Dou Tai (竇泰) | 24 Histories

Overview

Dou Tai was a general.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Shining	世寧	Shining
Posthumous name	Wuzhen	武貞	Wuzhen

Life and dates

Birth

Circumstances born after mother followed portent to move south
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passages 6, 12

Death

AD 537 天平四年
suicide 自殺 · At Little Pass 小關
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 20

Attested activity

AD 533 二年正月，竇泰奄至
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 245
AD 531 十月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 192
AD 537 大統三年
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 17, passage 79; Book of Zhou 23, passage 36
AD 536 天平三年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 19
AD 537 天平四年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 20
AD 537 破竇泰
Strongly inferred · Book of Zhou 20, passage 304

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AD 532 遣竇泰
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 244

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Luo (羅)
great-grandfather 曾祖 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 3
Sibling of Elder brother of Dou Tai (泰兄)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 14
Child of Yue (樂)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 4
Child of Mother of Dou Tai (泰母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passages 6, 12
Parent of Xiaojing (孝敬)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 30
Spouse of Wife of Dou Tai (泰妻)
wife 妻
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 26

Key source chapters

Career and standing

censor-in-chief 御史中尉
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 17
garrison-city commander 鎮城都督
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 16
grand commander of the capital region 京畿大都督
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 17
palace attendant 侍中
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 17
grand commandant 太尉
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 25
grand marshal 大司馬
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 25

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recorder of affairs of the masters of writing 錄尚書事
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 25
associated sacrifice in ancestral temple 配饗
AD 560 皇建元年 · Granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 91
posthumous title Wuzhen 諡武貞
Granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 25
Viscount of Guanga 廣阿子
Granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 15
Entered
AD 537 大統三年 · Captivity
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 23, passage 36
Noted
Deceased
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 91

Places and affiliations

Eastern Wei 東魏
Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 19
Northern Wei/Eastern Wei
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passages 3, 19
Qi 齊
Relation Honored by
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 28
Wei 魏
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passages 3-4
Polity Northern Wei 北魏 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 192
Polity Northern Wei 北魏 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 244

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At Da'an Hanshu 大安捍殊
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 2
At Guanjin in Qinghe 清河觀津 · Relation Ancestral place
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 3

Learning and skills

Skill riding and archery 騎射 · Level skilled
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 13

Events and relationships

Ambushed and force destroyed
AD 537 天平四年 · Military · Commander · With Yuwen Tai (周文帝) · At Little Pass 小關
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 20
Associated sacrifice in Gao Huan temple
AD 560 皇建初 · Ritual · Honoree
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 29
Campaigned against
Military · Participant · With Xing Gao (邢杲)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 15
Captured
AD 537 大統三年 · Military · Commander · At Tong Pass 潼關 · Outcome Captured
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 23, passage 36
Defeated
AD 537 破竇泰 · Military · Opponent
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 20, passage 304
Entered by Tong Pass
AD 536 天平三年 · Military · Commander · With Gao Huan (高歡)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 19

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Ghostly arrest at censorate before campaign
Omen · Subject
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passages 22-23
Ordered drinkers to remove caps
Administrative · Investigator · With Zu Ting (祖珽)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 85
Surprise attack on Erzhu Zhao
AD 533 二年正月 · Military · Commander · With Erzhu Zhao (尒朱兆)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 1, passages 244-245, 247
Tomb sacrifice on Qi abdication
Ritual · Honoree
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 28
Relation Advisor of · Person Gao Huan (高歡)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 1, passage 192
Relation Treated as kin by · Person Gao Huan (高歡)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 27

Assessments and attributes

Assessment courageous and strategic · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 13
Assessment officials feared him despite few impeachments · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 15, passage 18

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 1, passages 192, 244; Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 85

References in the histories

Search passages

History

24 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 1Volume 1 Annals 1: Emperor Shenwu 1 · 4 passages

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神武用竇泰策，縱反間，度律、仲遠不戰而還。 Using Dou Tai's counsel, Gao Huan spread discord and Dulü and Zhongyuan withdrew without fighting.

神武揣其歲首當宴會，遣竇泰以精騎馳之，一日一夜行三百里，神武以大軍繼之。 Guessing Zhao would be feasting at the New Year, Gao Huan sent Dou Tai with elite cavalry at a gallop—three hundred li in a day and a night—and followed with the main army.

二年正月，竇泰奄至尒朱兆庭。 In the first month of the second year Dou Tai suddenly arrived at Erzhu Zhao's headquarters.

軍人因宴休惰，忽見泰軍，驚走。 The troops were drunk and idle from feasting; seeing Dou Tai's army they fled in panic.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 6Volume 6 Annals 6: Emperor Xiaozhao · 1 passage

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庚申，詔以故太師尉景、故太師竇泰、故太師太原王婁昭、故太宰章武王厙狄幹、故太尉段榮、故太師万俟普、故司徒蔡儁、故太師高乾、故司徒莫多婁貸文、故太保劉貴、故太保封祖裔、故廣州刺史王懷十二人配饗太祖廟庭，故太師清河王岳、故太宰安德王韓軌、故太宰扶風王可朱渾道元、故太師高昂、故大司馬劉豐、故太師万俟受洛干、故太尉慕容紹宗七人配饗世宗廟庭，故太尉河東王潘相樂、故司空薛脩義、故太傅破六韓常三人配饗顯祖廟庭。 On the gengshen day, an edict ordered twelve deceased ministers to receive associated sacrifice in the Founding Emperor's temple, including Wei Jing, Dou Tai, Lou Zhao, She Digan, Duan Rong, Wan Sipo, Cai Jun, Gao Gan, Moduo Lou Daiwen, Liu Gui, Feng Zuyi, and Wang Huai; seven others in Emperor Wenxiang's temple, including Princes Yue, Han Gui, and Kezhuhun Daoyuan, Liu Feng, Wan Sipo Shouluogan, and Murong Shaozong; and three more in Emperor Wenxuan's temple—Pan Xiangle, Xue Xiuyi, and Poliuhan Chang.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 15Volume 15 Biographies 7: Dou Tai; Wei Jing; Lou Zhao; His Nephew Rui; Kudie Gan; His Son Shiwen; Han Gui; Pan Le · 13 passages

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竇泰尉景婁昭兄子叡厙狄干子士文韓軌潘樂 Dou Tai; Wei Jing; Lou Zhao; nephew Rui; Kudie Gan; son Shiwen; Han Gui; Pan Le

竇泰，字世寧，大安捍殊人也。 Dou Tai, courtesy name Shining, was a native of Da'an Hanshu.

泰貴，追贈司徒。 When Dou Tai rose high, his father Yue was posthumously made minister of education.

俄而生泰。 Soon afterward Dou Tai was born.

泰父兄戰歿於鎮，泰身負骸骨歸尒朱榮。 Dou Tai's father and elder brother died in battle at the garrison; Dou Tai personally carried their bones back to Erzhu Rong.

神武之為晉州，請泰為鎮城都督，參謀軍事。 When Gao Huan became governor of Jin Province, he requested Dou Tai as garrison-city commander and staff officer for military affairs.

泰以勳戚居臺，雖無多糾舉，而百僚畏懼。 Dou Tai, holding high office by merit and kinship, made few impeachments, yet the hundred officials feared him.

天平三年，神武西討，令泰自潼關入。 In the third year of Tianping, Gao Huan campaigned west and ordered Dou Tai to enter by Tong Pass.

四年，泰至小關，為周文帝所襲，衆盡沒，泰自殺。 In the fourth year Dou Tai reached Little Pass, was ambushed by Yuwen Tai, and his whole force was destroyed; Dou Tai killed himself.

初，泰將發鄴，鄴有惠化尼謠云：「竇行臺，去不回。」 At first, when Dou Tai was about to set out from Ye, a ballad of the nun Huihua in Ye said, "Commandery Chief Dou goes and does not return."

未行之前，夜三更，忽有朱衣冠幘數千人入臺，云「收竇中尉」，宿直兵吏皆驚，其人入數屋，俄頃而去。 Before he marched, at the third watch of the night, suddenly several thousand men in red robes and caps entered the censorate, saying they had come "to arrest Censor Dou"; the night guards and clerks were all alarmed; the figures entered several rooms and in a moment were gone.