Huang Gai
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| Names | |
|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese: | 黄盖 |
| Traditional Chinese: | 黃蓋 |
| Pinyin: | Huáng Gài |
| Wade-Giles: | Huang Kai |
| Zi: | Gōngfu (公覆) |
- This is a Chinese name; the family name is Huang.
Huang Gai (145 - 222 AD) was an officer of the Kingdom of Wu during China's Three Kingdoms period. He was renowned as a hardened combat veteran who loyally served three Sun Family lords throughout his lifetime: Sun Jian, his eldest son Sun Ce, and his second son Sun Quan.
[edit] Life
Huang was born in Quanling County, Lingling Precinct (Presently Yongzhou in Hunan Province), and first allied himself with Sun Jian during the Yellow Turban Rebellion of the 180's.
At the Battle of Chibi in 208, Huang suggested to Zhou Yu that fire would be best strategy to utilise in order to defeat Cao Cao's gigantic fleet and overwhelming numbers. Zhou Yu approved of this method, and Huang Gai would send word to Cao Cao claiming that he wished to defect. However, Huang was known to be fiercely loyal to Sun Wu, so in order for the ruse to work, Huang went as far as allowing Zhou's troops to rain down hails of arrows on his ships as he attempted to "escape" the Wu forces. Huang had earlier loaded his boats with wax and straw, and when his ships were within proximity of Cao's fleet, he set them ablaze and steered them on a collision course with Cao's lines. This, coupled with the fact that Cao Cao had chained his ships together to prevent their soldiers from being seasick, caused the fire to spread throughout the fleet, causing massive damage and casualties to Cao's army and forcing him into retreat. This plot resulted in a critical victory for both Sun Quan and Liu Bei, who would now be granted more than enough time to rally their armies and further bolster their positions within their respective territories. During the battle, Huang was hit with an arrow and fell from his boat, but was rescued by another long-serving officer of Wu, Han Dang. He is said to have been highly praised and deeply trusted amongst his colleagues, particularly his lord, Sun Quan. Huang received various titles throughout the years, including: "Auxiliary Corps Commander," "Acting Colonel of the Firm Attack," "Chief Commandant of Danyang," "General of the Gentlemen of the Household," and "Governor of Wu Ling."
[edit] Modern references
Huang Gai is a playable character in the Koei video game series, Dynasty Warriors. He is portrayed as a loyal and dedicated servant of Wu, covered with scars from various battles throughout his life. His defining moment in the games is, of course, the Battle of Chibi. Huang wields a large battle-rod called the "Dark Shadow," and fights with a powerful and straightforward offensive style, repeatedly bashing an opponent over the head. However, he sacrifices speed and agility for this strength bonus, and the player will find it difficult to escape from even the slowest of enemies. It is advisable that Huang always be equipped with a horse before battle.
Huang was considered by fans of the series to be a strong but dull fighter, without the style or flare of characters like Zhou Tai and Zhang He. Due to this perception, a new attack was added to his arsenal, the ability to throw explosives into groups of opponents and send them flying across the battlefield. This attack, however, is extremely unstable, as the explosives will also damage any allies nearby. This makes a computer-controlled Huang Gai an unpredictable and dangerous character, even when fighting as an ally of Wu. Unlike many characters in the game, his appearance is actually very similar to many portraits and depictions of Huang from the period.
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