Xiahou Dun () (died 13 June 220), courtesy name Yuanrang, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.Sanguozhi vol.9. He served for a few months under Cao Cao's successor, Cao Pi, before his death. As one of Cao Cao's most trusted generals, Xiahou Dun aided the warlord in his campaigns against Lü Bu, Liu Bei, Sun Quan and others.
Xiahou Dun lost his left eye when he was a hit by a stray arrow during a battle against Lü Bu in the late 190s, and subsequently became known among the army as "Blind Xiahou".
Early life Xiahou Dun was from Qiao County (), Pei State (), in present-day Bozhou, Anhui. He was a descendant of Xiahou Ying, who served under the Han dynasty's founding emperor, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao). Though the family hadn't reached national prominence in the centuries since, they were a leading family in Pei, often intermarrying down the generations with the other prominent local Ding and Cao clans. Xiahou Dun first gained recognition when he killed a man who insulted his teacher when he was 13 years old.
In the 180s, possibly when Cao Cao was appointed Cavalry Commandant to help fight Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan, Xiahou Dun helped Cao Cao raise troops, and from then on would follow him across many a battle as his second in command. In 190, when Cao Cao was raising an army to participate in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Xiahou Dun became his Major (), and when they were defeated by Xu Rong at Suanzao, Xiahou Dun went with Cao Cao to recruit more troops in Yang Province, though they would face a mutiny among their new soldiers.Sanguozhi vol. 1. Xiahou Dun was sent to garrison Boma (白馬; near present-day Hua County, Henan), later promoted to Colonel Who Breaks and Charges (), and as Cao Cao became Governor of Yan in 192, Dun succeeded him as the Administrator () of Dong Commandery (東郡; the areas around present-day Puyang, Henan and Liaocheng, Shandong).(夏侯惇字元讓，沛國譙人，夏侯嬰之後也。 ... 年十四，就師學，人有辱其師者，惇殺之，由是以烈氣聞。太祖初起，惇常為裨將，從征伐。太祖行奮武將軍，以惇為司馬，別屯白馬，遷折衝校尉，領東郡太守。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
Defence of Yan Province
In 193, Cao Cao left his base in Yan Province on a campaign against Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province, whom he held responsible for the murder of his father Cao Song. Xiahou Dun was left behind in Dong commandery, stationed to hold its capital Puyang.(太祖征陶謙，留惇守濮陽。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
While Cao Cao was away in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled in Yan Province and invited the warlord Lü Bu to take Yan. However, Zhang Miao's attempt to reassure Xun Yu of Lü Bu's intent instead tipped Xun Yu off to the revolt, prompting Xun Yu to write to Xiahou Dun requesting that he reinforceSanguozhi vol.10. Juancheng County. Xiahou Dun led a lightly armed force towards Juancheng, but he encountered Lü Bu's army on the way and engaged the enemy in battle. Lü Bu withdrew his forces and took advantage of Xiahou Dun's absence to conquer Puyang, capturing much of Xiahou's supplies and equipment. Lü Bu later sent his men to pretend to surrender to Xiahou Dun, who fell for the ruse and was taken hostage by the enemy in his own camp. Lü Bu's men demanded a heavy ransom, and Xiahou Dun's troops panicked,(張邈叛迎呂布，太祖家在鄄城，惇輕軍往赴，適與布會，交戰。布退還，遂入濮陽，襲得惇軍輜重。遣將偽降，共執持惇，責以寶貨，惇軍中震恐。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. but Xiahou Dun's personally recruited subordinate Han HaoWeishu in Sanguozhi vol.9. settled the troops and ordered an attack on the surprised hostage-takers, who surrendered. Han Hao had them executed, and Xiahou Dun was rescued.(惇將韓浩乃勒兵屯惇營門，召軍吏諸將，皆案甲當部不得動，諸營乃定。遂詣惇所，叱持質者曰：「汝等凶逆，乃敢執劫大將軍，復欲望生邪！且吾受命討賊，寧能以一將軍之故，而縱汝乎？」因涕泣謂惇曰：「當柰國法何！」促召兵擊持質者。持質者惶遽叩頭，言「我但欲乞資用去耳」！浩數責，皆斬之。惇旣免，太祖聞之，謂浩曰：「卿此可為萬世法。」乃著令，自今已後有持質者，皆當并擊，勿顧質。由是劫質者遂絕。) Sanguozhi vol. 9.
Xiahou Dun then continued eastwards to Juancheng, reinforcing the small garrison there where a number of military officials had been plotting to join the revolt. The night he arrived, Xiahou Dun executed the plotters and settled the army. He also urged Xun Yu not to endanger himself by meeting with the wavering Inspector of Yu Province, Guo Gong, whose army had camped outside the city gates, as Dun feared the consequences of losing such a prominent official as Xun Yu. Xun Yu, however, went out and was able to persuade Guo Gong to withdraw. Xiahou Dun, Xun Yu and the local official Cheng Yu would comprise the core of the Cao loyalists preserving the slim remnant Cao holdings in eastern Yan.
When Cao Cao learned of the rebellion, he withdrew his army from Xu Province and returned to Yan Province to attack Lü Bu. Xiahou Dun participated in the campaign and was struck in the left eye by a stray arrow during a skirmish.(太祖自徐州還，惇從征呂布，為流矢所中，傷左目。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. As a result, when Dun and his cousin Xiahou Yuan had both reached the rank of General (putting this from 209 onwards), he was given the nickname "Blind Xiahou" () in Cao Cao's army. Xiahou Dun hated this nickname and would throw a mirror to the ground whenever he saw his own reflection.(魏略曰：時夏侯淵與惇俱為將軍，軍中號惇為盲夏侯。惇惡之，每照鏡，恚怒，輒撲鏡於地。) Weilue annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 9. Lü Bu and Cao Cao fought near Puyang for over one-hundred days, during which time Xiahou Dun's Major Dian Wei distinguished himself and was transferred to Cao Cao's personal guard.Sanguozhi vol.18. Eventually, famine forced both armies to withdraw, and in 195 Cao Cao drove Lü Bu out of Yan.Sanguozhi vol.7.
Mid-career
Xiahou Dun was appointed as the Administrator () of Chenliu (陳留; around present-day Kaifeng, Henan) commandery, the area once under Zhang Miao's control, where had a falling out with his personally appointed Reporting Officer Wei Zhen around 200. Xiahou Dun invited Wei Zhen to bring his wife out to the feast, to which Wei Zhen strongly objected to as inappropriate to the fury of Xiahou Dun who had his subordinate jailed but soon released him.夏侯惇为陈留太守，举臻计吏，命妇出宴，臻以为"末世之俗，非礼之正"。惇怒，执臻，既而赦之。
Sanguozhi vol.22. Then to Jiyin (濟陰; near present-day Dingtao County, Shandong) commandery, and held the rank of General Who Builds Martial Might (). He was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Gao'an District (). While he was in office, a drought broke out and there was a locust infestation in the region. To counter these problems, Xiahou Dun spearheaded an agricultural program, in which he instructed workers to dam up the Taishou River (太壽水; a tributary of the Huai River) to create a large pond. He personally participated in the construction works and also encouraged the people to grow crops in the inundated land. This program greatly aided the people during those years of severe famine. He was later reassigned to be the Intendant of Henan ().(復領陳留、濟陰太守，加建武將軍，封高安鄉侯。時大旱，蝗蟲起，惇乃斷太壽水作陂，身自負土，率將士勸種稻，民賴其利。轉領河南尹。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. In 198 Xiahou Dun was dispatched to Xu to reinforce the allied Liu Bei, who was under attack from Gao Shun on the orders of Lü Bu, but Gao Shun defeated Xiahou Dun then would drive out Liu Bei.
Xiahou Dun did not participate in Cao Cao's campaigns in northern China against Yuan Shao, Yuan's sons and their allies throughout the 200s CE. Instead, he held Henan, possibly the campaign being when he was made Intendant of Henan, helping keep Cao Cao's western flank secure and holding the Meng ford to protect the Ao Granary. In 202, Cao Cao's rival Liu Bei, who had sought refuge under Jing Province's governor Liu Biao, launched a series of raids into Cao Cao's lands. In response, Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin and Li Dian to lead an army to resist Liu Bei, both sides clashed at the Battle of Bowang. Liu Bei burnt his camps and feigned retreat to lure the enemy into an ambush. Xiahou Dun and his men fell for the trick and were defeated in the ambush.(曹公旣破紹，自南擊先主。先主遣麋笁、孫乾與劉表相聞，表自郊迎，以上賔禮待之，益其兵，使屯新野。荊州豪傑歸先主者日益多，表疑其心，陰禦之。使拒夏侯惇、于禁等於博望。乆之，先主設伏兵，一旦自燒屯偽遁，惇等追之，為伏兵所破。) Sanguozhi vol. 32. Li Dian, who warned Xiahou Dun about the danger of an ambush and did not join in the pursuit, led reinforcements to help Xiahou Dun and Yu Jin. Liu Bei withdrew his forces after seeing Li Dian's approach and the raid stopped.(劉表使劉備北侵，至葉，太祖遣典從夏侯惇拒之。備一旦燒屯去，惇率諸軍追擊之，典曰：「賊無故退，疑必有伏。南道窄狹，草木深，不可追也。」惇不聽，與于禁追之，典留守。惇等果入賊伏裏，戰不利，典往救，備望見救至，軍散退。) Sanguozhi vol. 18.
After the Battle of Ye in 204, Xiahou Dun was promoted to General Who Calms the Waves () but retained his appointment as the Intendant of Henan with the freedom to act on his own initiative without being restricted by regulations. In 205, Gao Gan encouraged revolts in Hedong with Wei Gu holding the Shan crossing and local loyal forces unable to cross, Xiahou Dun was sent but before he could arrive, Du Ji persuaded Xiahou Dun to let him go across with a small escort and plot with the local loyalists.Zizhi Tongjian: Chapter 64 On 21 March 207, as Cao Cao prepared to attack the remnants of the Yuan family, he rewarded 20 of his officers with greater enoffments with Xiahou Dun granted an additional 1,800 taxable households in his marquisate in recognition of his contributions, bringing the total number of households to 2,500.(太祖平河北，為大將軍後拒。鄴破，遷伏波將軍，領尹如故，使得以便宜從事，不拘科制。 ... 建安十二年，錄惇前後功，增封邑千八百戶，并前二千五百戶。) Sanguozhi vol. 9. Xiahou Dun befriended Tian Chou and would be sent by Cao Cao to, unsuccessfully, persuade Tian Chou to take up honors for his serviceSanguozhi vol.11. In 213, Xiahou Dun would be one of the signatories calling for Cao Cao to become Duke of Wei.Weishu in Sanguozhi vol.1.
Later life and death Xiahou Dun accompanied the 215 campaign in Hanzhong against the theocratic warlord Zhang Lu but Cao Cao's forces struggled against Zhang Wei's forces. According to Dong Zhao's account,Wei Mingchen Zou in Sanguozhi vol.8. Cao Cao issued orders to recall with Xiahou Dun and Xu Chu were sent to bring the troops back from the hills. In the confusion, some of the returning troops got lost in the night and surprised some of the defenders who fled from their position. This was reported back to Xiahou Dun and, with some not believing it, Xiahou Dun rode forward to see for himself then went back to tell Cao Cao so they could exploit it, Zhang Wei's position collapsed and Zhang Lu soon surrendered. In 216, he accompanied Cao Cao to Juchao (居巢; in present-day Chaohu, Anhui) against southern rival Sun Quan but met with stalemate. In 217, Cao Cao withdrew but left behind Xiahou Dun as Area Commander in command of 26 juns () until Sun Quan negotiated terms including an acceptance of Cao Cao as King. As a reward for his contributions including at Juchao, he received a number of performing dancers and musicians. The imperial order that came with the reward read: "When Wei Jiang (魏絳) pacified the Rong people, he was only rewarded with gold and riches. Don't you, General, deserve more than him?"(二十一年，從征孫權還，使惇都督二十六軍，留居巢。賜伎樂名倡，令曰：「魏絳以和戎之功，猶受金石之樂，況將軍乎！」) Sanguozhi vol. 9.