Xiahou Yuan

Historical Record

Xiahou Yuan, styled Miaocai, was a clan younger brother of Cao Cao, renowned for his bravery and skill in battle. He followed Cao Cao from his early years and played an important role in the early days of Cao Cao's enterprise. In the fifth year of Jian'an (200 CE), after Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, Xiahou Yuan also took part in the campaign to pacify Hebei. In the sixteenth year of Jian'an (211 CE), when Ma Chao, Han Sui, and other Guanzhong lords raised troops against Cao, Cao Cao campaigned in person, and Xiahou Yuan went along, performing outstandingly at the Battle of Weinan and helping Cao Cao defeat the combined armies of Ma Chao and Han Sui^[1]. Thereafter, Xiahou Yuan was appointed General Who Conquers the West, responsible for garrisoning the Guanzhong region, and repeatedly put down rebellions. For example, he was ordered to campaign against Song Jian, who had entrenched himself at Fuhan for more than thirty years; in just over a month he took Fuhan, slew Song Jian and his followers, and pacified the Longyou region^[2]. Cao Cao greatly praised this, calling him "striding like a tiger through Guanyou, invincible wherever he went." He also joined generals such as Zhang He in pacifying the Fu bandit Liang Xing and the Di people of Wudu^[3].

In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215 CE), Cao Cao campaigned west against Zhang Lu, and Xiahou Yuan led the various generals, lords, and kings of Liang Province to join Cao Cao at Xiuting. After Zhang Lu surrendered and Hanzhong was pacified, Xiahou Yuan was appointed Protector-General and oversaw Zhang He, Xu Huang, and others in pacifying Ba Commandery^[2]. After Cao Cao returned to Ye, he left Xiahou Yuan to garrison Hanzhong and formally appointed him General Who Conquers the West. In the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218 CE), Liu Bei led troops to attack Yangping Pass, and Xiahou Yuan led the various generals in resistance; the two sides were locked in stalemate for more than a year. In the first month of the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an (219 CE), Liu Bei launched a night attack on the abatis; Xiahou Yuan divided his forces to send relief but was attacked by Liu Bei's army and ultimately fell in battle at Mount Dingjun^[2]. His death dealt a major blow to Cao Wei's military deployment in Hanzhong. After Xiahou Yuan's death, he was posthumously honored as Marquis Min.

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Xiahou Yuan's image is further developed on the basis of the histories, especially emphasizing his bravery and loyalty to Cao Cao. He first appears in Chapter 5, bringing a thousand stalwarts along with his clan elder brother Xiahou Dun to join Cao Cao, and is introduced as Cao Cao's clan younger brother^[4]. In the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Xiahou Yuan joined Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, and other trusted generals of Cao Cao in pursuing Dong Zhuo^[5].

In the novel, Xiahou Yuan repeatedly campaigned with Cao Cao and took part in many important military actions. For instance, in Cao Cao's Battle of Puyang against Lü Bu, Xiahou Yuan joined Dian Wei in rescuing the trapped Cao Cao^[6]. After Cao Cao pacified Hebei, Xiahou Yuan was enfeoffed as a general and ranked among the important generals of the Cao camp^[7]. At the Battle of Changban, Xiahou Yuan joined Cao Ren, Li Dian, and others in pursuing Liu Bei but was intimidated by Zhang Fei's single roar at the head of Changban Bridge and dared not advance^[8]. Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Xiahou Yuan also appeared in the deployment of Cao Cao's combined land and naval forces^[9].

The novel also portrays Xiahou Yuan's character through certain details. For example, at Cao Cao's Battle of Weinan against Ma Chao, Xiahou Yuan was indignant when Cao Cao lamented, "If this lad Ma does not die, I shall have no place to be buried," and, disregarding Cao Cao's dissuasion, led troops out to fight Ma Chao, only to be pursued by Ma Chao in turn, escaping danger only when Cao Cao personally came to his aid^[10]. This reflects his impatient nature and his bravery without strategy, matching the appraisal by Fa Zheng and Liu Ye of him as "rash, presuming on valor, with little strategy." In the course of pacifying Hanzhong, Xiahou Yuan also slew enemy generals such as Yang Ren and Chang Qi, displaying his martial skill^[11].

Xiahou Yuan's end is depicted more dramatically in the novel. At the Battle of Mount Dingjun, Xiahou Yuan ignored Zhang He's advice to "only hold firm" and insisted on giving battle, falling for Fa Zheng's stratagem. Huang Zhong, taking advantage of the Cao troops' exhaustion, launched a surprise attack on Xiahou Yuan and slew him before the lines^[12]. The novel also mentions that Xiahou Yuan's son Xiahou Mao, during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition, volunteered to campaign to avenge his father but was dissuaded by Wang Lang, yet was still appointed Grand Commander by Cao Rui, only to return in great defeat^[13].

Key Relationships

* Xiahou Dun (kin_of): Xiahou Yuan was Xiahou Dun's clan younger brother, and the two were important trusted generals in Cao Cao's camp. In the novel, they often appear together, as in the campaign against Dong Zhuo and the Battle of Puyang, where Xiahou Yuan once rescued his elder kinsman Xiahou Dun^[14].
* Cao Cao (kin_of): Xiahou Yuan was Cao Cao's clan younger brother, following him from the very beginning of his uprising and being one of Cao Cao's most trusted and relied-upon generals. Cao Cao once praised him as "striding like a tiger through Guanyou, invincible wherever he went"^[2].
* Cao Wei (serves): Xiahou Yuan was one of the founding meritorious officials of the Cao Wei regime, rendering brilliant military service in Cao Cao's unification of the north and establishment of the Cao Wei regime.
* Zhang He (colleague): Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He were an important pair of Cao Wei generals, especially during the garrisoning of Guanzhong and Hanzhong, when the two often fought together. After Xiahou Yuan fell in battle, Zhang He was raised to army commander and stabilized the army's morale^[15].
* Liu Bei (dies_in): Xiahou Yuan was ultimately slain by Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong at the Battle of Mount Dingjun in Hanzhong^[2].
* Huang Zhong (slayer): At the Battle of Mount Dingjun, Huang Zhong adopted Fa Zheng's stratagem and, taking advantage of the exhaustion from Xiahou Yuan's sortie, slew him, giving rise to the saying "the veteran Huang Zhong beheaded Xiahou at Mount Dingjun"^[12] (novel only).
* Fa Zheng (strategist_against): At the Battle of Mount Dingjun, Fa Zheng presented a stratagem to Liu Bei, luring Xiahou Yuan out to fight and ultimately bringing about his death in battle^[12] (novel only).
* Xiahou Mao (kin_of): Xiahou Yuan's son; in the novel, Xiahou Mao led troops on the Northern Expedition to avenge his father but, lacking ability, returned in great defeat^[13] (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Pacifying Longyou, Winning Cao Cao's Lavish Praise: Xiahou Yuan was ordered to campaign against Song Jian, entrenched at Fuhan, and took Fuhan and slew Song Jian in just over a month. For this Cao Cao issued an order praising him as "striding like a tiger through Guanyou, invincible wherever he went," and used Confucius's words "I and you are not his equal" to describe Xiahou Yuan's bravery and merit^[2].
* Battle of Weinan, Pursuing Ma Chao: At Cao Cao's Battle of Weinan against Ma Chao, Xiahou Yuan joined Cao Hong in pursuing Ma Chao. In the novel, when Ma Chao chased Cao Cao and Cao Cao panicked, dropping his riding whip, it was Cao Hong and then the arriving Xiahou Yuan who kept Ma Chao from succeeding^[1].
* Death at Mount Dingjun: This was the most decisive scene of Xiahou Yuan's life. In the contest for Hanzhong, Xiahou Yuan garrisoned Mount Dingjun and faced the attack of Liu Bei's army. He ignored Zhang He's dissuasion and insisted on giving battle, falling for Fa Zheng's stratagem, and was slain by the veteran Huang Zhong who seized the opportunity^[2]. In the novel, Huang Zhong even "cut him in two from head and shoulder," greatly heightening the tragic grandeur of this scene and Huang Zhong's valor^[12].
* Intimidating Zhang Fei at Changban: In the novel, at the Battle of Changban, Xiahou Yuan joined Cao Ren, Li Dian, and others in pursuing Liu Bei. When they reached Changban Bridge, they were intimidated by Zhang Fei's single roar and dared not approach, buying time for Cao Cao^[8] (novel only).
* The Archery Contest for the Robe: In the novel, Cao Cao once held a feast with a martial contest, where Xiahou Yuan tested his archery against Xu Huang, Xu Chu, and others. Xiahou Yuan hit the bullseye with one arrow, Xu Huang shot through the willow branch to seize the brocade robe, and Xu Chu galloped up to snatch the robe—the three quarreled without resolution, displaying the valor and temperament of the Cao camp's generals^[16] (novel only).