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 (??).

Later, Tao served on the staff of the famed Jing Province (??,