Taishi Ci (pronunciationⓘ) (166–206), courtesy name Ziyi, was a Chinese military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.

In 186, at the age of 20, he became famous after successfully completing a mission to prevent a letter from the provincial administration from reaching the imperial court in Luoyang first.

After returning from Liaodong, he travelled to Beihai (around present-day Weifang, Shandong) to rescue the warlord Kong Rong, who was besieged by Yellow Turban rebels.

During this time, he drove back Liu Pan (劉磐) and his men, who often raided Sun Ce's territories in that area.

Taishi Ci's biography in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) described him as seven chi tall (approximately 178–182 cm) and having a shiny and beautiful beard.

[Sanguozhi 1] Taishi Ci was from Huang County (黃縣), Donglai Commandery (東萊郡), which is in present-day Longkou, Shandong.

[Sanguozhi 2] When Taishi Ci finally reached Luoyang after travelling day and night, he saw the provincial administration's courier near the city gate.

[Sanguozhi 3] After leaving Luoyang, Taishi Ci secretly returned later and delivered the commandery administration's letter to the imperial court.

[Sanguozhi 4] Kong Rong, the Chancellor (相) of Beihai State (北海國; around present-day Weifang, Shandong), heard about Taishi Ci and regarded him as an extraordinary talent.

In the late 180s or early 190s, when Beihai came under attack by Yellow Turban rebels, Kong Rong led his troops to a fortress at Duchang (都昌; in present-day Weifang, Shandong).

[Sanguozhi 5] At the time, the rebels had yet to completely surround Duchang, so Taishi Ci managed to sneak past the enemy at night and enter the fortress to meet Kong Rong.

Kong Rong wanted to seek help from Liu Bei, the Chancellor of Pingyuan State (平原國), but no one had any idea on how to break out of the siege.

Taishi Ci volunteered to fight his way out and seek reinforcements from Liu Bei, but Kong Rong said, "The rebels have completely surrounded the fortress.

[Sanguozhi 9] Taishi Ci, accompanied by only a single horseman, encountered Sun Ce at Shen Village (神亭; somewhere in present-day Danyang, Jiangsu) during his mission.

Taishi Ci headed to Jing County, where he established a base and managed to recruit the Shanyue people to join him.

Sun Ce personally led his forces to attack Taishi Ci, defeated him in battle, and captured him.

Later, he released Taishi Ci from his bonds, held his hand and asked, "Do you still remember our fight at Shen Village?

"[d][Sanguozhi zhu 1] The Wu Li (吳歷) provided a different account of how Taishi Ci came to serve Sun Ce.

The following day, Sun Ce hosted a banquet and had a pole erected in the middle, so as to keep track of time by observing its shadow.

[Sanguozhi zhu 3] After returning to his base in Wu Commandery (around present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), Sun Ce commissioned Taishi Ci as a "General of the Household Who Breaks Waves" (折衝中郎將).

Although Liu Yao had already died in Yuzhang Commandery (豫章郡; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi) in 195, there were still thousands of his former followers scattered around the area.

[Sanguozhi 12] Sun Ce told Taishi Ci, "In the past, when Liu Yao criticised me for helping Yuan Shu conquer Lujiang, he didn't have good intentions and his reasons were not convincing.

I wanted to make great achievements, so I had no choice but to submit to Yuan Shu and ask him to give me control of my father's troops.

"[Sanguozhi zhu 4] Sun Ce's aides cautioned him, "(Taishi) Ci will not come back if he leaves."

When Taishi Ci met Sun Ce again, he said, "Hua Ziyu is a man of virtue, but not a talented leader.

The local clans in Poyang have formed their own ruling body and driven away the officials sent by Hua Ziyu to govern the area.

The rebel leader stood at the viewing platform above the gate, with his hand resting against a wooden pillar, and hurled verbal abuse at Sun Ce.

[Sanguozhi 17] Before his death, he sighed and said, "A man living in this world should aspire to carry a seven chi-long sword and rise to the position of a Son of Heaven.

Taishi Ci appears in the 2007 anime Kōtetsu Sangokushi, which is loosely based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as a general of the "barbaric" Go (Wu) faction.

The character Taishiji Shigi of the anime series Ikki Tousen is also based roughly on Taishi Ci.