Chai Shao

Chai Shao (, Chinese style name 嗣昌) (588-638) was a Chinese military leader of the Tang Dynasty.

He was the son of Chai Shen, Duke of Julu. He married the Princess Pingyang, a daughter of the Emperor Gaozu, founder of the Tang dynasty, and distinguished himself as a general against the Turkic invaders. On one occasion, when he was attacking the Tuyuhun forces which then threatened the frontier, his army was almost overwhelmed by a dense shower of arrows from the enemy's bows. But Chai Shao sent forward some girls to play and dance to the Tartar guitar, which so fascinated the Tartar soldiers that they desisted from the fight to watch. Meanwhile Chai Shao, by a rapid strategic movement, succeeded in surrounding them, and the whole force was cut to pieces. He aided the second Emperor, Taizong, to consolidate the empire, and in 628 was Governor of Huazhou in Shaanxi. He was canonised as Xiang (襄).