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Tao Huang (died 290), courtesy name Shiying, was a Chinese military general and politician in Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period and later for the Jin dynasty (266–420). Tao Huang was most notable for his administration of Jiaozhou for more than twenty years, during the Eastern Wu and Western Jin eras. He was also responsible for Wu's victory against Jin in Jiao between 268 and 271, one of the few major victories Wu had over Jin in the final years of the Three Kingdoms.

Service in Eastern Wu

Jiao Province Campaign

Tao Huang was from Moling County, Daling commandery. His father, Tao Ji (陶基) was once the Inspector of Jiao province, and Tao Huang himself held a few posts in the Wu government.

In 263, the people of Jiaozhi commandery in Jiao province led by Lã Hưng (呂興; Lü Xing) rebelled against Wu and aligned themselved with Wu's rival state, Cao Wei. By 268, the Sima Jin dynasty (which replaced Wei in 266) consolidated their control over Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen commanderies and vied to take Rinan. In 269, the Wu emperor, Sun Hao launched a second counteroffensive to drive Jin out of Jiaozhou. Tao Huang (then Administrator of Cangwu), Xue Xu and Yu Si marched from Jing province to Hepu to attack Jin.

After reaching Hepu, Tao Huang volunteered to attack Jin's Prefect of Jiaozhi, Yang Ji at the Fen River (分水). Unfortunately, a portion of his army that was to arrive by sea did not arrive, as deserters who feared to fight the Jin force took control of that army and returned home instead. Seeing this, Tao Huang suggested calling off the attack. Still Xue Xu, likely out of thinking they had to turn the tide of the campaign or lose the province, advanced against Yang Ji. He was defeated by Yang Ji and lost two generals in the battle. Xue Xu was furious at Tao Huang, saying it was at first his idea to attack and considered abandoning the province. Tao Huang responded to Xue Xu, "I was not allowed to do what I wanted, and our armies refuse to cooperate with each other. That was why we lost the battle." Later that night, Tao Huang launched a night raid on the camp of the Prefect of Jiuzhen, Dong Yuan (董元) with several hundred soldiers, and he looted a large amount of treasure from the camp before returning. Impressed by his recent victory, Xue Xu apologized to him and even handed him command over the campaign.

Tao Huang then used the treasure obtained from Dong Yuan's camp to pay a powerful leader of the Fuyan barbarians (扶嚴夷), Lương Kỳ (梁奇; Liang Qi) to side with Wu. Dong Yuan had a strong general named Xie Xi (解系), whose brother, Xie Xiang (解象), was serving under Wu. Tao Huang sowed discord between Dong Yuan and Xie Xi by having Xie Xiang write a letter to his brother and openly showing exceptional treatment towards Xie Xiang. The plan succeeded in making Dong Yuan suspicious of Xie Xi and he had him executed. In April or May 271, Yu Si attacked Dong Yuan and killed him.

Not wanting to face the Jin troops head-on, Tao Huang took a detour through the sea to catch the Jin forces in Jiaozhi by surprise. He fought with Yang Ji's generals, Mao Jiong and Meng Yue (孟岳) at Fengxi (封溪, in present-day Đông Anh, Hanoi) and defeated them. During the battle, they feigned a retreat to lure the Wu troops into an ambush behind the broken walls. However, Tao Huang saw through the ruse and used soldiers long jis to defeat the ambush.

Meanwhile, another Wu general, Teng Xiu, was struggling to quell bandits in the south. Tao Huang advised him, "The people of the south bank rely on our iron and salt, so you should stop them from being sold in the markets. That way, they will be deprived of their farming equipments, and in two years time, they will be destroyed in one battle." Teng Xiu followed his advice and defeated the bandits.

In 271, Tao Huang besieged Yang Ji and Mao Jiong's stronghold in Jiaozhi. Previously, Jin's Inspector of Jiao, Huo Yi swore an oath with the two that if they surrendered within 100 days of the siege, their families would be executed, and if they surrendered after 100 days and no reinforcements came, he would take the responsibility. However, Huo Yi died around the time of the siege, so no reinforcements were sent. In less than 100 days, the Jin army ran out of provisions, and they asked to surrender. Tao Huang had heard of the oath, so he did not accept their surrender but instead provided the defenders with supplies to complete their remaining days. Although his subordinates remonstrated him, Tao Huang argued that his actions will promote the Wu's virtue at home and abroad. After a hundred days, Yang Ji and the others surrendered as planned. For his merits, Tao Huang was officially appointed Inspector of Jiao.

Tao Huang's general, Xiu Yun (脩允), wanted revenge on Mao Jiong, who had killed his father, Xiu Ze (脩則) in battle, but Tao Huang denied him as he intended to spare his life. However, Mao Jiong was soon discovered to be conspiring to assassinate Tao Huang, so Tao Huang decided to have Xiu Yun kill him. In Jiuzhen, the Jin official, Li Zuo (李祚) continued to resist, but after a long battle, Tao Huang recaptured the commandery.

Administration of Jiao

After Jiao returned to Wu, Sun Hao further appointed Tao Huang as Commissioner with Extraordinary Powers, Chief Controller of Jiao, Governor of Jiao and General of the Front. During his time in Jiao, Tao Huang pacified the Rau and other local tribes in Wuping (武平), Jiude (九德), and Xinchang (新昌), turning them into new commanderies. When combined with Jiuzhen, the commanderies were made up with more than thirty counties. Tao Huang was also popular and beloved by the populace of Jiao. On one occasion, he was appointed as Commander of Wuchang and had to leave the province. The people of Jiao were devastated and insisted on having Tao Huang to stay, so he was reappointed as administrator of the region.

In late 279, Jin launched its conquest of Wu. Tao Huang was positioned far from the action and was fighting the rebel, Guo Ma, in Guangzhou at the time, so he did not participate in the defence. Jianye capitulated in 280 and Sun Hao formally surrendered to the Jin forces. Sun wrote a letter to Tao Huang's son, Tao Rong (陶融) to ask his father to surrender. Upon hearing the news, Tao Huang mourned his state for days before replying to give his surrender. Emperor Wu of Jin allowed him to keep his existing positions while granting him promotions.

Service in the Jin Dynasty

Shortly after Wu's demise, Emperor Wu intended to reduce the number of troops in each province and commandery across the state. Tao Huang personally wrote a letter to the emperor to exclude Jiaozhou from this policy. His reasoning were that Jiaozhou was too far from the capital in Luoyang, and the harsh terrains meant that a rebellion by the locals or officials would be hard to put down. He also pointed out the imminent threat of the independent commanderies around the area and his previous encounters with the Cham kingdom of Lâm Ấp, led by their king Phạm Hùng, and their ally, Funan. In the same letter, Tao Huang also requested that taxes in Jiao be paid with pearls, which were the local people's general source of income, and that merchants were to be allowed to trade in the region. Emperor Wu agreed and granted Tao's requests.

Tao Huang governed Jiaozhou for another 10 years before passing away in 290. It is said that the people of the province mourned his death greatly. He was posthumously named as "Marquis Lie (烈侯)". He was succeeded by Wu Yan, also a former official of Wu.

References

1. (璜弟濬，吴镇南大将军、荆州牧) Jin Shu vol.57
2. (濬弟抗，太子中庶子。) Jin Shu vol.57
3. Tao Huang's biography in Book of Jin noted that from Tao Huang's father Tao Ji to his grandson Tao Sui, a total of five members of the Tao clan across four generations had served as Inspector of Jiaozhou (Tao Ji, Tao Huang, Tao Wei, Tao Shu and Tao Sui). (威弟淑，子绥，后并为交州。自基至绥四世，为交州者五人。) Jin Shu vol.57.)
4. Tao Wei eventually became Inspector of Jiaozhou after Wu Yan's death. After Wu Yan’s death, the office of Inspector of Jiaozhou was held by Gu Mi (顧秘; son of Gu Ti), then Gu Can (顧參; son of Gu Mi), and then Gu Shou (顧壽; younger brother of Gu Can). As Inspector of Jiaozhou, Gu Shou killed some officials including one Hu Zhao, and wanted to kill Liang Shuo. Liang managed to escape, and raised an army to attack Gu Shou. Gu was captured and poisoned. Liang then invited Tao Wei (who was then Administrator of Cangwu, a post Tao Huang once held) to become Inspector of Jiaozhou. Like his father, Tao Wei was beloved by the people of Jiaozhou. However, he died after three years as Inspector of Jiaozhou. (彦卒，又以员外散骑常侍顾秘代彦。秘卒，州人逼秘子参领州事。参寻卒，参弟寿求领州，州人不听，固求之，遂领州。寿乃杀长史胡肇等，又将杀帐下督梁硕，硕走得免，起兵讨寿，禽之，会寿母，令鸩杀之。硕乃迎璜子苍梧太守威领刺史，在职甚得百姓心，三年卒。) Jin Shu, vol.57
5. (威弟淑...) Jin Shu, vol.57
6. (陶璜，字世英，丹陽秣陵人也。父基，吳交州刺史。璜仕吳曆顯位。) Jin Shu, vol.57
7. (孫皓時，交阯太守孫諝貪暴，為百姓所患。會察戰鄧荀至，擅調孔雀三千頭，遣送秣陵，既苦遠役，咸思為亂。郡吏呂興殺諝及荀，以郡內附。武帝拜興安南將軍、交阯太守。) Jin Shu, vol.57
8. (吳遣虞汜為監軍，薛珝為威南將軍、大都督，璜為蒼梧太守，距稷，戰于分水。) Jin Shu, vol.57
9. (吳遣虞汜為監軍，薛珝為威南將軍、大都督，璜為蒼梧太守，距稷，戰于分水。璜敗，退保合浦，亡其二將。珝怒謂璜曰：「若自表討賊，而喪二帥，其責安在？」璜曰：「下官不得行意，諸軍不相順，故致敗耳。」) Jin Shu, vol.57
10. (夜以數百兵襲董元，獲其寶物，船載而歸，珝乃謝之，以璜領交州，為前部督。) Jin Shu, vol.57
11. (元有勇將解系同在城內，璜誘其弟象，使為書與系，又使象乘璜軺車，鼓吹導從而行。元等曰：「象尚若此，系必去志。」乃就殺之。) Jin Shu, vol.57
12. (四月，九眞太守董元爲吳將虞汜所攻，軍敗，死之。) Jin Shu, vol.3
13. (稷遣炅及將軍建寧孟岳等禦之。戰於封溪。眾寡不敵，炅等敗績。僅以身還交趾，固城自守。) Huayang Guozhi, vol.4.14
14. (諸將將戰，璜疑斷牆內有伏兵，列長戟於甚後) Jin Shu, vol.57
15. (滕修數討南賊，不能制，璜曰：「南岸仰吾鹽鐵，斷勿與市，皆壞為田器。如此二年，可一戰而滅也。」修從之，果破賊。) Jin Shu, vol.57
16. (初，霍弋之遣稷、炅等，與之誓曰：「若賊圍城未百日而降者，家屬誅；若過百日救兵不至，吾受其罪。」稷等守未百日，糧盡，乞降，璜不許，給其糧使守。諸將並諫，璜曰：「霍弋已死，不能救稷等必矣，可須其日滿，然後受降，使彼得無罪，我受有義，內訓百姓，外懷鄰國，不亦可乎！」稷等期訖糧盡，救兵不至，乃納之。) Jin Shu, vol.57
17. According to the Huayang Guozhi, Jiaozhi actually fell after a Jin general, Wang Yue (王約), defected to Wu during the siege and attacked the stronghold from within. (交趾人廣野將軍王約，反應陶璜，以梯援外。吳人遂得入城。得稷等，皆囚之。即斬稷長史張登、將軍孟通及炅，并交趾人邵暉等二千餘人。) Huayang Guozhi, vol.4.14
18. (修則既為毛炅所殺，則子允隨璜南征，城既降，允求復仇，璜不許。炅密謀襲璜，事覺，收炅，呵曰：「晉賊！」炅厲聲曰：「吳狗！何等為賊？」允剖其腹，曰：「復能作賊不？」炅猶罵曰：「吾志殺汝孫皓，汝父何死狗也！」) Jin Shu, vol.57
19. (九真郡功曹李祚保郡內附，璜遣將攻之，不克。祚舅黎晃隨軍。勸祚令降。祚答曰：「舅自吳將，祚自晉臣，唯力是視耳。」逾時乃拔。) Jin Shu, vol.57
20. (逾時乃拔。皓以璜為使持節、都督交州諸軍事、前將軍、交州牧。武平、九德、新昌土地阻險，夷獠勁悍，曆世不賓，璜征討，開置三郡，及九真屬國三十餘縣。征璜為武昌都督，以合浦太守修允代之。交土人請留璜以千數，於是遣還。) Jin Shu, vol.57
21. (皓既降晉，手書遣璜息融敕璜歸順。璜流涕數日，遣使送印綬詣洛陽。帝詔復其本職，封宛陵侯，改為冠軍將軍。) Jin Shu, vol.57
22. (吳既平，普減州郡兵，璜上言曰：交土荒裔，鬥絕一方，或重譯而言，連帶山海。又南郡去州海行千有餘里，外距林邑才七百里。夷帥范熊世為逋寇，自稱為王，數攻百姓。且連接扶南，種類猥多，朋黨相倚，負險不賓。往隸吳時，數作寇逆，攻破郡縣，殺害長吏。臣以尪駑，昔為故國所采，偏戍在南，十有餘年。雖前後征討，翦其魁桀，深山僻穴，尚有逋竄。又臣所統之卒本七千餘人，南土溫濕，多有氣毒，加累年征討，死亡減耗，其見在者二千四百二十人。今四海混同，無思不服，當卷甲清刃，禮樂是務。而此州之人，識義者寡，厭其安樂，好為禍亂。又廣州南岸，周旋六千餘里，不賓屬者乃五萬餘戶，及桂林不羈之輩，復當萬戶。至於服從官役，才五千餘家。二州脣齒，唯兵是鎮。又甯州興古接據上流，去交址郡千六百里，水陸並通，互相維衛。州兵未宜約損，以示單虛。夫風塵之變，出於非常。臣亡國之餘，議不足采，聖恩廣厚，猥垂飾擢，蠲其罪釁，改授方任，去辱即寵，拭目更視，誓念投命，以報所受，臨履所見，謹冒瞽陳。又以「合浦郡土地磽確，無有田農，百姓唯以采珠為業，商賈去來，以珠貿米。而吳時珠禁甚嚴，慮百姓私散好珠，禁絕來去，人以饑困。又所調猥多，限每不充。今請上珠三分輸二，次者輸一，粗者蠲除。自十月訖二月，非采上珠之時，聽商旅往來如舊」。並從之。) Jin Shu, vol.57

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.

• 290 deaths
• Eastern Wu generals
• Eastern Wu government officials
• Jin dynasty (266–420) government officials