Zhang Hua
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 (孫秀, not to be confused with the Eastern Wu emperor or Sima Lun's advisor), a member of the Eastern Wu imperial household.