Battle
Battle of Xingyang 滎陽之戰
About this event
The Battle of Xingyang was a battle in the 1st year of Chuping (190) in which Cao Cao, alone among the forces east of the passes that had risen to attack Dong Zhuo, advanced west and was defeated by Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong at the Bian River in Xingyang; it was an episode of the Campaign against Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao was hit by an arrow and his horse was also wounded, and he fled by night on a horse given him by his younger cousin Cao Hong, while Wei Zi, whom Zhang Miao had sent along with him, died in this battle. Seeing Cao Cao fight hard all day with few troops, Xu Rong judged that Suanzao could not easily be attacked and led his troops back. Records, Wei 1 §8–10Records, Wei 22 §76
Chen Shou recorded this battle in the Annals of Emperor Wu (Records of Wei 1), and also included it in the biography of Cao Hong in Records of Wei 9, the biography of Zhang Miao in Records of Wei 7, and the passage on Wei Zi's son Wei Zhen in Records of Wei 22. The Romance depicts this battle in Chapter 6 as the scene in which Cao Cao, pursuing Dong Zhuo as he burned Luoyang and headed for Chang'an, fell into Xu Rong's ambush at Xingyang. Records, Wei 1 §9–10Records, Wei 9 §48Records, Wei 7 §10Records, Wei 22 §76Romance, Ch. 6 §13–17
Course of events in the Records
In the 2nd month of the 1st year of Chuping (190), hearing that the forces east of the passes had risen, Dong Zhuo moved the Son of Heaven to Chang'an, while he himself stayed at Luoyang and burned the palaces. Because Dong Zhuo's troops were strong, none of Yuan Shao and the others dared to advance first. Cao Cao said that had Dong Zhuo relied on the authority of the royal house and held the strongholds of the two Zhou capitals to face the realm to the east, he would have been a cause for worry, but now that he had burned the palaces and forcibly moved the Son of Heaven, so that the whole land was shaken, this was the moment when Heaven was destroying him, and a single battle would settle the realm. Records, Wei 1 §8–9
Cao Cao led his troops west intending to seize Chenggao, and Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Chenliu, detached troops under his general Wei Zi to follow Cao Cao. Reaching the Bian River at Xingyang, they met Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong and fought, but the battle went badly and a great many of the soldiers were killed or wounded. Cao Cao was struck by a stray arrow, and the horse he was riding was also wounded. Records, Wei 1 §9Records, Wei 7 §10
According to the biography of Cao Hong, when Cao Cao lost his horse and the enemy pursuit was pressing, Cao Hong dismounted and gave him his horse, and when Cao Cao declined, he said, "The realm can do without me, Cao Hong, but it cannot do without you," and followed on foot. When they reached the Bian River and the water was too deep to cross, Cao Hong went along the bank, found a boat and crossed with Cao Cao, and the two fled back to Qiao. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Cao Cao obtained Cao Hong's horse and escaped under cover of night. Records, Wei 9 §48Records, Wei 1 §9
Wei Zi had joined the campaign against Dong Zhuo and died fighting at Xingyang, and afterward, whenever Cao Cao passed through the territory of Chenliu Commandery, he sent envoys to offer sacrifices to him. Seeing that Cao Cao fought hard all day even though he had few troops, Xu Rong judged that Suanzao could not easily be attacked and likewise led his troops back. Arriving at Suanzao, Cao Cao rebuked the commanders of the various commanderies, who did nothing but hold drinking parties every day and would not advance. Records, Wei 22 §76Records, Wei 1 §10–11
In the Romance
In Chapter 6 of the Romance, when Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang and left for Chang'an, Cao Cao urged pursuit, saying that now was the moment when Heaven was destroying the traitor, but Yuan Shao and the lords said they could not move rashly. Declaring that he could not make plans with such whelps, Cao Cao personally led more than ten thousand men and, together with Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian and Yue Jin, pursued Dong Zhuo through the night. Romance, Ch. 6 §13–14
Arriving at Xingyang, Dong Zhuo was met by the Administrator Xu Rong, and on Li Ru's advice he had Xu Rong hide troops at the foot of the hills outside the city, let the pursuers pass and then cut off their road, and ordered Lü Bu to guard the rear with picked troops. When Cao Cao came after them, Lü Bu laughed that it was just as Li Ru had foreseen, and while Xiahou Dun faced Lü Bu, Li Jue and Guo Si charged in from left and right; Cao Cao's army was badly defeated and fled toward Xingyang. Romance, Ch. 6 §15–17
Around the second watch, at the foot of a desolate hill, as Cao Cao was gathering his scattered troops and about to cook a meal, Xu Rong's ambush fell upon him. Xu Rong's arrow lodged in Cao Cao's shoulder, and two soldiers in the grass stabbed his horse with spears; just as Cao Cao was being captured, Cao Hong rode up and cut down the two soldiers. Saying, "The realm can do without Cao Hong, but it cannot do without you, my lord," Cao Hong gave him his horse, and when a great river blocked their way, he carried Cao Cao across on his back. Romance, Ch. 6 §17–20
Toward dawn, when Xu Rong, having crossed the river upstream, came in pursuit, Xiahou Dun speared him from his horse, and Cao Cao gathered more than five hundred scattered troops and returned to Henei. Back at Yuan Shao's camp, Cao Cao laid out his original plan and lamented that the lords' hesitation had gravely betrayed the hopes of the realm, and then left for Yang Province. Romance, Ch. 6 §20–21 · 32–33
Where the Romance differs
Timing of the battle: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Cao Cao pursued Dong Zhuo as he abandoned Luoyang and went to Chang'an. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Cao Cao met Xu Rong while advancing west to seize Chenggao, at a time when Dong Zhuo had moved the Son of Heaven to Chang'an and himself remained at Luoyang. Romance, Ch. 6 §13–15Records, Wei 1 §8–9
Dong Zhuo's commanders: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Lü Bu, Li Jue and Guo Si first defeated Cao Cao, and Xu Rong led the ambush. The Annals of Emperor Wu and the biography of Cao Hong in the Records name only Xu Rong as Dong Zhuo's general. Romance, Ch. 6 §16–17Records, Wei 1 §9Records, Wei 9 §48
Cao Cao's troops: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Cao Cao led more than ten thousand men, accompanied by six commanders including Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren and Cao Hong. In the Records, Zhang Miao detached troops under Wei Zi to follow him, Xu Rong saw that the troops Cao Cao led were few, and Wei Zi died fighting at Xingyang. Romance, Ch. 6 §14Records, Wei 1 §9–10Records, Wei 22 §76
Cao Hong's rescue: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Cao Hong cut down the two soldiers who had seized Cao Cao, gave him his horse and then carried Cao Cao across the river on his back. In the biography of Cao Hong in the Records, Cao Hong gave him his horse and followed on foot, and when the Bian River proved too deep, he went along the bank, found a boat and crossed with him. Romance, Ch. 6 §18–20Records, Wei 9 §48
Xu Rong's end: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Xu Rong was speared to death by Xiahou Dun while in pursuit. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Xu Rong judged that Suanzao could not easily be attacked and led his troops back. Romance, Ch. 6 §21Records, Wei 1 §10
Where they returned: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Cao Cao returned to Henei with the remaining five hundred or so troops. The biography of Cao Hong in the Records says the two crossed the Bian River and fled back to Qiao, and the Annals of Emperor Wu go on to record that Cao Cao arrived at Suanzao. Romance, Ch. 6 §21Records, Wei 9 §48Records, Wei 1 §11
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Belligerents
| Item | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| Factions | Dong Zhuo faction | |
| Commanders | Cao Cao, Cao Hong | Xu Rong |
Factions, commanders, strength and casualties are checked against the source texts (3KDEX). Strength and casualties show only figures stated in the sources. Source: Wei 1 §9