Cai Yong
Encyclopedia
Cai Yong was a Chinese
scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy
, music
, mathematics
and astronomy
. One of his daughters is the famous Cai Wenji
.
, Henan
), which had a reputation of not having their territory divided for three generations. When his father Cai Leng died, Cai Yong lived with his uncle Cai Zhi while taking great care for his own mother for her last three years. When she died, Cai Yong became known for his arrangement of his mother's tomb. After that, Cai Yong studied composition, mathematics, astronomy, pitch-pipes, and music under Hu Guang (胡廣), one of the highest ranking officials in the Han court.
by the senior eunuchs for his skill with the drums and the guqin
. On his way to the capital, Cai Yong feigned illness to return home to study in seclusion. Ten years later in the early 170s, Cai Yong went to serve Qiao Xuan
as a clerk, and Qiao Xuan greatly admired his abilities. Afterwards, Cai Yong served as a county magistrate and then a Consultant in the capital, in charge of editing and collating the text in the library. Known for his literary skills, he was constantly commissioned to write eulogies, memorial inscriptions, and the like.
In 175, in fear of parties trying to alter the Confucian
classics to support their views, Cai Yong and a group of scholars petitioned to have the Five Classics engraved in stone. Emperor Ling
approved, and the result was the Xiping Stone Classics (熹平石經), completed in 183, which set the canon for future generations of scholars.
Throughout his political career, he was an advocate of restoring ceremonial practices and often criticized against the eunuch
s' influence in politics. He was successful in persuading the emperor to participate in a ritual in the winter of 177 through his memorials, but his attacks on the eunuchs were not so successful.
In the autumn of 178, the scholars were asked for advice on recent ill omens. Cai Yong responded with criticisms of eunuch pretensions. The eunuchs learnt of the attack, and accused Cai Yong and his uncle Cai Zhi of extortion
. They were thrown into prison and sentenced to death, but the sentence was later remitted to exile in the northern frontiers. Nine months later, he cited to the throne that his work on the dynastic history and classics were at risk from enemy raids, and was allowed back to the capital. However, he offended the sibling of an influential eunuch during a farewell banquet before his return, which put his position in the capital at risk. Cai Yong fled south to the Wu (吳) and Guiji (會稽) commanderies and stayed there for twelve years.
came to power in 189, he summoned Cai Yong back to the capital. At first Cai Yong was unwilling, but Dong Zhuo enforced his demand with the threat "I can eliminate whole clans", Cai Yong had no choice but to comply. Under Dong Zhuo, Cai Yong was made a General of the Household, and became in charge of revising rituals for Dong Zhuo's new government. Despite Dong Zhuo's admiration of Cai Yong as a scholar and musician, Cai Yong worried about Dong Zhuo's temper and once considered to return home, but was persuaded that he was too well known to escape.
In 192, when Dong Zhuo was killed in a plot by Wang Yun
, Cai Yong was put into prison and sentenced to death for allegedly expressing grief at Dong Zhuo's death. Cai Yong and other government officials pleaded with Wang Yun to allow him to finish his work on the history of Han, but Wang Yun denied them, saying: It was said that Wang Yun eventually regretted this decision, but Cai Yong had already died in prison. After his death, pictures were set up in his honour, and commemorative eulogies were composed throughout his home county of Chenliu and the Yan province.
, and it is through his collection that Cai Yong's work can be found in compilations like the Book of Later Han
. Few items of his work survive today.
His contributions include:
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. One of his daughters is the famous Cai Wenji
Cai Wenji
Cai Wenji , also known as Cai Yan, was a Han Dynasty poet and composer. She was the daughter of Cai Yong, also a musician. Her style name was originally Zhaoji, but it was changed to Wenji during the Jin Dynasty to avoid a naming conflict with Sima Zhao.She spent part of her life as a prisoner of...
.
Early life
Cai Yan was born into a substantial local family in Chenliu (陳留, modern Qi County, KaifengQi County, Kaifeng
Qi County is a county of Kaifeng, Henan, People's Republic of China, with an area of 1243 square km and a population of 1.05 million.-History:...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), which had a reputation of not having their territory divided for three generations. When his father Cai Leng died, Cai Yong lived with his uncle Cai Zhi while taking great care for his own mother for her last three years. When she died, Cai Yong became known for his arrangement of his mother's tomb. After that, Cai Yong studied composition, mathematics, astronomy, pitch-pipes, and music under Hu Guang (胡廣), one of the highest ranking officials in the Han court.
Service under Emperor Ling
In the early 160s Cai Yong was recommended to the Emperor HuanEmperor Huan of Han
Emperor Huan of Han, ch. 漢桓帝, py. hàn húan dì, wg. Han Huan-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-grandson of Emperor Zhang....
by the senior eunuchs for his skill with the drums and the guqin
Guqin
The guqin is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family...
. On his way to the capital, Cai Yong feigned illness to return home to study in seclusion. Ten years later in the early 170s, Cai Yong went to serve Qiao Xuan
Qiao Xuan
Qiao Xuan , style name Gongzu , was an official who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:...
as a clerk, and Qiao Xuan greatly admired his abilities. Afterwards, Cai Yong served as a county magistrate and then a Consultant in the capital, in charge of editing and collating the text in the library. Known for his literary skills, he was constantly commissioned to write eulogies, memorial inscriptions, and the like.
In 175, in fear of parties trying to alter the Confucian
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
classics to support their views, Cai Yong and a group of scholars petitioned to have the Five Classics engraved in stone. Emperor Ling
Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
approved, and the result was the Xiping Stone Classics (熹平石經), completed in 183, which set the canon for future generations of scholars.
Throughout his political career, he was an advocate of restoring ceremonial practices and often criticized against the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
s' influence in politics. He was successful in persuading the emperor to participate in a ritual in the winter of 177 through his memorials, but his attacks on the eunuchs were not so successful.
In the autumn of 178, the scholars were asked for advice on recent ill omens. Cai Yong responded with criticisms of eunuch pretensions. The eunuchs learnt of the attack, and accused Cai Yong and his uncle Cai Zhi of extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
. They were thrown into prison and sentenced to death, but the sentence was later remitted to exile in the northern frontiers. Nine months later, he cited to the throne that his work on the dynastic history and classics were at risk from enemy raids, and was allowed back to the capital. However, he offended the sibling of an influential eunuch during a farewell banquet before his return, which put his position in the capital at risk. Cai Yong fled south to the Wu (吳) and Guiji (會稽) commanderies and stayed there for twelve years.
Service under Dong Zhuo
When Dong ZhuoDong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
came to power in 189, he summoned Cai Yong back to the capital. At first Cai Yong was unwilling, but Dong Zhuo enforced his demand with the threat "I can eliminate whole clans", Cai Yong had no choice but to comply. Under Dong Zhuo, Cai Yong was made a General of the Household, and became in charge of revising rituals for Dong Zhuo's new government. Despite Dong Zhuo's admiration of Cai Yong as a scholar and musician, Cai Yong worried about Dong Zhuo's temper and once considered to return home, but was persuaded that he was too well known to escape.
In 192, when Dong Zhuo was killed in a plot by Wang Yun
Wang Yun
Wang Yun was a Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuchs and warlords. In 192, Wang Yun plotted and successfully staged Lü Bu's assassination of Dong Zhuo, the...
, Cai Yong was put into prison and sentenced to death for allegedly expressing grief at Dong Zhuo's death. Cai Yong and other government officials pleaded with Wang Yun to allow him to finish his work on the history of Han, but Wang Yun denied them, saying: It was said that Wang Yun eventually regretted this decision, but Cai Yong had already died in prison. After his death, pictures were set up in his honour, and commemorative eulogies were composed throughout his home county of Chenliu and the Yan province.
Works
Due to the turmoil in China in the decade after his death, much of his work had been lost. However, Cai Yong had apparently entrusted the bulk of his library to his protégé Wang CanWang Can
Wang Can was a politician, scholar and poet during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days of the Principality of Wei – predecessor to the later Cao Wei kingdom – under Cao Cao...
, and it is through his collection that Cai Yong's work can be found in compilations like the Book of Later Han
Book of Later Han
The Book of the Later Han or the History of the Later Han is one of the official Chinese historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using a number of earlier histories and documents as sources...
. Few items of his work survive today.
His contributions include:
- The editing of the Xiping Stone Classics
- The compilation of Dongguan Hanji (東觀漢記)
- Duduan (獨斷) on ceremonial
- Cai Yong bencao (蔡邕本草) on pharmacologyPharmacologyPharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
- Nü Xun (女訓), advice for women
- Qin Cao (琴操) on playing the guqin
- Zhuan shi (篆勢) on the aspects of the traditional seal scriptSeal scriptSeal script is an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy. It evolved organically out of the Zhōu dynasty script , arising in the Warring State of Qin...
Family
- Grandfather: Cai Xi (蔡攜)
- Father: Cai Leng (蔡棱)
- Uncle: Cai Zhi (蔡質)
- Children:
- Cai WenjiCai WenjiCai Wenji , also known as Cai Yan, was a Han Dynasty poet and composer. She was the daughter of Cai Yong, also a musician. Her style name was originally Zhaoji, but it was changed to Wenji during the Jin Dynasty to avoid a naming conflict with Sima Zhao.She spent part of her life as a prisoner of...
, daughter - Daughter, personal name unknown, married Yang Dao (羊衜)
- Son, personal name unknown
- Cai Wenji
- Grandchildren:
- Cai Xi (蔡襲), grandson
- Yang HuiyuEmpress Dowager Yang HuiyuYang Huiyu , formally known as Empress Jingxian , semi-formally known as Empress Dowager Hongxun , was an empress dowager during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. She was the third wife of the Cao Wei regent Sima Shi during the Three Kingdoms period...
, granddaughter - Yang HuYang HuNot to be confused with Yang Hu :zh:阳虎/陽虎, the Spring and Autumn retainer-usurper in the state of Lu.Yang Hu , style name Shuzi , was a military general during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, grandson
Appointments and titles held
- General of the Household of the Left (左中郎將)
- Marquis of Gaoyang (高陽鄉候)