Cai Yong

My Life

I was born to a wealthy family in Chenliu during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Though my life from the start was filled with great tragedy. My father died when I was young so I and my mother went to live with my Uncle Cai Zhi. From my uncle I learned most of my Authorship abilities. Though it was not long before my mother died as well. Though besides these setbacks in my life I continued to learn all the various aspects of education and became somewhat of a renaissance man. I as proficient in composition, calligraphy, mathematics, astronomy, pitch-pipes, and music. Though I tried to Avoid Civil Office until the age of 40. once in office I worked on the Han records of the Easter Institute (Dongguan Han Ji).

Though I was always filled with fire one might say. While working under Emperor Ling I wrote several Petitions criticizing recently appointed men in the government. They were chosen by the emperor not on their ability understand the Classics but their ability to write Fu's. I saw them all as Vulgar Upstarts. I also wrote a Petition Criticizing the Eunuchs. They were a corrupt entity in the court and abused power. They instantly retaliated and had me sentenced to death, yet one eunuch made a plea to the emperor that I should only be banished to the interior of Mongolia. I worked as a labored there for one ear until the emperor pardoned me. Though the eunuchs never stopped harassing me for denouncing them.

I was so displace by the harassment i moved away and was soon hired by the war lord Dong Zhou. He Sacked Luoyang and moved the capital to Chang'an where he was assassinated. After his death I was arrested and died in prison.

My Works and Influence

I was always very accomplished I wrote 104 works, including poetry, fu’s, epitaphs, dires, inscription, encomia, admonitions, laments, discourses, prayers, petitions, and notes. My most Famous Fu was Fu on Recounting a journey. I was asked to perform on a zither for the eunuch Xu Huang. I had to travel from my home in Chenliu, to the capital which was much too far. When I was almost to the capital I became ill and stopped at Yanshi, where I realized how much i didn't want to play for Xu Huang so I went home and composed this Fu about my journey. It was filled with accounts the historical sites and the pure beauty of everything, and also the darkness, which was the political landscape.

Other Fu's of mine include: Fu on the Han river ford, Fu on Strumming on the zither, Fu on the Writing Brush and, Fu on Dwarfs. My Fu on Dwarfs was by far my strangest Composition and had a Light heartened air about it, not to be taken too seriously.

I was also know for writing Erotic Fu’s such as: Fu on Curbing Excess, Fu on the maid servant, Erotic desire, Fu on settling passions, and Fu on Harmonious Marriage. In these I went to as far as describing the bed activities of a Bridesmaid, and how I wanted to be the reed of a wind Organ that a woman would play. I was lastly known for my Stele Inscription on Graves, which were so profound and important that they were included in the selections of Refined Literature.

I was a hot headed man and quite accomplished in nearly every aspect. In the end I am one of the great men to have taken part in Chinese Literature.

References and PowerPoint

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cai_Yong

Chang, Kang-i Sun, and Stephen Owen. The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2010. Print

Powerpoint presentation