生平

早年事迹

少时家贫，父陶丹早亡，全靠母亲谌氏纺织维生，东吴灭亡后全家迁到寻阳。陶侃早年曾任寻阳的「鱼梁吏」，后任郡督邮，领枞阳县令；及后因被称能干而升任庐江太守张夔的主簿。及后张夔察陶侃为孝廉，到洛阳后获张华接见并赏识，任郎中。后又曾任伏波将军孙秀舍人，武冈县令和庐江郡小中正。

数平叛乱

西晋太安二年（303年），义阳蛮张昌于荆州叛乱，宁朔将军刘弘转任使持节、南蛮校尉、荆州刺史，并进讨张昌。刘弘尚未到任即任命陶侃为南蛮长史，并派他进兵襄阳，后于竟陵（今湖北潜江西北）等地大破张昌军，斩首数万，又纳降万人，张昌部众于是溃散，张昌及其馀众次年亦被消灭；战后陶侃以军功封东乡侯。

永兴二年（305年）十二月，右将军陈敏在历阳叛乱，自称楚公，并驱逐扬州刺史刘仪等多名官员。刘弘推陶侃为江夏太守，加鹰扬将军，并且积极备战。及后陈敏派遣其弟陈恢攻武昌，陶侃即领兵抵抗；此时随郡内史扈瓌试图离间刘弘和陶侃，称陶侃与陈敏曾同居庐江郡，可能会叛归陈敏，但刘弘相信陶侃，陶侃知道后亦派儿子陶洪和侄儿陶臻到刘弘处表示忠心，刘弘于是加陶侃都护，命他与部众齐心抗击陈恢。陶侃最终以运输船作战舰，所向披靡，击败陈恢。后来陶侃因母亲湛氏离世而离职。

服丧后，陶侃参东海王司马越军事。及后江州刺史华轶表他为扬武将军，驻屯夏口；后来又迁任龙骧将军、武昌太守。当时全国正闹饥荒，山夷很多都沦为盗贼，劫掠经过长江的船只，陶侃于是命部将造船以伪装商船诱敌，果然成功诱出盗贼，更发现原来是西阳王司马羕的部下。陶侃于是立刻派兵威逼司马羕进击盗贼，自己则在钓台作后继。最终司马羕缚送二十名部下送交陶侃并被处死，而长江边的盗贼问题亦得以解决。陶侃更尽力赈济那些回流的民众，又于武昌郡东设立夷市，稳定当地亦为郡府赚取不少利钱。

杜弢之乱

永嘉五年（311年），荆湘流民拥杜弢造反。次年，王敦遣陶侃与周访等镇压。陶侃派周访和赵诱为前锋，击败杜弢部众，后又成功营救被杜弢部众袭击的荆州刺史周顗，更大败杜弢军队。王敦得知胜利后亦说：「若无陶侯，便失荆州矣。」表拜陶侃为使持节、宁远将军、南蛮校尉、荆州刺史，领西阳、江夏、武昌，并先后驻屯沌口和沔江。但建兴元年（313年），参军王贡与杜曾叛变，袭击陶侃部众，陶侃在石城进攻杜曾又失败，于是打算退入溳中，但图谋叛变的部将张奕却劝陶侃停驻迎战逼近的杜弢部众，以免部众慌乱，陶侃停驻却于次年遭到来的敌军击败，陶侃所乘的船舰更被敌军钩住，幸有部将朱伺力战而得以逃脱。陶侃因此战而免官，王敦则上表请陶侃白衣领职，继续参与平乱。

陶侃及后率领周访等进军湘城，派都尉杨举击破杜弢并驻屯城西，王敦于战后上奏恢复陶侃官位。后来王真领兵三千出武陵江，诱请五溪夷派兵支持并进攻武昌。陶侃派郑攀和陶延夜取巴陵，攻其不备，大破王真，王真亦回湘城。杜弢及后又怀疑并杀死张奕，更令部众恐惧，很多人归降。陶侃后来更于阵前劝降王真，成功令王真投降，杜弢败走，后又进兵长沙，俘获敌将毛宝、高宝和梁堪。

安定南土

此时陶侃在湘州大败杜弢的军功遭王敦所忌，趁将回江陵的陶侃向他辞别时将他留住，后即调任广州刺史、平越中郎将，改以王廙为荆州刺史。陶侃部众要求陶侃留位但遭王敦拒绝，陶侃部将郑攀、马儁等人竟迎杜曾对抗王廙。王敦知道后认为郑攀所为是陶侃的意旨，于是打算杀死陶侃，但因梅陶和陈颁以周访与陶侃关系密切劝阻王敦才没有实行，陶侃即起程到广州上任。

陶侃到广州后，变民杜弘即派使者向陶侃假意投降，陶侃识破后即建造发石车。及后杜弘领兵前来，知道陶侃有所准备而撤退，陶侃便出兵追击，大破杜弘，又先后捕获杜弘的数名同党，威名传遍广州。因功获封柴桑侯。太兴初年又进平南将军，不久又加都督交州军事。

永昌元年（322年），王敦以讨伐刘隗等人为名举兵，陶侃加领江州刺史，不久又转都督、湘州刺史，又派高宝领兵对抗王敦。但同年王敦攻破建康，并执掌朝政，陶侃改回原职并加散骑常侍。后来交州刺史王谅被梁硕叛军围困于龙编，陶侃派高宝营救，但次年龙编陷落后高宝才到达平定叛乱，此时王谅已死，陶侃于是加领交州刺史，亦因功进位征南大将军、开府仪同三司。

太宁二年（324年），王敦败死，陶侃迁为都督荆、雍、益、梁州诸军事，本职加领护南蛮校尉、征西大将军、荆州刺史。荆州人民知道陶侃再治荆州都互相庆祝。

苏峻之乱

咸和二年（327年）十月，庾亮欲召苏峻为大司农，苏峻拒不受命，起兵反抗。次年苏峻即攻陷建康，执掌朝政，陶侃之子陶瞻亦为苏峻所杀。平南将军温峤派人去荆州邀请陶侃勤王，并要推举陶侃为盟主。但陶侃因自己当日不被任命为成帝的顾命大臣，始终心有不甘，以「疆场外将，不敢越局」为由拒绝，后温峤多番劝请，陶侃才答应，并派督护龚登领兵支持温峤。(但据赵翼的《二十二史札记》：因陶侃出身寒微，颇为当时豪门贵族所排陷，上述的拒绝一事，为诬词之一。清代学者多为之辨正，以王懋竑之说最为详尽，可参考《白田草堂存稿》卷四〈论陶长沙侃〉)

但在陈列祖约、苏峻罪状，正式宣战后不久，陶侃却反悔，追还龚登，此时温峤又写信给陶侃，内容辞恳意切，力陈进退利弊，更以陶瞻之死激起陶侃的愤怒；同时王愆期和陶妻龚氏亦劝陶侃支持温峤，最终令陶侃决定支持讨伐苏峻，并放下陶瞻的丧事，动身亲自率军进攻。

五月，陶侃与庾亮和温峤领兵进攻建康，到石头城集合。当时众人都期望一战击败苏峻，结束战事，但陶侃认为苏峻部众正盛，难与争锋，建议久持而智取。及后讨伐军与苏峻军作战互有胜负，相持不下，郗鉴部将李根于是建议在查浦修筑白石垒，陶侃听从并立刻建筑，一夜之间就建成，令苏峻军大惊。但温峤与苏峻相持日久仍未有进展，反令军中乏粮，陶侃愤恨温峤等人轻易出兵，不答应借粮，并要胁撤军回荆州。将领毛宝即前去劝谏陶侃，最终令陶侃回心转意，分五万石军饷给温峤。不久毛宝更烧毁苏峻于句容和湖孰的积粮，令苏峻军陷入缺粮危机。及后苏峻部将张健、韩晃等进攻郭默驻守的大业垒；陶侃打算营救，但长史殷羡认为陶侃部众擅长水战而不善陆战，不如进攻石头城，一旦成功即可为大业垒解围。陶侃于是领水军进攻石头城，庾亮、温峤和赵胤亦领万兵从白石垒进逼建康。苏峻先派匡孝击败赵胤，及后苏峻见匡孝战胜，离开大军，只率数骑北上突击敌阵但失败，更在东陵东白木陂因马匹遇障不前而遇袭，最终堕马被杀。苏峻部众知道苏峻死后即崩溃，陶侃与诸军于是继续进军石头城，并于次年完全清剿和收降苏峻的残馀势力，救出晋成帝。

进位三公

苏峻之乱平定后，陶侃因功而升为侍中、太尉、都督交、广、宁、荆、益、雍、梁七州军事，封长沙郡公，仍驻荆州。咸和四年（329年）十二月，郭默假称诏命杀江州刺史刘胤，王导因郭默骁勇难制而容忍，更让他任江州刺史。但陶侃则动军，并上书朝廷请求讨伐。次年，郭默与陶侃部队作战，但不利，唯有入寻阳城固守，及后陶侃大军齐集，对峙两个月后郭默部将宋侯缚送郭默父子五人和张丑出降，陶侃于是将郭默斩首，传首京师，平定事件。陶侃战后加都督江州，领刺史，并加置属官。

咸和七年（332年），陶侃又派儿子陶斌和南中郎将桓宣击败在樊城的后赵将领郭敬；派陶臻和竟陵太守李阳攻破新野，再夺襄阳。陶侃因功进为大将军，剑履上殿，入朝不趋，赞拜不名，陶侃辞让。陶侃晚年都不与朝权，更多次上书求退，都因部下苦求而留下。

咸和九年（334年），陶侃因病重而上表告老归国，将后事都交给右司马王愆期，然后登舟赴长沙，途中病逝于樊溪舟中，享年七十六岁，諡桓公。

性格特徵

• 史载陶侃「性聪敏，勤于吏职，恭而近礼，爱好人伦。」又「雄毅有权，明悟善决断」任广州刺史时虽然事务繁多，但都不会遗漏。同时所有书信文件都亲自答覆，而且下笔如流，未尝有停滞。陶侃无论客人是否相熟都会接待，不会待慢他们在门前久候。有一次外出，看见一人手持一束未成熟的稻穗。便问：「用此何为？」那人回答：「行道所见，聊取之耳！」他听了大怒：「汝既不佃，而戏践人稻。」便抓起来痛打一顿。

• 陶侃在王敦被消灭后任荆州刺史，其时荆州有饥荒，很多人饿死，陶侃就在秋收时买进谷粮，到饥荒出现时将谷粮拿出市场供应，荆州士庶都十分高兴。

• 性格节俭，有智慧，一次公家造船，留下许多竹根、竹梢和锯末粉屑，陶侃叫人把它收藏起来。时人怪异之。恰逢雪后天晴，道路泥泞，陶侃叫人把木屑铺在地上，以免行人滑倒。又有一次，因军事造船，陶侃便拿出收藏的竹根、竹梢，作为造船的竹钉子，这是「竹头木屑」的典故。

• 陶侃做事仔细，辞官离开前，军资、器仗、牛马和舟船都全部作了记录，并将仓库封印，自加管钥，全交给继任的王愆期，然后才离开。陶侃的行动于当时朝野为一时美谈。

• 陶侃得鄱阳孝廉范逵举荐而获庐江太守张夔任命。陶侃也将张夔像父亲一样对待，曾有一次为了给张夔的妻子请医生而冒雪前进数百里的路程。后来，张夔又将陶侃举为孝廉，使他进入当时的政治中心——洛阳。过了许多年以后，陶侃成为一代名将，身居都督八州之高位。他念及范逵、张夔及刘弘对其的知遇之恩，将张夔子张隐任命为自己的参军，范逵子范珧任命为湘东太守，刘弘曾孙刘安为掾属，以报答当年的恩情。

• 据《晋书》，陶侃养有媵妾数十，家僮千馀人，更拥有极多珍奇宝物。

逸事

• 陶侃任广州刺史期间，每天早上把数百块砖头搬到室外，傍晚又搬回室内，严寒无间。有人怪而问之，他却说：「吾方致力于中原，过尔优逸，恐不堪事，故自劳尔。」后人称「运甓翁」。

• 郭默曾经多次与后赵君主石勒作战，连石勒也畏惧其勇悍，但知道陶侃兵不血刃地讨平郭默，石勒更是畏惧陶侃。苏峻之乱时杀死陶侃之子陶瞻的苏峻部将冯铁后来北投石勒，石勒让他守边。但陶侃告诉石勒冯铁杀陶瞻的事后，石勒即将冯铁杀死。

• 陶侃曾经造梦，发现自己有八翼，飞上天并登九重天门，到最后一扇门时受阻，更被守门人以杖击打，因而堕地，左边翼都折断了。醒来后陶侃仍觉得左边腋下隐隐作痛。又一次如厕时遇一人，向他预言他日后当为公，位至八州都督。又有一名相士师圭向陶侃说他左手中指有垂直的指纹，日后会为公，极为尊贵。陶侃以针刺手，将鲜血洒血墙壁而见「公」字，后以纸包著手，字体愈见明显。及至陶侃都督八州军事，据长江上游而手握重兵，每有觊觎权位之志时都想著折翼的梦，便即止住念头。

• 陶侃曾将佐吏的博奕器具丢到江中，称围棋是尧舜用来教愚蠢的儿子，而赌博器具就是纣王造的，认为佐吏们是国家栋梁，不要碰这些东西。《晋书》亦有类似记载，写陶侃不欲部下荒废正事而沉迷游戏，浪费时间。

• 父亲死时，陶侃曾见过一个身高九尺的人来拜访，但给出的名片陶侃一个字也看不懂，于是感到很奇怪。送他离去时，他表示自己是仙人王子乔，说陶侃有贵相而特别来访，说罢就骑鹤升天了。而在为母亲湛氏守丧时，他也见过两个人来吊祭，然而此二人不哭而退，衣著光鲜洁净，陶侃心知他们不是平常人，但跟著去看时就只看到两只鹤飞往天上。

• 武昌路边种有柳树，有人曾经偷走了一棵种在自己家中，却为陶侃认出，问他为甚么偷走公家柳树，当时人都认为其神妙。

评论

• 《晋书》史臣曰：士行望非世族，俗异诸华，拔萃陬落之间，比肩髦儁之列，超居外相，宏总上流。布泽怀边，则严城静柝；释位匡主,则沦鼎再宁。元规以戚里之崇，挹其膺而下拜；茂弘以保衡之贵，肥其言而动色。望隆分陕，理则宜然。至于时属云屯，富逾天府，潜有包藏之志，顾思折翼之祥，悖矣！夫子曰「人无求备」，斯言之信，于是有徵。

• 《晋书》赞曰：长沙勤王，拥斾戎场。任隆三事，功宣一匡。繄赖之重，匪伊舟航。

• 东晋尚书梅陶：「神机明鉴似魏武（曹操），忠顺勤劳似孔明（诸葛亮），陆抗诸人不能及也。」

• 谢安：「陶公虽用法，而恒得法外意。」

家人

父母

• 陶丹，东吴扬武将军。

• 湛氏，陶侃生母，父亲陶丹的妾。湛氏是位德妇，《晋书·列女传》记载：「侃少为寻阳县吏，尝监鱼梁，以一坩鮓遗母。湛氏封鮓及书责侃曰：『尔为吏，以官物遗我，非惟不能益吾，乃以增吾忧矣。』」

妻

• 龚氏

子女

陶侃有十七子，但部分因名气不显而没有记载于史书上。

• 陶洪，丞相掾，早卒。

• 陶瞻，官至散骑常侍，被苏峻杀害后諡「愍悼世子」。

• 陶夏，陶瞻死后为世子，陶侃死后送灵柩到长沙，与陶斌与陶称各拥数千兵互相图谋，后因陶斌先入长沙掠夺器杖财物而杀害他，被庾亮上表请加惩治，但陶夏不久即病死。

• 陶琦，司空掾。

• 陶旗，性甚凶暴，官至散骑常侍，封郴县开国伯。

• 陶斌，尚书郎，后被哥哥陶夏所杀。

• 陶称，性虓勇不伦，官至南中郎将，监江夏随义阳三郡军事、江夏相。后被庾亮以「肆纵丑言，无所顾忌、要结诸将，欲阻兵构难」等原因处死。

• 陶范，诸子最为知名，官至光禄勋。

• 陶岱，官至散骑侍郎。

• 陶茂，武昌太守，陶潜祖父。

• 陶氏，陶侃女儿，嫁孟嘉，即陶渊明之外祖母。孟嘉之女嫁陶茂之子陶逸。

侄儿

• 陶臻，有勇略智谋，官至南郡太守、领南蛮校尉、假节。

• 陶舆，陶臻弟，果烈善战，武威将军，于杜弢作战时受重创而死。

孙儿

• 陶弘，陶瞻息子，陶夏被废后继承长沙郡公爵位，位至光禄勋。

• 陶淡，陶夏子，好导养之术，好读《易经》和喜好占卜。

• 陶定，陶旗子，承袭郴县开国伯。

• 陶逸，陶茂子，官至安成太守，妻为其表姊妹，即陶侃之外孙女。

• 陶氏，陶茂女，嫁罗遵士

曾孙

• 陶绰之，陶弘子，承袭长沙郡公。

• 陶袭之，陶定子，承袭郴县开国伯。

• 陶潜 (陶渊明)，陶茂孙，陶逸子，东晋著名诗人。

• 陶氏，陶逸女儿，嫁程元振和游氏之第三子程宝俊。

玄孙

• 陶延寿，陶绰之子，承袭为长沙郡公，刘裕接受禅让后降封为醴陵县侯，食邑五百户

• 陶谦之，陶袭之子，承袭郴县开国伯。

• 陶俨，陶渊明子。

• 陶俟，陶渊明子。

• 陶份，陶渊明子。

• 陶佚，陶渊明子。

• 陶佟，陶渊明子。

注释

Early career

Tao Kan was born under the rule of Eastern Wu, and his father was an Eastern Wu general. Early in his career, he was a low-level county official, but subsequently on the recommendation of the commandery governor Zhang Kui, he was sent to the Jin prime minister Zhang Hua for commission; however, Zhang Hua, who did not favor people from former Eastern Wu lands, did not give him a commission, and he ended up serving on staff of the general Sun Xiu (孙秀, not to be confused with the Eastern Wu emperor or Sima Lun's advisor), a member of the Eastern Wu imperial household.

Later, Tao served on the staff of the famed Jing Province (荆州, modern Hubei and Hunan) governor Liu Hong. Liu once personally told him, "When I was serving on General Yang Hu's staff, he told me that I would one day have his position. Now, I tell you that you will one day have my position." Tao later played a large role in Liu's suppression of the rebel Chen Min. He later served successively as several commanderies' governor, and later served under the general Wang Dun, participating in Wang's campaign against various agrarian rebels, including the powerful Du Tao (杜弢). For his accomplishments, Wang commissioned Tao as the governor of Jing Province, fulfilling Liu's prior words.

However, Wang soon became apprehensive about Tao's abilities. In 315, he suddenly detained Tao and ordered him to be the governor of Guang Province (广州, modern Guangdong) -- considered to be a demotion and an exile. He even considered executing Tao, but fearful that killing Tao would lead to reactions from the general Zhou Fang (周访), whose daughter was Tao's daughter-in-law, he allowed Tao to report to Guang Province, which had been in control of the semi-rebel Wang Ji (王机). Upon arrival in Guang Province, Tao defeated Wang easily and pacified the province. As the provincial affairs did not require him to work all day, Tao developed the exercise habit of moving a hundred bricks a day from his study to his courtyard, and then from the courtyard back to the study, reasoning that he needed to continue to exercise himself for future campaigns to recover central China. He was therefore often cited in Chinese history as an example of the importance of physical exercise.

Later career

When Wang Dun rebelled against Emperor Yuan in 322, Emperor Yuan commissioned Tao to be the governor of Jiang Province (江州, modern Jiangxi) with intent that Tao participate in attacking Wang's rear. However, Tao sent only a small force to assist Sima Cheng the governor of Xiang Province (湘州, modern Hunan), who was loyal to Emperor Yuan, and Tao's force was insufficient to prevent Sima Cheng from being defeated and killed by Wang. After Wang was successful in capturing the capital Jiankang and forcing Emperor Yuan to submit to his will, he kept Tao at Guang Province. Subsequently, after Wang died during his campaign to overthrow Emperor Ming in 324, Emperor Ming made Tao the governor of Jing Province and military commander of the western provinces. He was effective in that role—and the military improvements he made later helped to pave the way for Huan Wen's later campaign to conquer Cheng Han in 347.

However, Tao became resentful when Emperor Ming died in 325 and failed to list him among the officials who were promoted or honored—leading him to suspect that Emperor Ming's brother-in-law, the regent Yu Liang, had erased his name. As a result, Yu became apprehensive of Tao, and subsequently, when Su Jun rebelled in 327 and attacked Jiankang, he ordered Wen Jiao the governor of Jiang Province not to come to Jiankang's aid but instead defend against a possible Tao attack, and this contributed to Jiankang's fall to Su in 328.

After Jiankang fell, Yu fled to Wen's domain, and they considered how they could defeat Su. Wen's cousin Wen Chong (温充) suggested that they offer the title of the supreme commander to Tao, and they did so. However, Tao was still resentful of Yu and therefore initially refused. Eventually, however, after his anger was over, he accepted, and he, Wen, and Yu combined their forces and headed east to Jiankang. In winter 328, during a battle with Su, Su was killed, and they subsequently defeated the remnants of Su's army in 329. For his contributions, Tao was created the Duke of Changsha. When he later suppressed the rebellion of Guo Mo in 330, he was given the military command over eight provinces—an extreme authority not even matched by Wang Dun. As he grew ill in 334, he resigned and tried to retire to his dukedom of Changsha, but died on the way.