Huang Gai 黃蓋

Huang Gai, courtesy name Gongfu, was a man of Quanling County in Lingling Commandery. He first served as a commandery official, was recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, and was summoned to the offices of the Three Excellencies. When Sun Jian raised his loyalist army he followed him, and after Sun Jian had crushed the mountain bandits in the south and driven off Dong Zhuo in the north, Huang Gai was appointed Major of a Separate Command. After Sun Jian died he followed Sun Ce and Sun Quan, donning armor and fighting far and wide, treading on blades and putting cities to the sword. Records, Wu 10 §8

When Taishi Ci went to Qu'a to see Liu Yao, Inspector of Yang Province, Sun Ce happened to arrive. Liu Yao had Taishi Ci merely scout the enemy's strength, and Taishi Ci, taking only a single horseman, ran into Sun Ce; the thirteen horsemen following Sun Ce at the time were all men such as Han Dang, Song Qian and Huang Gai. Taishi Ci fought Sun Ce hand to hand and seized his helmet, and when troops from both sides came rushing up they separated. Records, Wu 4 §27–28

Because the Shanyue would not submit, Huang Gai was always employed as the head of counties troubled by bandits. When the officials of Shicheng County proved especially hard to control, Huang Gai appointed two senior clerks, divided the various bureaus between them, and issued an instruction. He said that he, the magistrate, lacked virtue and had obtained office only through martial merit, not being known as a civil official; since the bandits were not yet pacified and there were military affairs to attend to, he would entrust all documents to the two clerks. He added that even if there were fraud or deceit he would never inflict the whip or the rod, so each should do his utmost. Records, Wu 10 §9

At first they all feared his authority and attended to their duties respectfully day and night, but as time passed the officials, thinking that Huang Gai did not look at the documents, gradually began to accept private requests. Huang Gai checked from time to time and found several instances in which the two clerks had not upheld the law; he summoned all the clerks, gave them wine and food, and at that gathering questioned them about these matters. When the two clerks, at a loss for words, kowtowed and begged forgiveness, Huang Gai said that he had promised earlier not to inflict the whip or the rod, so he was not deceiving them, and had them put to death. The whole county trembled. Records, Wu 10 §10–11

He was later transferred to be Chief of Chungu and Prefect of Xunyang. He governed nine counties in all, and wherever he went order was restored. Promoted to Chief Commandant of Danyang, he suppressed the strong and aided the weak, and the Shanyue submitted to him willingly. Because Huang Gai was stern and resolute in bearing and good at caring for his men, whenever he went on campaign his soldiers all vied to be first. Records, Wu 10 §11–12

In the 9th month of the 13th year of Jian'an (208), when Cao Cao entered Jing Province, Sun Quan sent Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu and others to join forces with Liu Bei and meet Cao Cao in battle. When Cao Cao's army, defeated in the first clash at Red Cliffs, encamped on the north bank of the river, Huang Gai, a subordinate commander under Zhou Yu, said that the enemy were many and they were few, so it would be hard to hold out for long, but since the ships of Cao Cao's army were linked bow to stern, they could be set on fire and put to flight. Records, Wu 9 §8 · 14–15

So they filled several dozen mengchong assault ships and doujian warships with firewood and grass, poured oil over it, wrapped them in curtains and raised standards on top, and first sent a letter to Cao Cao falsely saying that Huang Gai wished to surrender. With fast small boats tied behind the large ships, they advanced in order; the officers and men of Cao Cao's army all craned their necks to watch, pointing and saying that Huang Gai was coming to surrender. Huang Gai released the ships and set them all alight at once; the wind was very strong, the flames spread to the camps on the riverbank, and a great many men and horses were burned or drowned. Cao Cao's army was defeated and withdrew to Nan Commandery. Huang Gai's own biography says of this only that he proposed the fire attack and that the account is in the Biography of Zhou Yu. Records, Wu 9 §15–16Records, Wu 10 §12

He was then appointed General of the Household of Martial Vanguard (Wufeng Zhonglangjiang). When the Man tribes of Wuling rebelled and attacked the towns, Huang Gai was made acting Administrator. With only 500 troops in the commandery, Huang Gai judged that he could not meet them head-on, so he left the city gates open, and when about half the enemy had come in he attacked, cutting off several hundred heads, and the rest all fled back to their villages. He executed the ringleaders and chiefs and pardoned those who had merely followed, and from spring to summer the banditry was entirely put down; the marquises and chieftains of the various remote settlements came with proper courtesy to request an audience. Records, Wu 10 §12–13

Later, when Yiyang County in Changsha Commandery was attacked by mountain bandits, Huang Gai again campaigned against them and pacified them. He was given the additional rank of Lieutenant General and died of illness in office. Because Huang Gai made decisions in office without letting matters linger, the people of the state remembered him fondly. After Huang Gai and Sun Yu died, their troops were absorbed by Sun Yu's younger brother Sun Jiao. When Sun Quan ascended the throne, he reviewed Huang Gai's merits and granted his son Huang Bing the rank of Marquis Within the Passes. The Records do not give the year of his death. Records, Wu 10 §13–14Records, Wu 6 §10

In his assessment, Chen Shou wrote that the commanders of this volume were all tiger-like servants of Jiangbiao, treated generously by the Sun family. Records, Wu 10 §109