Ding Yi

Historical Record

Ding Yi, courtesy name Zhengli, was a native of Pei Commandery. His father Ding Chong had long enjoyed a friendship with Cao Cao and had offered him counsel. At the outset of Cao Cao's pacification of the realm, Ding Chong urged him to escort the Son of Heaven on his return to the east at Xu, and Cao Cao accordingly appointed Ding Chong as Colonel-Director of Retainers of Sili Province. Ding Chong later died from excessive drinking, and Cao Cao, mindful of his old kindness, often kept his virtue in heart. Ding Yi himself was a man of overflowing talent, and from an early age was renowned as a gifted gentleman. Cao Cao once wished to marry his beloved daughter to Ding Yi, but the General of the Household for All Purposes, Cao Pi, dissuaded him on the grounds of Ding Yi's eye ailment, arguing that the princess might be displeased. Cao Cao therefore married his daughter to the son of the General Who Subdues the Waves. However, after Cao Cao recruited Ding Yi as a subordinate and conversed with him on matters of debate, he was deeply struck by the quickness of his mind, and sighed: "Clerk Ding is a fine gentleman; even were he blind in both eyes I would still give him my daughter—how much more so when he is merely half-sighted? It is my son who has misled me." This shows how greatly Cao Cao admired Ding Yi's talent, and how he regretted not having given his daughter to him. ^c:3

Ding Yi was intimate with the Marquis of Linzi, Cao Zhi, and on many occasions praised Cao Zhi's extraordinary talent before Cao Cao. During the period when Cao Cao hesitated over the succession, Ding Yi, together with Ding Yi (Ding Yi the younger), Yang Xiu, and others, actively worked to secure the position of heir apparent for Cao Zhi, so that Cao Cao at one point wavered over whether to install Cao Zhi as crown prince. ^c:2 Ding Yi enjoyed considerable favor at court, but his conduct thereby offended a number of upright men. For example, when Xu Yi held offices such as Chief Clerk to the Chancellor and Inspector of Yong Province, Ding Yi and others, resentful of his uprightness, repeatedly slandered him in attempts to frame him, yet Xu Yi remained unmoved throughout. ^c:1 Mao Jie too, by reason of his rigid integrity, came into conflict with Ding Yi, who repeatedly spoke of his shortcomings; only thanks to the protection of Zhong Yao and others was he able to preserve himself. ^c:4

After Cao Pi was finally installed as crown prince, he harbored resentment against Ding Yi, who had supported Cao Zhi. As soon as Cao Pi ascended as King of Wei, he immediately moved to settle accounts with Ding Yi and his younger brother Ding Yi. He first appointed Ding Yi as Right Clerk for the Investigation of Treachery, intending to force him to take his own life, but Ding Yi did not comply. Ding Yi knocked his head to the ground before the Central Leader of the Army, Xiahou Shang, pleading for mercy; though Xiahou Shang wept for him, he was powerless to save him. In the end, Ding Yi, along with Ding Yi and the male members of their households, were arrested, imprisoned, and put to death. ^c:3

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, the figure of Ding Yi centers chiefly on his steadfast support of Cao Zhi and the revenge this brought down upon him from Cao Pi—broadly consistent with the historical record, but exaggerated and dramatized in detail and presentation. In the novel, the brothers Ding Yi and Ding Yi (the younger) are portrayed as Cao Zhi's confidants and strategists, key members of the Cao Zhi faction during Cao Cao's hesitation over the succession. ^c:2

The novel places particular emphasis on Cao Pi's cruel revenge against the Ding brothers after his accession. Following Cao Cao's death, when Cao Pi ascended as King of Wei, Hua Xin advised him that the Marquis of Linzi, Cao Zhi, and the Marquis of Xiaohuai, Cao Xiong, had failed to come to mourn and ought to be charged with a crime. When an envoy went to the residence of the Marquis of Linzi, the Ding brothers were drinking heavily with Cao Zhi and showed great disrespect to Cao Pi's envoy. Ding Yi even cursed the envoy to his face, accusing Cao Pi of forgetting the bonds of brotherhood, and reasserting that the late king had originally wished to install Cao Zhi as heir, only to be obstructed by slanderous ministers. Ding Yi (the younger) chimed in that Cao Zhi was the most brilliant in the world and rightly should have inherited the throne, while the great ministers of the court failed to recognize talent. In the end, incited by the Ding brothers, Cao Zhi angrily ordered his guards to drive the envoy out with cudgels. ^c:5 This episode is not recorded in the histories; it is an artistic embellishment by the novel to highlight the loyalty of the Ding brothers and Cao Pi's cruelty. The novel's treatment of the brothers' end accords with the historical record—after his accession, Cao Pi executed Ding Yi, Ding Yi (the younger), and the male members of their households together—but the novel places greater emphasis on their fierce words and contempt for Cao Pi before their deaths.

Key Relationships

* Xu Yi (enemy_of): The histories record that Ding Yi and others, resentful of Xu Yi's uprightness, repeatedly slandered him in attempts to frame him, yet Xu Yi remained unmoved throughout. ^c:1
* Cao Zhi (friend_of): Ding Yi was intimate with Cao Zhi and a core member of the Cao Zhi faction. During Cao Cao's hesitation over the succession, Ding Yi, together with Ding Yi (the younger), Yang Xiu, and others, actively worked to secure the position of heir apparent for Cao Zhi. ^c:2 In the novel, Ding Yi is an even more steadfast champion of Cao Zhi; even after Cao Pi's accession he still drank with Cao Zhi and spoke insolently to Cao Pi's envoy, demonstrating his loyalty to Cao Zhi. ^c:5
* Cao Pi (enemy_of): Cao Pi was Ding Yi's mortal foe. Ding Yi incurred Cao Pi's enmity by supporting Cao Zhi. After his accession, Cao Pi harbored resentment against Ding Yi and ultimately executed Ding Yi, Ding Yi (the younger), and the male members of their households together. ^c:3 In the novel, Ding Yi continued to show great disrespect to Cao Pi even after his accession, further deepening the hostility between the two. ^c:5
* Mao Jie (rival_of): Like Xu Yi, Mao Jie, by reason of his rigid integrity, came into conflict with Ding Yi, who repeatedly spoke of his shortcomings in attempts to frame him; only thanks to the protection of Zhong Yao and others was he able to preserve himself. ^c:4

Signature Scenes

* Cao Cao wishes to marry his daughter to Ding Yi: On account of Ding Yi's outstanding talent, Cao Cao once wished to marry his beloved daughter to him. Although it ultimately came to nothing, after conversing with Ding Yi in debate Cao Cao still sighed: "Clerk Ding is a fine gentleman; even were he blind in both eyes I would still give him my daughter—how much more so when he is merely half-sighted? It is my son who has misled me." This scene fully displays Cao Cao's exceedingly high regard for Ding Yi's talent and his cherishing of able men. ^c:3
* Contesting the succession for Cao Zhi: Ding Yi, together with Ding Yi (the younger), Yang Xiu, and others, actively worked to secure the position of heir apparent for Cao Zhi, causing Cao Cao to waver over the succession. This was an important chapter in Ding Yi's political career and directly led to his conflict with Cao Pi. ^c:2
* Conflict with Xu Yi and Mao Jie: Because of his power and his support of Cao Zhi, Ding Yi came into conflict with the upright Xu Yi, Mao Jie, and others, repeatedly attempting to frame them. This reflects the complex political struggles and factional antagonisms at court at the time. ^c:1, ^c:4
* Executed after Cao Pi's accession: After Cao Pi ascended as King of Wei, he settled accounts with Ding Yi and his younger brother Ding Yi (the younger), ultimately executing them together with the male members of their households. Ding Yi pleaded for mercy before Xiahou Shang, but could not be saved. ^c:3
* Cursing Cao Pi's envoy (unique to the novel): In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, after Cao Cao's death Cao Pi sent an envoy to the residence of the Marquis of Linzi to lay charges. The Ding brothers were drinking heavily with Cao Zhi, and Ding Yi cursed the envoy to his face, accusing Cao Pi of forgetting the bonds of brotherhood, and reasserting that the late king had originally wished to install Cao Zhi as heir. This highly dramatic scene highlights Ding Yi's loyalty to Cao Zhi and his contempt for Cao Pi. ^c:5