Biography
Early life
Huang Gai was born in the 2nd century CE in Quanling, Lingling Commandery (present-day Yongzhou, Hunan).
His courtesy name was Gongfu.
He was a descendant of Huang Zilian, Administrator of Nanyang.
However, the family separated, and Huang Gai’s grandfather moved to Lingling Commandery and settled there.
Early hardship
Huang Gai was orphaned at a young age and faced many difficulties.
However, he still had great ambitions.
Although poor, he did not consider himself ordinary.
He often carried firewood to remind himself of his humble origins and studied books and military strategy in his spare time.
Early career
Later, Huang Gai served as a Commandery Officer.
He was recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate and entered the government office.
Service under Sun Jian
In 187 CE, the fourth year of Zhongping, Qu Xing, Zhou Chao, and Guo Shi led followers to rebel in the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang, causing chaos and responding to each other’s uprisings.
When Sun Jian was appointed Administrator of Changsha and raised righteous troops to suppress the rebellion, Huang Gai began to follow Sun Jian.
Sun Jian crossed the border to attack Zhou Chao and Guo Shi in Lingling and Guiyang.
The commanderies were shocked and submitted.
The three commanderies were pacified.
Sun Jian defeated the mountain bandits in the south.
Promotion to Separate Commander
In 190 CE, the first year of Chuping, Sun Jian attacked Dong Zhuo in the north.
He appointed Huang Gai as Separate Commander.
Service under Sun Ce and Sun Quan
In 191 CE, the second year of Chuping, Sun Jian was killed in battle at Xianshan, Xiangyang.
Huang Gai continued to follow his sons Sun Ce and Sun Quan, fighting for the Sun family everywhere, wearing armour and fighting enemies, stepping on weapons to attack cities.
Suppressing mountain bandits
In areas where the mountain bandits (Shanyue) were not submissive or where commanderies and counties were being attacked, Huang Gai was always sent to suppress them.
Magistrate of Shicheng
When Huang Gai served as Magistrate of Shicheng County, it was particularly difficult to inspect and manage.
Huang Gai therefore arranged for two Assistant Officials to separately supervise and oversee the various officials.
Huang Gai admonished them: “I have no talent. I only became an official by relying on military achievements, not by being known as a civil official. Now the bandits have not been pacified, and I often have military duties. I now entrust all document processing to you two. Correct and expose their errors. If there is any deception or fraud, I will not punish you with whipping or caning. You should each exhaust your thoughts and strength. Do not become those who make mistakes.”
At first, everyone feared Huang Gai’s authority and carefully performed their duties day and night.
After a long time, the two Assistant Officials thought that Huang Gai did not review documents and gradually began to cover up and indulge in some matters.
Huang Gai also disliked that they gradually became slack and lazy.
He occasionally conducted inspections and found some matters of not following the law in the two Assistants.
He therefore invited all the Assistant Officials and gave them wine and food.
He took the opportunity to question them about the matters.
The two Assistant Officials had nothing to say and all kowtowed to ask for forgiveness.
Huang Gai said: “I previously warned you. In the end, I will not apply whipping or caning punishment. I am not deceiving you.”
He therefore killed these lawless officials.
The entire Shicheng County was shocked and trembling.
Later magistracies
Later, Huang Gai was transferred to serve as Magistrate of Chungu County and Magistrate of Xunyang County.
He governed and defended a total of nine counties.
All the counties where he served were peaceful and stable.
Commandant of Danyang
Huang Gai was again promoted to Commandant of Danyang.
He suppressed the strong and helped the weak.
The Shanyue areas submitted and attached themselves to him.
The Battle of Chibi
In 208 CE, the thirteenth year of Jian’an, Cao Cao advanced south.
Huang Gai followed Zhou Yu and fought against Cao Cao’s army at Chibi.
The two armies faced each other.
The fire attack proposal
Huang Gai was the first to propose the fire attack tactic.
He said: “Now the enemy is numerous and we are few. It is difficult to engage in a prolonged battle with them. However, observing Cao Cao’s warships, they are all connected bow to stern. We can use fire to burn and defeat them.”
Zhou Yu thought this was feasible.
The feigned surrender
Huang Gai personally went to Cao Cao’s camp to feign surrender.
Zhou Yu prepared dozens of mengchong and doujian warships, fully loaded with firewood and oil, disguised with red curtains on the outside.
Flags were planted on the ships.
Zouge (small fast boats) were tied behind the ships.
The surrender letter
Huang Gai first sent a letter to Cao Cao announcing his surrender.
The letter said: “Huang Gai has received great favour from the Sun family and has often served as a general. The treatment received has not been shallow. However, observing the affairs of the realm, there is a great trend. Using the Shanyue people of the six commanderies of Jiangdong to resist the million troops of the Central Plains—the few cannot match the many. This is the common knowledge of the realm. The generals and officials of the east, whether foolish or wise, all know that we cannot fight. Only Zhou Yu and Lu Su are shallow and foolish and have not thought it through. Today, submitting to fate is my true intention. The army that Zhou Yu supervises can easily be destroyed. On the day of battle, Huang Gai will be the vanguard. I will act according to the situation and serve you nearby.”
Cao Cao specially received the person Huang Gai sent and secretly asked about this matter.
He personally said to him: “I am only afraid that you are deceiving me. If Huang Gai truly submits, I will grant him rewards and titles that exceed all previous ones.”
The fire attack
On the day of battle, Huang Gai first took ten light and fast ships and filled them with dry firewood.
He also filled them with fish oil and wrapped them with red curtains.
He erected banners and dragon flags on the ships.
On that day, the southeast wind was strong.
When these ships reached the middle of the river, they began to raise their sails and advance rapidly.
Huang Gai raised fire to signal the various commanders and ordered all the soldiers to shout together: “We surrender!”
Cao Cao’s generals and soldiers all came out and stretched their necks to watch, pointing and saying that Huang Gai was coming to surrender.
The attack
When they were more than two li away from Cao Cao’s army, Huang Gai released all the ships and set them on fire together.
The fire was fierce and the wind was strong.
The fire ships flew like arrows toward Cao Cao’s army.
The flying embers were extremely bright.
They burned all of Cao Cao’s ships and even reached Cao Cao’s camps on the shore.
In an instant, smoke and flames filled the sky.
Many of Cao Cao’s soldiers were drowned or burned to death.
Zhou Yu and others led light and elite troops to follow behind Huang Gai.
They beat drums and advanced greatly.
Cao Cao was greatly defeated.
The injury
During the battle, Huang Gai was unfortunately hit by a stray arrow and fell into the water.
When he was rescued, the Wu soldiers actually did not recognize Huang Gai.
They placed him on a toilet bed.
Huang Gai resolutely shouted loudly for Han Dang.
When Han Dang heard this, he said: “This is Gongfu’s voice!”
He discovered Huang Gai and wept as he untied his battle clothes.
He sent a military doctor to care for Huang Gai.
Huang Gai was thus able to preserve his life.
Promotion
Despite this, Eastern Wu was able to greatly defeat Cao Cao.
Huang Gai was appointed General of Military Prowess.
Suppressing rebellions in Wuling
Later, rebellions broke out among the Man tribes in Wuling, and they attacked the cities.
Huang Gai was transferred to serve as Administrator of Wuling.
At that time, the commandery had only five hundred soldiers.
Huang Gai used tactics and opened the city gates to lure the Man troops into the city.
When half had entered, he immediately launched an attack.
He killed several hundred people and recovered the lost cities.
He killed their leaders and released those who surrendered.
Pacification
Within one season, he pacified all the disturbances.
The various tribal leaders in the area treated him with courtesy.
Suppressing bandits in Yiyang
Soon after, Yiyang County in Changsha Commandery was also attacked by mountain bandits.
Huang Gai again pacified them.
Sun Quan therefore promoted him to General of the Vanguard.
Death
Huang Gai finally died of illness while in office (215 CE or earlier).
Personality
Huang Gai was described as having a dignified and stern appearance.
He was good at caring for his subordinates.
Every time he went out to battle, his soldiers all competed to achieve merit.
He was decisive as an official, and matters never lingered.
Military achievements
Suppressing rebellions
Huang Gai successfully suppressed many rebellions in the areas he governed.
The Battle of Chibi
Huang Gai proposed and executed the fire attack at Chibi, personally feigning surrender to Cao Cao.
This was a major victory that changed the course of the Three Kingdoms period.
Suppressing Man tribes
Huang Gai successfully suppressed Man tribe rebellions in Wuling with only five hundred soldiers.
Relationships
With Sun Jian
Huang Gai followed Sun Jian from early on and was promoted to Separate Commander.
With Sun Ce
After Sun Jian died, Huang Gai continued to follow Sun Ce.
With Sun Quan
Huang Gai served under Sun Quan and was promoted to General of the Vanguard.
He served the Sun family for three generations.
With Zhou Yu
Huang Gai served under Zhou Yu at the Battle of Chibi.
He proposed the fire attack strategy, which Zhou Yu approved.
With Han Dang
Han Dang recognized Huang Gai’s voice when Huang Gai was injured at Chibi and saved his life.
Anecdotes
The fire attack at Chibi
Huang Gai proposed the fire attack strategy and personally feigned surrender to Cao Cao.
He prepared fire ships and successfully burned Cao Cao’s fleet.
This was one of the most famous battles in Chinese history.
The injury and rescue
Huang Gai was hit by a stray arrow and fell into the water.
He was rescued but not recognized until he called out to Han Dang.
Han Dang recognized his voice and saved his life.
The saying “Zhou Yu beats Huang Gai”
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Huang Gai and Zhou Yu performed a “bitter flesh” scheme where Zhou Yu beat Huang Gai to make Cao Cao believe Huang Gai wanted to surrender.
This story has become famous, though it is not in historical records.
The saying “Zhou Yu beats Huang Gai—one is willing to beat, one is willing to be beaten” has become a famous Chinese idiom.
The nine counties
Huang Gai served as magistrate of nine counties, and all were peaceful and stable.
This showed his administrative ability.
Achievements
- Proposed and executed the fire attack at Chibi
- Served the Sun family for three generations
- Successfully suppressed many rebellions
- One of the Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangdong
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Huang Gai’s biography appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, grouped with other Wu generals.
The Twelve Tiger Generals
Huang Gai was one of the “Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangdong” (江表之虎臣), the outstanding generals of Eastern Wu.
The fire attack
The fire attack at Chibi was one of the most famous battles in Chinese history.
Huang Gai’s role in proposing and executing it made him famous.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary
Chen Shou wrote: “All these generals were the tiger ministers of Jiangbiao, whom the Sun family treated generously.”
Wei Yao wrote: “Huang Gai was orphaned at a young age and faced many difficulties. He experienced hardship, but he had great ambitions. Although he was in poverty and low status, he did not consider himself ordinary. He often studied writing and military strategy in his spare time while carrying firewood.”
Later historians
Cai Jingli wrote: “The warriors had fierce spirit and great ambition. They pulled up mountains on land and cut dragons in water. With six-jun bows, they shot left and right. With ten-thousand-man swords, they fought hand-to-hand. Attacking fortresses like Wen Yang, burning ships like Huang Gai—they fought a hundred battles and won a hundred victories, with fierce warriors as their group.”
Legacy
Huang Gai is remembered as one of the Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangdong and for his role in the Battle of Chibi.
His fire attack strategy was crucial to the victory at Chibi, which changed the course of the Three Kingdoms period.
The saying “Zhou Yu beats Huang Gai—one is willing to beat, one is willing to be beaten” has become a famous Chinese idiom, though the “bitter flesh” scheme is not in historical records.
Timeline
- 2nd century CE: Born in Quanling, Lingling Commandery; descendant of Huang Zilian
- 187 CE: Began following Sun Jian; participated in suppressing rebellions
- 190 CE: Promoted to Separate Commander
- 191 CE: Sun Jian died; continued following Sun Ce
- 200 CE: Sun Ce died; continued following Sun Quan
- ?: Served as magistrate of nine counties; all were peaceful
- ?: Promoted to Commandant of Danyang; suppressed Shanyue
- 208 CE: Participated in Battle of Chibi; proposed fire attack strategy; feigned surrender to Cao Cao; executed fire attack; injured but survived; promoted to General of Military Prowess
- ?: Appointed Administrator of Wuling; suppressed Man tribe rebellions with five hundred soldiers
- ?: Suppressed bandits in Yiyang; promoted to General of the Vanguard
- 215 CE or earlier: Died of illness while in office
See also
References
- Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 55, Biography of Cheng, Huang, Han, Jiang, Zhou, Chen, Dong, Gan, Ling, Xu, Pan, Ding.
- Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, various chapters.