Cai He

Historical Record

Cai He has no independent biography or clear record in the histories. In the official historical materials such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, no direct record of Cai He is found; his life, official posts, and even whether he truly existed cannot be verified. Therefore, every description of Cai He derives from literary invention rather than historical fact.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cai He is a fictional character, appearing mainly as a clan-younger-brother of his elder kinsman Cai Mao and shaped as a deputy general under Cao Cao. He first appears while Liu Bei was lodging in Jing Province. At that time Cai Mao harbored murderous intent toward Liu Bei and discussed with Kuai Yue a scheme to do away with him. Cai Mao revealed to Kuai Yue that he had already arranged for his younger brother Cai He to lead troops to guard the main road of Mount Xianshan at the east gate, to cut off Liu Bei's route ^c:3228. This episode shows the role Cai He played, as a member of the Cai clan, in the Jing Province military system, though only as an executor.

Cai He's most important role in the novel comes on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs. After Cao Cao had been struck by the cunning of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, he adopted Xun You's advice and decided to send spies to Eastern Wu to feign surrender and spy out the military situation. Xun You recommended to Cao Cao the clan-younger-brothers of Cai Mao, Cai Zhong and Cai He, reasoning that, resentful over Cai Mao's execution and with their wives and children all in Jing Province, they were unlikely to harbor disloyalty and were suitable for the feigned surrender ^c:6200. Cao Cao thereupon summoned Cai He and Cai Zhong, explained the stakes, promised them rich rewards, and ordered them to go to Eastern Wu to feign surrender. Cai He and Cai Zhong gladly accepted the order and assured Cao Cao that they would certainly present the heads of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang ^c:6200.

After reaching Eastern Wu, Cai He and Cai Zhong feigned surrender and tried to spy out intelligence. They once made contact with the Eastern Wu generals Kan Ze and Gan Ning. In one conversation, seeing Kan Ze and Gan Ning wearing troubled looks, Cai He and Cai Zhong probed them with words, asking whether they wished to betray Wu and turn to Cao. When Kan Ze changed color and Gan Ning drew his sword against them, Cai He and Cai Zhong hastily declared their true identity, claiming they were surrender-pretenders sent by Cao Cao, and saying that if Kan Ze and Gan Ning had any intent to submit, they could recommend them ^c:6201. In this way, Cai He and Cai Zhong successfully gained the "trust" of Kan Ze and Gan Ning, drank wine with them, and discussed their hearts together. Subsequently, Cai He and Cai Zhong wrote a secret report to Cao Cao, falsely claiming that Gan Ning was an inside collaborator along with them ^c:6201. In reality, however, this was the stratagem of sowing discord that Zhou Yu had laid; Kan Ze and Gan Ning were merely feigning to deal with Cai He and Cai Zhong, in order to gain Cao Cao's trust and prepare for the subsequent Bitter-Flesh Stratagem and fire attack.

In the end, on the night before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhou Yu saw through Cai He's feigned surrender. Zhou Yu ordered Cai He bound and exposed his identity as a spy to his face. Unable to deny it, Cai He cried out that Kan Ze and Gan Ning had also taken part in the plot, but Zhou Yu pointed out that this was precisely the stratagem he had laid ^c:13452. To sacrifice to the banner, Zhou Yu ordered Cai He beheaded and used his blood as a banner-sacrifice, to set forth for the coming Battle of Red Cliffs ^c:13452. Cai He's death marked the complete failure of Cao Cao's stratagem of sowing discord and cleared the way for Zhou Yu's grand plan of a fire attack.

Key Relationships

* Cai Mao (kin_of): Cai He was a clan-younger-brother of Cai Mao. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cai Mao once arranged for Cai He to guard the main road of Mount Xianshan at the east gate, to do away with Liu Bei ^c:3228. This relationship is the basis of Cai He's early appearance in the novel and hints at his standing within the Cai clan of Jing Province.
* Cao Wei (serves): Cai He in the novel mainly serves Cao Cao. He was dispatched by Cao Cao to go to Eastern Wu to feign surrender, acting as a spy ^c:6200. Although his mission ultimately failed and cost him his life, he is always portrayed as a member of Cao Cao's camp.
* Zhou Yu (adversary): As Cao Cao's spy, Cai He's task was to spy out Eastern Wu's military situation, making him an adversary of Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu saw through Cai He's feigned surrender and ultimately beheaded him as a banner-sacrifice ^c:13452 (novel only).
* Kan Ze and Gan Ning (deceived by): During his feigned surrender at Eastern Wu, Cai He tried to win over Kan Ze and Gan Ning, but was instead deceived by them, becoming a pawn in Zhou Yu's stratagem of sowing discord ^c:6201 (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

* Guarding the Mount Xianshan road: While Liu Bei was lodging in Jing Province, Cai Mao wished to be rid of him and arranged for Cai He to lead troops to guard the main road of Mount Xianshan at the east gate, to intercept and kill Liu Bei ^c:3228 (novel only). This is Cai He's first appearance in the novel and displays him as part of the Cai clan's military force.
* Ordered to feign surrender to Eastern Wu: On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao adopted Xun You's plan and secretly summoned Cai He and Cai Zhong, ordering them to go to Eastern Wu to feign surrender as inside collaborators ^c:6200 (novel only). This scene is Cai He's most important turning point in the novel, drawing him into the core stratagems of the Battle of Red Cliffs.
* Seen through by Zhou Yu and beheaded as a banner-sacrifice: On the night before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhou Yu saw through Cai He's identity as a spy, had him bound and beheaded before all, and used his blood as a banner-sacrifice to boost the army's morale ^c:13452 (novel only). This is Cai He's end in the novel and the climax of his fate, directly serving the grand narrative of the Battle of Red Cliffs.