Xiahou Yuan
Encyclopedia
Xiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao
during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun
against Liu Bei
's general Huang Zhong
in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min (愍侯), literally meaning "sympathetic marquis".
, Anhui
). He was a benefactor to his lord Cao Cao
, even during their younger days in the county. Chen Shou
's Records of Three Kingdoms
recorded an incident where Cao Cao committed a crime, for which Xiahou Yuan took the blame, though the innocent man was eventually acquitted through efforts by Cao.
In 190, Cao Cao started raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo
, the tyrannical warlord who held Emperor Xian
hostage in the imperial court. Xiahou Yuan heeded his call together with his older cousin Xiahou Dun
, and was promoted to Administrator of Chenliu (陳留) and Yingchuan (穎川). He stayed close with Cao Cao to fight Dong Zhuo's generals Li Jue and Guo Si
around the area, but apparently seemed unable to suppress the ferocious Liang Province (涼州) forces there. For subsequent years, Xiahou Yuan took care of Cao Cao's logistics during his various regional campaigns.
During the End of Han Dynasty
, the Chinese population was plagued with hardships due to devastations caused by war and nature, and even the affluent Xiahou family was no exception. Xiahou Yuan's daughter had to go out to gather firewood to help out the family because their family income was not enough to buy firewood from the market. When Liu Bei
submitted to Cao Cao after he lost to another warlord, Lu Bu
, his subordinate, Zhang Fei, took the opportunity to abduct
Xiahou's daughter in her last trip to gather firewood for her family. Xiahou Yuan's daughter was made Zhang's wife, and gave birth to two daughters who were later married to Liu Shan
and became the empresses of the state of Shu Han
.
. The fact that Cao Cao's army recovered so quick after the defeat at Red Cliffs was partly due to Xiahou Yuan's timely transport of materials. Xiahou Yuan kept his role in logistic management until the end of the Battle of Jiangling
, in which Cao Cao ceded southern Jing Province to the allied forces of Sun Quan
and Liu Bei.
In 213, Ma Chao
besieged the city of Ji (east of present day Gangu, Gansu
) in Liang Province. After 8 months of continuous request of reinforcement from the city, Xiahou Yuan finally led a force to its rescue, but Jicheng fell before he could arrive. Ma Chao, aware of his enemy's coming, ambushed Xiahou's force 44.9 miles outside Ji. Xiahou's troops were outmatched on the open field, and were forced to retreat. Two years later, Ma Chao attacked Mount Qi (祁山). Many believed that Cao Cao's order was required before help could be sent, but Xiahou Yuan decided that it would take too long to seek the approval of his lord, who was 449 miles away in Ye City
. He then took over the initiative and sent out Zhang He
with 5,000 troops as the vanguard, while he tailed behind with military supplies. By the time Xiahou Yuan arrived at Mount Qi, Zhang He had already defeated Ma Chao.
After the victory, Xiahou Yuan began to prepare for an offensive against Ma Chao's ally, Han Sui
. When Han Sui got wind of Xiahou's plan, he retreated westwards. Xiahou Yuan then chased him all the way to Lueyang (略阳). Understanding that Han Sui's force was largely made up of men from the Qiang tribe in Changli (长离), he decided to attack Changli in order to draw Han Sui out from behind fortifications. Leaving behind most of his supplies, Xiahou Yuan led his cavalry and light infantry to ransack Changli, killing numerous inhabitants there. True to his predictions, Han Sui came to the tribe's rescue. Seeing that they were outnumbered, Xiahou Yuan's men wanted to build defense works before engaging the enemy. However, believing that such construction would further exhaust his troops, who were already worn from the travel, Xiahou Yuan ordered an immediate attack on his just arrived rival, and his army ultimately prevailed.
ruler to flee to Hanzhong, and incorporated surrendered forces into his own. In 214, Xiahou Yuan led his combined forces to invade Song Jian, who established a tiny kingdom 30 years ago. Song Jian's capital was besieged for only a month or so, before it was captured by Xiahou Yuan. Xiahou Yuan beheaded Song Jian and all of his subjects. The Qiang and Di tribesmen were terrified by Song Jian's quick downfall and the massacre that followed. Thus, by 215, most of the Qiang tribes had surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was full of praise for Xiahou Yuan. Quoting Confucius
, he said to Xiahou Yuan, "I cannot do as well as you". Thereafter, Cao Cao always had Xiahou Yuan next to him when he had meetings with the Qiang or Di chieftains.
to Cao Cao. Xiahou Yuan was then left in defense of this strategic commandery that lay between the territories of Cao Cao and Liu Bei
. The year after, Liu Bei led a force upon Hanzhong, and faced Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass (陽平關).
The confrontation dragged on for more than a year. One night, Liu Bei set fire to the barbed fence Xiahou Yuan erected around his camp at the foot of Mount Dingjun
. Alarmed by the attack, Xiahou Yuan sent Zhang He to defend the eastern corner of the camp, while he guarded the south. Liu Bei's main force pressed against Zhang He, outmatching the latter. Xiahou Yuan had to dispatch a fraction of his own troops to Zhang He's rescue. Accompanied by thundering drums, a division of Liu Bei's troops led by Huang Zhong
suddenly descended upon Xiahou Yuan's dwindling force. The battle became a rout and Xiahou Yuan was killed in action. Hanzhong soon fell to Liu Bei's forces and would not be reclaimed until decades later.
After his death, Xiahou Yuan was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min, literally meaning "sympathetic marquis". He had seven sons, and was succeeded by his eldest, Xiahou Heng.
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. The Battle of Mount Dingjun, where Xiahou Yuan lost his life, was given a huge dramatic makeup by Luo.
In the novel, Xiahou Yuan stationed his troops on Mount Dingjun and effectively resisted the advance of Huang Zhong
, a general serving under Liu Bei
. Under the council of advisor Fa Zheng
, Huang Zhong occupied Mount Tiandang
, a taller peak that lay to the west of Mount Dingjun. From this new vantage point Huang Zhong had an excellent view of Xiahou Yuan's troop movements.
Xiahou Yuan could not tolerate his enemy spying on him and insisted on attacking Mount Tiandang, though Zhang He tried to dissuade him from doing so. Setting out his troops to surround Mount Tiandang, Xiahou Yuan rode forth and challenged his enemy to battle. However, Huang Zhong refused to engage him.
In the afternoon, Fa Zheng saw from his lookout post near the peak that Xiahou Yuan's troops had grown tired and dispirited. He then hoisted a red flag, signalling Huang Zhong to attack. Amid deafening drums and war horns, Huang Zhong's troops rushed downhill with Huang himself galloping in the forefront. Before he could react, Xiahou Yuan was sliced into two below his shoulders by Huang Zhong. With their commander dead, Xiahou Yuan's soldiers were easily defeated and Mount Dingjun was taken.
When Cao Cao heard of Xiahou Yuan's death, he broke down in tears. Only then did he understand the words of the soothsayer Guan Lu
(管辂):
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun
Battle of Mount Dingjun
The Battle of Mount Dingjun was fought between the warlords Liu Bei and Cao Cao in 219 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Liu Bei's victory in the battle marked a major milestone in his Hanzhong Campaign.-The battle:...
against Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
's general Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle...
in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min (愍侯), literally meaning "sympathetic marquis".
Early life and career
Xiahou Yuan was born in the county of Qiao (譙; present-day BozhouBozhou
Bozhou is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and the province of Henan to the north.-Administration:...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
). He was a benefactor to his lord Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
, even during their younger days in the county. Chen Shou
Chen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
's Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
recorded an incident where Cao Cao committed a crime, for which Xiahou Yuan took the blame, though the innocent man was eventually acquitted through efforts by Cao.
In 190, Cao Cao started raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
, the tyrannical warlord who held Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian of Han
Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
hostage in the imperial court. Xiahou Yuan heeded his call together with his older cousin Xiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
, and was promoted to Administrator of Chenliu (陳留) and Yingchuan (穎川). He stayed close with Cao Cao to fight Dong Zhuo's generals Li Jue and Guo Si
Guo Si
Guo Si , also known as Guo Duo , was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He assisted Dong in his many campaigns, and was placed under Dong's son-in-law after Dong relocate the imperial capital to Chang'an...
around the area, but apparently seemed unable to suppress the ferocious Liang Province (涼州) forces there. For subsequent years, Xiahou Yuan took care of Cao Cao's logistics during his various regional campaigns.
During the End of Han Dynasty
End of Han Dynasty
The End of the Han Dynasty refers to the period from 189 to 220, which roughly coincides with the reign of the Han Dynasty's last ruler, Emperor Xian. During this period, the Han empire's institutions were destroyed by the warlord Dong Zhuo, and fractured into regional regimes ruled by various...
, the Chinese population was plagued with hardships due to devastations caused by war and nature, and even the affluent Xiahou family was no exception. Xiahou Yuan's daughter had to go out to gather firewood to help out the family because their family income was not enough to buy firewood from the market. When Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
submitted to Cao Cao after he lost to another warlord, Lu Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
, his subordinate, Zhang Fei, took the opportunity to abduct
Abduction
-Of a person or people:* Kidnapping, the taking away of a person against the person's will** Alien abduction, memories of being taken by apparently nonhuman entities** Bride kidnapping, a practice in which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry...
Xiahou's daughter in her last trip to gather firewood for her family. Xiahou Yuan's daughter was made Zhang's wife, and gave birth to two daughters who were later married to Liu Shan
Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
and became the empresses of the state of Shu Han
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
.
Subjugation of Liang Province
Xiahou Yuan was placed in charge of the food supplied to troops in Yan Province (兗州), Yu Province (豫州), and Xu Province (徐州) during the Battle of Red CliffsBattle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
. The fact that Cao Cao's army recovered so quick after the defeat at Red Cliffs was partly due to Xiahou Yuan's timely transport of materials. Xiahou Yuan kept his role in logistic management until the end of the Battle of Jiangling
Battle of Jiangling
The Battle of Jiangling was fought by the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei against Cao Cao during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, in which Cao Cao ceded southern Jing Province to the allied forces of Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
and Liu Bei.
In 213, Ma Chao
Ma Chao
Ma Chao was the oldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill...
besieged the city of Ji (east of present day Gangu, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
) in Liang Province. After 8 months of continuous request of reinforcement from the city, Xiahou Yuan finally led a force to its rescue, but Jicheng fell before he could arrive. Ma Chao, aware of his enemy's coming, ambushed Xiahou's force 44.9 miles outside Ji. Xiahou's troops were outmatched on the open field, and were forced to retreat. Two years later, Ma Chao attacked Mount Qi (祁山). Many believed that Cao Cao's order was required before help could be sent, but Xiahou Yuan decided that it would take too long to seek the approval of his lord, who was 449 miles away in Ye City
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
. He then took over the initiative and sent out Zhang He
Zhang He
Zhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death....
with 5,000 troops as the vanguard, while he tailed behind with military supplies. By the time Xiahou Yuan arrived at Mount Qi, Zhang He had already defeated Ma Chao.
After the victory, Xiahou Yuan began to prepare for an offensive against Ma Chao's ally, Han Sui
Han Sui
Han Sui was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. For most of his life he was active in Liang Province and was involved in several rebellions against the Han Dynasty and against the warlord Cao Cao.-Biography:With the backing of the Qiang people who populated much of...
. When Han Sui got wind of Xiahou's plan, he retreated westwards. Xiahou Yuan then chased him all the way to Lueyang (略阳). Understanding that Han Sui's force was largely made up of men from the Qiang tribe in Changli (长离), he decided to attack Changli in order to draw Han Sui out from behind fortifications. Leaving behind most of his supplies, Xiahou Yuan led his cavalry and light infantry to ransack Changli, killing numerous inhabitants there. True to his predictions, Han Sui came to the tribe's rescue. Seeing that they were outnumbered, Xiahou Yuan's men wanted to build defense works before engaging the enemy. However, believing that such construction would further exhaust his troops, who were already worn from the travel, Xiahou Yuan ordered an immediate attack on his just arrived rival, and his army ultimately prevailed.
Subjugation of the Qiang and Di tribes
With Han Sui removed, Xiahou Yuan went on to put down other oppositions in the region, he forced the DiDi (ethnic group)
The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...
ruler to flee to Hanzhong, and incorporated surrendered forces into his own. In 214, Xiahou Yuan led his combined forces to invade Song Jian, who established a tiny kingdom 30 years ago. Song Jian's capital was besieged for only a month or so, before it was captured by Xiahou Yuan. Xiahou Yuan beheaded Song Jian and all of his subjects. The Qiang and Di tribesmen were terrified by Song Jian's quick downfall and the massacre that followed. Thus, by 215, most of the Qiang tribes had surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was full of praise for Xiahou Yuan. Quoting Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
, he said to Xiahou Yuan, "I cannot do as well as you". Thereafter, Cao Cao always had Xiahou Yuan next to him when he had meetings with the Qiang or Di chieftains.
Death
In 216, Zhang Lu surrendered HanzhongHanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
to Cao Cao. Xiahou Yuan was then left in defense of this strategic commandery that lay between the territories of Cao Cao and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. The year after, Liu Bei led a force upon Hanzhong, and faced Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass (陽平關).
The confrontation dragged on for more than a year. One night, Liu Bei set fire to the barbed fence Xiahou Yuan erected around his camp at the foot of Mount Dingjun
Mount Dingjun
Dingjun Mountain is a mountain in the Mian County of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China. It is situated across Tiandang Mountain, separated by the Han River, and is near the old Yangping Pass....
. Alarmed by the attack, Xiahou Yuan sent Zhang He to defend the eastern corner of the camp, while he guarded the south. Liu Bei's main force pressed against Zhang He, outmatching the latter. Xiahou Yuan had to dispatch a fraction of his own troops to Zhang He's rescue. Accompanied by thundering drums, a division of Liu Bei's troops led by Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle...
suddenly descended upon Xiahou Yuan's dwindling force. The battle became a rout and Xiahou Yuan was killed in action. Hanzhong soon fell to Liu Bei's forces and would not be reclaimed until decades later.
After his death, Xiahou Yuan was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min, literally meaning "sympathetic marquis". He had seven sons, and was succeeded by his eldest, Xiahou Heng.
Family
- Cousins:
- Xiahou DunXiahou DunXiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
, served as a general under Cao CaoCao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled... - Xiahou Lian (夏侯廉), Xiahou Dun's younger brother
- Xiahou Dun
- Spouse: Lady Ding (丁氏), younger sister of Cao Cao's concubine Lady Ding
- Children:
- Xiahou Heng (夏侯衡), inherited the title of Marquis Min, later granted title of Marquis of Anning
- Xiahou BaXiahou BaXiahou Ba , style name Zhongquan , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, served as Left General-Protector of the Army, defected to Shu HanShu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
after Cao ShuangCao ShuangCao Shuang , style name Zhaobo , was a military general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the son of Cao Zhen...
's death - Xiahou Cheng (夏侯稱), talented in military arts, once killed a tiger with bow and arrows at the age of 16, favoured by Cao Cao and Cao Pi, died at the age of 18
- Xiahou WeiXiahou WeiXiahou Wei, style name Jiquan , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.The fourth son of Xiahou Yuan, and trained as a horse archer like his father, he would succeed to the head of Xiahou Yuan's troops after the Battle of Mount Dingjun...
, served as Inspector of Jing and Yan provinces - Xiahou Rong (夏侯榮), talented in literary arts, possessed a good memory, killed in action in Hanzhong at the age of 13 while attempting to avenge his father
- Xiahou HuiXiahou HuiXiahou Hui, style name Zhiquan , was an official of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the sixth child of Xiahou Yuan. He was known to be skilled in debating since his youth. He served as Grand Marshal of Cao Wei together with his younger brother Xiahou He.-See...
(夏侯惠), skilled in debating, served as Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, Chancellor of Yan, and Prefect of Le'an, died at the age of 37 - Xiahou HeXiahou HeXiahou He was an official of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Xiahou was the seventh son of the famous general Xiahou Yuan. It is known that Xiahou He was a very eloquent speaker very well versed in the art of war...
, skilled in debating, served as Intendant of Henan, and Minister of Ceremonies - Lady Xiahou (夏侯氏), personal name unknown, captured by Zhang Fei's troops while out gathering firewood at the age of 13 or 14, married Zhang Fei
- Grandchildren:
- Xiahou Ji (夏侯績), son of Xiahou Heng, served as Rapid as Tigers General of the Household
- Xiahou Jun (夏侯駿), oldest son of Xiahou Wei, served as Inspector of Bing Province
- Xiahou Zhuang (夏侯莊), second son of Xiahou Wei, married Empress Jingyang of Jin's younger sister, served as Prefect of Huainan
- Great-grandchildren:
- Xiahou Bao (夏侯褒), son of Xiahou Ji
- Xiahou Zhan (夏侯湛), son of Xiahou Zhuang, served as chancellor of Nanyang, and Intendant of Cavalry
- Xiahou Guangji (夏侯光姬), daughter of Xiahou Zhuang, married Sima Guan (司馬覲), mother of Emperor Yuan of JinEmperor Yuan of JinEmperor Yuan of Jin , personal name Sima Rui , courtesy name Jingwen , was an emperor of the Jin Dynasty and the first of the Eastern Jin Dynasty...
In fiction
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. The Battle of Mount Dingjun, where Xiahou Yuan lost his life, was given a huge dramatic makeup by Luo.
In the novel, Xiahou Yuan stationed his troops on Mount Dingjun and effectively resisted the advance of Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle...
, a general serving under Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. Under the council of advisor Fa Zheng
Fa Zheng
Fa Zheng , style name Xiaozhi , was an advisor to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history....
, Huang Zhong occupied Mount Tiandang
Mount Tiandang
Mount Tiandang is a mountain in the Hanzhong region of China....
, a taller peak that lay to the west of Mount Dingjun. From this new vantage point Huang Zhong had an excellent view of Xiahou Yuan's troop movements.
Xiahou Yuan could not tolerate his enemy spying on him and insisted on attacking Mount Tiandang, though Zhang He tried to dissuade him from doing so. Setting out his troops to surround Mount Tiandang, Xiahou Yuan rode forth and challenged his enemy to battle. However, Huang Zhong refused to engage him.
In the afternoon, Fa Zheng saw from his lookout post near the peak that Xiahou Yuan's troops had grown tired and dispirited. He then hoisted a red flag, signalling Huang Zhong to attack. Amid deafening drums and war horns, Huang Zhong's troops rushed downhill with Huang himself galloping in the forefront. Before he could react, Xiahou Yuan was sliced into two below his shoulders by Huang Zhong. With their commander dead, Xiahou Yuan's soldiers were easily defeated and Mount Dingjun was taken.
When Cao Cao heard of Xiahou Yuan's death, he broke down in tears. Only then did he understand the words of the soothsayer Guan Lu
Guan Lu
Guan Lu was a famed practicer of divination during the Three Kingdoms era of China. At one time Governor Wang Ji of Anping heard of the fame of Guan Lu and invited him to come on a visit, in which he went...
(管辂):
- Three and eight run criss-cross (The year was the twenty-fourth of Jian'an or AD 219);
- A yellow pig meets a tiger (It was the month of the tigerTiger (zodiac)The Tiger , is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Tiger is associated with the earthly branch symbol 寅.- Years and the Five Elements :...
in the year of the pig)Pig (zodiac)The Pig , is the last of the 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Pig is associated with the earthly branch Hai .In Chinese culture, the pig is associated with fertility and virility...
;
- South of the halted army (Actually the south of Mount Dingjun (which means a halted army));
- A limb will be lost (Referring to Xiahou Yuan, who was said to be a good, loyal friend and cousin of Cao Cao).
Modern references
- Xiahou Yuan is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty WarriorsDynasty Warriorsis a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
video game series. In the games he is portrayed as being a bit hapless, but powerful and loyal nonetheless. Furthermore, he refers to Xiahou Dun as his brother even though they were cousins historically. He at first wields a dao similar to Dun's but later it becomes a metal club.
- Xiahou Yuan also appears in all 11 installments of Koei's Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms (video game series), or Sangokushi in Japanese, is a series of turn-based tactical role-playing simulation grand strategy wargames produced by Koei. Originating from Japan in 1985, eleven installments of the game have been published in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and North America to date.-Overview:The games are...
series.
- Xiahou Yuan is also featured in the real-time wargame Kessen IIKessen IIis a strategy game loosely based on the Three Kingdoms period of China. It is the sequel to Kessen in name only; both Kessen and the later sequel Kessen III are based on events in Japan....
, also produced by Koei.