Dian Wei 典韋

Dian Wei was a man of Jiwu County in Chenliu Commandery. He was tall and burly, surpassed other men in strength, had resolve and integrity, and loved the chivalrous life. When the Liu family of Xiangyi became enemies of Li Yong of Suiyang, Dian Wei took revenge on their behalf. Li Yong, a former Chief of Fuchun, kept a very strict guard, but Dian Wei loaded a carriage with chicken and wine and pretended to be a visitor paying respects; when the gate opened he went in with a dagger hidden in his clothes and killed Li Yong and his wife. Then he came out slowly, took up the sword and halberd from the carriage and left on foot; Li Yong's house was near the market, and the whole market was terrified. Records, Wei 18 §59

Several hundred men pursued him, but none dared come near, and after going four or five li he met his companions and fought his way free. Because of this he became known to the bold men of the region. In the Chuping era, when Zhang Miao raised a loyalist army, Dian Wei became a soldier and was attached to the command of the Major Zhao Chong. The standard of the headquarters gate was so long and large that no one could manage it, but Dian Wei raised it with one hand, and Zhao Chong marveled at his ability and strength. Later he was attached to Xiahou Dun, and for his merit in taking many heads he was appointed Major. Records, Wei 18 §60

When Cao Cao attacked Lü Bu at Puyang, he made a night attack on a separate camp of Lü Bu's and broke it around dawn, but before he could return, Lü Bu's relief force arrived and pressed him from three sides. Lü Bu fought hand to hand in person, from morning until the sun was declining, for dozens of bouts, and Cao Cao called for men to break the enemy line. Dian Wei was the first to volunteer and led the dozens who answered the call, all wearing layers of clothing and two suits of armor, discarding their shields and carrying only long spears and halberds. Records, Wei 18 §60–61

When the western side was again in danger, Dian Wei advanced to meet it. Arrows fell like rain, but Dian Wei did not even look up and told his companions to tell him when the enemy came within ten paces; when they said ten paces, he told them to tell him at five paces. When his companions, afraid, cried that the enemy was upon them, Dian Wei rose with a great shout, holding a dozen or more halberds in his hands, and everyone he struck fell at his touch. Lü Bu's men fell back, and as night fell Cao Cao was at last able to withdraw his troops. Records, Wei 18 §61–62

Cao Cao made Dian Wei a Commandant and kept him at his side, having him lead several hundred personal guards and constantly keep watch around the great tent. Those he led were all picked soldiers, and in every battle they were the first to scale the walls and break the enemy line. Promoted to Colonel, Dian Wei was loyal by nature and extremely careful; by day he stood in attendance all day long, and at night he slept beside the tent, rarely returning to his own quarters. He loved wine and food and ate and drank twice as much as other men, and he liked to carry a large pair of halberds and a long sword, so that the army had a saying: 'Below the tent is a strong man, Lord Dian; he carries a pair of halberds of eighty jin.' Records, Wei 18 §62–63

When Cao Cao set out to attack Jing Province and reached Wan, Zhang Xiu came out and surrendered. Cao Cao invited Zhang Xiu and his officers to a great drinking party, and as the wine went round, Dian Wei stood behind Cao Cao holding a great axe with a blade a foot across; at each place Cao Cao came to, Dian Wei raised the axe and glared at the man. Until the party ended, Zhang Xiu and his officers did not dare to raise their heads. A little more than ten days later Zhang Xiu rebelled and attacked the camp; Cao Cao went out to fight but had the worst of it and withdrew with light cavalry. The Annals of Emperor Wu dates this to the 1st month, in spring, of the 2nd year of Jian'an (197), and says that Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang and his nephew Cao Anmin died at this time. Records, Wei 18 §64Records, Wei 1 §43

Dian Wei fought at the camp gate, and the enemy could not get in, so they spread out and poured in through other gates. The dozen or so men he had left all fought to the death, each a match for ten, and every time Dian Wei struck left and right with his long halberd, a dozen or more of the enemy's spears were broken. Nearly all the men around him were killed or wounded, and Dian Wei, with dozens of wounds, fought on with short weapons; when the enemy came close to seize him, he clamped two men under his arms and beat them to death, and the rest did not dare come forward. He charged again and killed several more, but his wounds broke open, and he died glaring and cursing loudly. Only then did the enemy dare approach; they took his head and passed it around to look at, and the whole army gathered to view his body. Records, Wei 18 §65–66

Cao Cao, who had withdrawn to Wuyin, wept when he heard that Dian Wei had died. He recruited men to recover the body secretly, went in person to mourn him, sent him back to Xiangyi for burial and made his son Dian Man a Gentleman of the Palace. Whenever the imperial carriage passed there, Dian Wei was offered the middle sacrifice, and later Cao Cao made Dian Man a Major and kept him close. When Emperor Wen took the throne as king, he made Dian Man a Commandant and bestowed on him the rank of Marquis Within the Passes. In the 7th month, in autumn, of the 4th year of Zhengshi (243), the Colonel of Martial Vigor Dian Wei was ordered to receive sacrifices in the temple courtyard of the Grand Ancestor. Records, Wei 18 §66Records, Wei 4 §14

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Xu Chu and Dian Wei broke the enemy's spearhead at his left and right, and were also like Fan Kuai of the Han. Records, Wei 18 §92