Zhou Tai

Zhou Tai
A Qing dynasty illustration of Zhou Tai
General of Sun Quan
Born	(Unknown)
Died	c. 223
Names
Traditional Chinese	周泰
Simplified Chinese	周泰
Pinyin	Zhōu Tài
Wade–Giles	Chou T'ai
Courtesy name	Youping (Chinese: 幼平; pinyin: Yòupíng; Wade–Giles: You-ping)

Zhou Tai (died c. 223),courtesy name Youping, was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period. He previously served under Sun Ce, Sun Quan's elder brother and predecessor.

Zhou Tai was from Xiacai County (下蔡縣), Jiujiang Commandery (九江郡), which is in present-day Fengtai County, Anhui. Around the early 190s, he and Jiang Qin came to serve Sun Ce, who was on a series of conquests in the Jiangdong region. Zhou Tai was faithful and polite. He also made contributions by fighting in various battles under Sun Ce's banner. When Sun Ce occupied Kuaiji Commandery (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang) after the commandery's Administrator, Wang Lang, surrendered to him, he appointed Zhou Tai as a Major of Separate Command (別部司馬) and put him in command of some troops.

Sun Ce's younger brother, Sun Quan, favoured Zhou Tai so he requested for Zhou to be transferred to his unit. Once, when Sun Ce was away on a campaign against some bandits who had emerged in the six counties of Kuaiji, Sun Quan was left in Xuancheng County (宣城縣; present-day Xuancheng, Anhui) with less than 1,000 men. Out of negligence, Sun Quan did not set up defence posts, so when thousands of bandits suddenly attacked Xuancheng, he attempted to flee. However, by then, Sun Quan had already been surrounded by the bandits, who attacked him and slashed at his saddle, causing much panic among his men. Only Zhou Tai, with his spirits roused, rushed to protect Sun Quan, emboldening those near him and making them able to fight again. When the bandits finally dispersed, Zhou Tai had sustained 12 deep wounds all over his body and he took a long time to recover. If Zhou Tai was not there on that day, Sun Quan would have surely perished. Zhou Tai's act of bravery was greatly appreciated by Sun Ce, who appointed him as the Chief (長) of Chungu County (春穀縣; northwest of present-day Fanchang County, Anhui).