Cai Yong

蔡邕　/　不明

American astronomer

January 1, 133 – January 1, 192　・　Qi County, People's Republic of China

Qi County
astronomer
historian
writer

My Take

Cai Yong is one of those figures from ancient history who makes you stop and think — how did one person fit so much into a single life? Active during the Eastern Han dynasty in the second century, he was a calligrapher, musician, mathematician, astronomer, historian, and politician all at once, at a time when those disciplines were barely separated. His calligraphy was so respected that the stone classics he helped inscribe outside the Imperial Academy drew crowds of scholars copying his work. He also invented the guqin style known as Jiao Wei, according to tradition, and his musicological writings survived long enough to influence later generations. What really gets me is that his daughter Cai Yan — also known as Cai Wenji — became one of the most celebrated poets in Chinese history, which tells you something about the household he ran. He died tragically in 192 CE, imprisoned under Dong Zhuo's warlord regime, mourned by students who admired him deeply. A genuine Renaissance man, two centuries before Europe invented the concept.

Overview

Cai Yong (132/133 – c. June 192), courtesy name Bojie, was a Chinese astronomer, calligrapher, historian, mathematician, musician, politician, and writer of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy, music, mathematics and astronomy. One of his daughters, Cai Yan / Cai Wenji, was also a famous poet and musician.

1. Profile

Name (English): Cai Yong
Name (Japanese): 蔡邕
Reading: 不明
Born: January 1, 133 – January 1, 192
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Capricorn / Rooster
Origin: Qi County, People's Republic of China
Blood type: Private
Height: Private
Agency: Private
Occupation: astronomer / historian / writer / politician / musician

Cai Yong

My Take

Overview

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