Dong Chao 董超
| Occupation | RGeneral · Divisional Commander NGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | |
| Died | R219 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | RExecuted NExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Dong Chao was a Divisional Commander (buqu jiang) who, in the 24th year of Jian'an (219), was on the embankment together with Pang De, who was then fighting Guan Yu at Fan, and was beheaded by Pang De. He has no biography of his own in the Records, and in Chen Shou's main text he appears once, in the record of Pang De in Records of Wei 18, the Biographies of the Two Lis, Zang, Wen, Lü, Xu, Dian, the Two Pangs and Yan. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name or his origins. Records, Wei 17 §38Records, Wei 18 §72
When the long rains made the Han River overflow, Pang De and the other commanders took refuge from the water on top of the embankment, and Guan Yu came by boat and had arrows shot at the embankment from large ships on all four sides. At this point the general Dong Heng, the Divisional Commander Dong Chao and others were about to surrender, and Pang De had them all seized and beheaded. Records, Wei 18 §72
In his assessment in Records of Wei 18, Chen Shou said only that Pang De gave his life while reviling the enemy, and did not discuss Dong Chao. In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 74, a single chapter, and no chapter has his name in its title. His name first appears, together with Dong Heng, as an officer of the seven armies led by Yu Jin; on the embankment he tells Pang De that they should surrender, and is beheaded by Pang De together with Dong Heng. Records, Wei 18 §92Romance, Ch. 74 §2 · 31
In the Records
In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Taizu (Cao Cao) had Cao Ren attack Guan Yu at Fan and sent Yu Jin to help Cao Ren. In autumn heavy rains fell and the Han River overflowed, so that even on level ground the water rose several zhang, and the seven armies of Yu Jin and the others were all submerged. Records, Wei 17 §38
Cao Ren had Pang De camp ten li north of Fancheng, but the rains went on for more than ten days and the Han River suddenly overflowed, so that the water on the level ground below Fancheng was five or six zhang deep. Pang De and the other commanders climbed onto the embankment to escape the water, and Guan Yu came to attack by boat, having arrows shot at the embankment from large ships on all four sides. Pang De put on his armor and shot with his bow, and not one of his arrows was wasted. Records, Wei 18 §72
At this point the general Dong Heng, the Divisional Commander Dong Chao and others were about to surrender, and Pang De had them all seized and beheaded. Pang De fought hard from dawn until past midday, and when his arrows ran out he fought hand to hand with short weapons; as the water rose ever higher, his officers and men all surrendered. In the end Pang De was captured by Guan Yu and was put to death while reviling him. Records, Wei 18 §72–74
This is the only passage in Chen Shou's main text in which Dong Chao appears. In his assessment in Records of Wei 18, Chen Shou said that Pang De gave his life while reviling the enemy and had the integrity of Zhou Ke, and did not discuss Dong Chao. Records, Wei 18 §72 · 92
In the Romance
In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Cao Cao raises Yu Jin to General Who Conquers the South and Pang De to Chief Vanguard of the Western Campaign, and sends seven armies, raised on a grand scale, to Fancheng. The seven armies are all strong, sturdy soldiers of the north, and the two officers in command of the troops are Dong Heng and Dong Chao. That day the two of them lead their various captains to pay their respects to Yu Jin. Romance, Ch. 74 §1–2
There Dong Heng says that Pang De was originally a lieutenant under Ma Chao who surrendered to Wei only because he had no choice, that his former lord Ma Chao is in Shu holding the rank of one of the Five Tiger Generals, and that his own elder brother Pang Rou also holds office in Xichuan, so that making him the vanguard is like pouring oil to put out a fire. When Yu Jin reports this to Cao Cao that night, Cao Cao has Pang De hand back the vanguard's seal, and Pang De takes off his cap and knocks his head on the ground until his face is covered in blood, declaring that he has no thought of disloyalty. Romance, Ch. 74 §2–5
While Guan Yu has laid a plan to break open the water outlets he had dammed beforehand, on a night when the heavy rain does not let up, great floods pour in from all sides and the seven armies scatter in confusion. After Yu Jin surrenders and Guan Yu comes to capture Pang De, Pang De stands on the embankment with Dong Heng, Dong Chao, Cheng He and 500 foot soldiers, all without armor, and fights back. Guan Yu surrounds them on all sides with boats and has his soldiers shoot all at once, killing more than half of the Wei troops. Romance, Ch. 74 §27 · 29–30
Seeing that the situation is already desperate, Dong Heng and Dong Chao tell Pang De that more than half the soldiers are dead or wounded and there is no way out on any side, so they had better surrender. Pang De, in a great rage, declares that he has received the generous favor of the King of Wei and will never bend his integrity to another; he personally beheads Dong Heng and Dong Chao before him, and raises his voice to say that anyone who speaks of surrender again will end up like these two. At this the soldiers all fight with all their might to hold off the enemy. Romance, Ch. 74 §31
Where the Romance differs
First appearance: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Dong Chao first appears before the campaign sets out, as an officer in command of the seven armies together with Dong Heng, paying his respects to Yu Jin. In the Records, Dong Chao appears only in the passage where he was about to surrender on the embankment north of Fancheng and was beheaded. Romance, Ch. 74 §2Records, Wei 18 §72
Rank: The Romance groups Dong Heng and Dong Chao together as officers in command of the seven armies. The Records give Dong Heng as a general and Dong Chao as a Divisional Commander. Romance, Ch. 74 §2Records, Wei 18 §72
The words doubting Pang De: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Dong Heng goes to Yu Jin together with Dong Chao and, citing Pang De's former lord Ma Chao and his elder brother Pang Rou, says the vanguard should be replaced. The Records say only that the commanders below Fancheng rather doubted Pang De because his elder brother was in Hanzhong, and the names of Dong Heng and Dong Chao are not in that passage. Romance, Ch. 74 §2Records, Wei 18 §71
How he came to be beheaded for trying to surrender: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Dong Heng and Dong Chao tell Pang De they should surrender, and Pang De personally beheads the two of them before him as an example. The Records say only that when the general Dong Heng, the Divisional Commander Dong Chao and others were about to surrender, Pang De had them all seized and beheaded; there is nothing about what the two said to Pang De or about Pang De beheading them with his own hand. Romance, Ch. 74 §31Records, Wei 18 §72
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.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
- LEA4045+5
- STR4240−2
- INT3542+7
- POL3131±0
- CHA3333±0
- VIR3232±0
- ADP3535±0
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3336+3
- DIS3133+2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer in command of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NWas present with Dong Heng when Dong Heng warned Yu Jin of the danger of Pang De as vanguardCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RTried to surrender with Dong Heng under Guan Yu's attack and was beheaded by Pang DeWei 18 §72
NUrged Pang De to surrender when surrounded and was beheadedCh. 74 §31
RSought to surrender on the besieged embankment but was beheadedWei 18 §72
NArgued for surrender when the situation grew desperateCh. 74 §31
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his rank as Divisional CommanderWei 18 §72
NNo direct record — estimated as an officer of the seven armiesCh. 74 §2
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (1)
- Guan Yu Floods the Seven Armies 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).