51 Facts About Xiahou Yuan

Xiahou Yuan is known for his exploits in western China in the 210s, during which he defeated Cao Cao's rivals Ma Chao and Han Sui in Liang Province and the surrounding areas, and forced several Di and Qiang tribal peoples into submission.

Xiahou Yuan's death was highly dramatised in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in which he was slain by Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong during a surprise raid.

Xiahou Yuan was from Qiao County, Pei State, which is in present-day Bozhou, Anhui.

Xiahou Yuan was a younger cousin of Xiahou Dun and a descendant of Xiahou Ying, who served under the Han dynasty's founding emperor, Liu Bang.

Xiahou Yuan once helped Cao Cao shoulder the blame when Cao committed a serious offence.

Xiahou Yuan decided to sacrifice his youngest son in favour of his deceased younger brother's orphaned daughter.

In 190, when Cao Cao was raising an army to join the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Xiahou Yuan joined Cao and served as a Major of Separate Command and Cavalry Commandant under Cao.

Xiahou Yuan was appointed as the Administrator of Chenliu and Yingchuan commanderies.

In 200, when Cao Cao clashed with his rival Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu, Xiahou Yuan was appointed acting Colonel Who Inspects the Army.

Cao Cao's forces were lacking food supplies at that time, but Xiahou Yuan was able to deliver the supplies in time and this helped to boost the army's morale.

Yu Jin was unsuccessful, so Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Yuan to join Yu Jin in a second expedition against Chang Xi.

Xiahou Yuan was appointed Colonel Who Arranges the Army after his success.

Xiahou Yuan was known for the swift movements of his units in battle, and he often took his enemies by surprise.

Xiahou Yuan led military forces from Taishan, Qi and Pingyuan commanderies to attack the rebels.

Xiahou Yuan defeated them, killed Xu He, and pacified the various counties in the region.

Xiahou Yuan collected the enemy's food supplies and distributed them among his own troops.

In 211, Xiahou Yuan participated in the Battle of Tong Pass on Cao Cao's side against a coalition of western warlords led by Han Sui and Ma Chao, in which Cao emerged victorious against the coalition.

Xiahou Yuan held the appointment of acting General Who Protects the Army at the time.

Xiahou Yuan defeated a group of bandits led by Liu Xiong in Nanshan and forced them to surrender.

Xiahou Yuan besieged Liang Xing in Hu County and defeated and killed Liang Xing.

Xiahou Yuan wanted to lead reinforcements to help Wei Kang but arrived too late as Ji had already fallen to Ma Chao while Xiahou Yuan and his army were still more than 200 li away from Ji.

Xiahou Yuan would be unsuccessful against Ma Chao and he decided to withdraw his troops when he heard that the Di tribes in Qian County had started a rebellion.

When Xiahou Yuan's army arrived, most of the counties in Liang Province had been pacified.

Xiahou Yuan captured Han Sui's food supplies and pursued him to Lueyang County.

Xiahou Yuan chose neither of the two options as he knew that Han Sui's troops were well-prepared for battle and that Xingguo's fortifications were strong.

Xiahou Yuan pointed out that many of Han Sui's soldiers were Qiang tribesmen from Changli, so they would return to save their home if they heard that Changli was under attack.

Xiahou Yuan then ordered his subordinates to guard their supplies and heavy equipment while he led a unit of lightly armed infantry and cavalry to raid Changli, burning down many Qiang camps and killing many people.

Xiahou Yuan's men were fearful when they saw Han Sui's larger army, so they proposed setting up camps and defensive structures before fighting the enemy.

Xiahou Yuan attacked some Chuge encampments at Gaoping, drove the Chuge away, and captured their supplies and livestock.

Xiahou Yuan besieged Fuhan, conquered the county within months, and captured and executed Song Jian and all his followers.

Xiahou Yuan sent Zhang Xiahou Yuan to force the other Qiang tribes in the region to surrender.

Xiahou Yuan eliminated him in one movement and made an unprecedented achievement.

Subsequently, Xiahou Yuan led an attack on the Di and Qiang tribes of Wudu at Xiabian, capturing over 100,000 hu of grain.

When Cao Cao led his forces to attack the warlord Zhang Lu in Hanzhong Commandery, Xiahou Yuan led all the military officers and nobles in Liang Province to meet Cao Cao at Xiu Village.

Xiahou Yuan was appointed acting Protector-General and was ordered to pacify Ba Commandery with the aid of Zhang He and Xu Huang.

Xiahou Yuan was appointed General Who Attacks the West.

When Liu Bei's forces reached Yangping Pass, Xiahou Yuan led his men to resist the enemy and both sides were locked in a stalemate for nearly a year.

Xiahou Yuan then sent a fraction of his own troops to help Zhang He.

Xiahou Yuan was granted the posthumous title "Marquis Min", which literally means "sympathetic marquis".

Xiahou Yuan's spouse was a younger sister of one of Cao Cao's wives.

Xiahou Yuan defected to Wei's rival state, Shu Han, after the regent Sima Yi seized power from his co-regent Cao Shuang and became the de facto ruler of Wei.

Xiahou Yuan had five other sons who were younger than Xiahou Ba: Xiahou Cheng, Xiahou Wei, Xiahou Rong, Xiahou Hui and Xiahou He.

Xiahou Yuan then managed to break free and charge to the enemy with a sword in hand; he was killed in action.

Xiahou Yuan had a niece, Lady Xiahou, who was around 13 years old in 200 CE.

Xiahou Yuan was out gathering firewood when she was taken by Zhang Fei.

Xiahou Yuan became Zhang Fei's wife and bore him two daughters, who both later married Liu Shan and became Empress Jing'ai and Empress Zhang of the state of Shu Han.

Xiahou Yuan is featured as a character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period.

Xiahou Yuan made several appearances in the novel, notably one during an archery contest between Cao Cao's officers at the newly made Bronze Bird Tower where he was shown as the most talented archer.

Xiahou Yuan is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series.

Xiahou Yuan appears in all instalments of the strategy game series Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the real-time wargame Kessen II, all of which were produced by Koei.

Xiahou Yuan appears as a playable character in Total War: Three Kingdoms, and is prominently featured in the game as a general in the service of Cao Cao.