Xiahou Yuan - in Fiction

In Fiction

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, 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):

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 tiger in the year of the pig);

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).