing Province was pacified, he led troops and was stationed at Cen. When Cao Cao came out to Ruxu, Zhou Tai again hastened to attack him and Cao Cao withdrew; Zhou Tai stayed behind to supervise Ruxu and was appointed General Who Pacifies the Caitiffs. Records, Wu 10 §29

At this time Zhu Ran, Xu Sheng and others were all under Zhou Tai's command, and none of them submitted to him. Sun Quan made a special tour of inspection to the Ruxu fortress, gathered the generals and held a great banquet. Pouring the wine himself, when Sun Quan came before Zhou Tai he had him take off his clothes, pointed with his own hand to each of his scars and asked how it had come about. Zhou Tai remembered the places where he had fought in the past and answered. When he had finished, Sun Quan had him dress again and they feasted until the night was over; the next day Sun Quan sent an envoy to bestow on him an imperial canopy. Only then did Xu Sheng and the others submit. Records, Wu 10 §29–30

Later, when Sun Quan had defeated Guan Yu and intended to advance and take Shu, he appointed Zhou Tai Administrator of Hanzhong and General Who Displays Might and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Lingyang. Zhou Tai died during the Huangwu era; the Records does not state the year of his death. His son Zhou Shao led troops as Chief Commandant of Cavalry, won merit fighting when Cao Ren came out to Ruxu, and also took part in the battle that defeated Cao Xiu, rising to Assistant General. When he died in the 2nd year of Huanglong (230), his younger brother Zhou Cheng led the troops and succeeded to the marquisate. Records, Wu 10 §31–32

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that the generals of this volume were all tiger-like servants of the lands south of the Yangtze, men whom the Sun clan treated generously. Records, Wu 10 §109