- Cai Mao
Chinese
t=蔡瑁
s=蔡瑁Cai Mao (蔡瑁, ? - October 208), (
Wade-Giles Ts'ai Mao) styled Degui(德珪), fromXiangyang inJingzhou , was a military official, specializing in naval operations, during theThree Kingdoms era of China. He was a capable naval commander who originally served under the warlordLiu Biao . Cai Mao's gained his status when his sister married Liu Biao.In early battles with the warlord
Sun Jian , Cai Mao suffered several defeats. Liu Biao's advisor,Kuai Liang , insisted that Cai Mao be put to death for his failures, but Liu Biao was reluctant to do so.Liu Biao was growing older but had yet to choose an heir. He had two choices in mind: One was the elder son,
Liu Qi , and the other was the younger, Liu Cong. Liu Qi was considered because he was the eldest, and traditionally the heir is the eldest son. Liu Cong was considered because Cai Mao and his clan insisted that he was more capable. This was because Liu Cong had married Cai Mao's niece, and so the Cai clan would have much to gain.At Liu Biao's death bed, he named Liu Qi as his heir. Cai Mao, and another officer of Liu Biao's,
Zhang Yun , wrote a forged testimony naming Liu Cong as the heir. Cai Mao sent Liu Qi back to Jiangxia.Cao Cao , Prime Minister of the Han, had amassed a huge army. When word reached Liu Cong and his officers that Cao Cao was marching on their territory, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun advocated surrender. They would both be guaranteed high rank if they succeeded.The surrender eventually went through and Cai Mao, along with Zhang Yun, became Cao Cao's chief naval commander against Sun Jian's second son,
Sun Quan . Both had experience with naval combat because they had lived inJingzhou , as opposed to most Northern officers.While fighting against Sun Quan, Cao Cao's forces suffered early defeats under Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. Due to
Zhou Yu 's plot, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were executed by Cao Cao. Cao later realized his mistake but never admitted.Personal information
* Cousins
**Cai He
**Cai Zhong ee also
*
Three Kingdoms
*Personages of the Three Kingdoms
*"Records of Three Kingdoms "
*"Romance of the Three Kingdoms "
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
