Early life

Xiahou Dun was from Qiao County (譙縣), Pei State (沛國), which is on present-day Bozhou, Anhui. He was a descendant of Xiahou Ying, who served under the Han dynasty's founding emperor, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao). He was notorious for his fiery personality as he once killed a man who insulted his teacher when he was just 13 years old. In 190, when Cao Cao was raising an army to participate in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Xiahou Dun became an officer under Cao and fought in many battles. When Cao Cao was appointed as acting General of Uplifting Martial Might (奮武將軍) by the Han imperial court, Xiahou Dun was commissioned as a Major (司馬) and was ordered to garrison at Boma (白馬; near present-day Hua County, Henan). He was later promoted to Colonel Who Breaks and Charges (折衝校尉) and was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Dong Commandery (東郡; the areas around present-day Puyang, Henan and Liaocheng, Shandong).

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 to defend Puyang, one of Cao Cao's key strongholds in Yan Province.

While Cao Cao was away in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled in Yan Province and defected to another warlord Lü Bu. At that time, Cao Cao's family members were in Juancheng County, so Xiahou Dun led a lightly armed force towards Juancheng to fetch them. 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 and capture 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. Xiahou Dun's troops became fearful and confused when they heard that their commander had been taken hostage.

Xiahou Dun's subordinate, Han Hao, led his men to outside Xiahou's camp, where he gave orders for the other officers to remain in their respective camps and not make any move. The situation in the other camps became stable. He then headed towards Xiahou Dun's tent and shouted at the hostage-takers, "You murderous traitors, how dare you take the commander hostage! Do you still expect to live? I've received orders to attack the enemy, so I won't let you have your way just for the sake of one officer." With tears in his eyes, he told Xiahou Dun, "This is the law. I've to follow it." Han Hao then ordered his men to attack the hostage-takers, who were shocked by his response and immediately gave up. The hostage-takers kowtowed and begged for their lives, "We only want to obtain some money for our use and we'll leave after that." Han Hao reprimanded them sternly and had them all executed. Xiahou Dun was saved.

When Cao Cao learnt of the rebellion, he withdrew his army from Xu Province and returned to Yan Province to attack Lü Bu. Xiahou Dun participated in the battles against Lü Bu, and was hit in the left eye by a stray arrow during a skirmish. After the loss of his left eye, he was given the nickname "One-eyed Xiahou" (盲夏侯) in Cao Cao's army. Xiahou Dun hated this nickname and he would throw a mirror to the ground whenever he saw his own reflection. Lü Bu was besieged by Cao Cao in Puyang for over 100 days and he eventually abandoned the city when a famine broke out. Cao Cao seized back his territories in Yan Province previously lost to Lü Bu.

Mid-career

Xiahou Dun was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Chenliu (陳留; around present-day Kaifeng, Henan) and Jiyin (濟陰; near present-day Dingtao County, Shandong) commanderies, and held the rank of General Who Builds Martial Might (建武將軍). He was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Gao'an District (高安鄉侯). 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 programme, 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 programme greatly aided the people during those years of severe famine. He was later reassigned to be the Intendant of Henan (河南尹).

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 remained behind to defend Cao Cao's territories in central China. In 202, Cao Cao's rival Liu Bei, who had sought refuge under Jing Province's governor Liu Biao, received an order from Liu Biao to take advantage of Cao Cao's absence to attack Cao's base in the imperial capital, Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan). In response, Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin and Li Dian to lead an army to resist Liu Bei and 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. Li Dian, who suspected 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.

After the Battle of Ye in 204, Xiahou Dun was promoted to General Who Calms the Waves (伏波將軍) but retained his appointment as the Intendant of Henan. He was able to administer and oversee affairs smoothly without being hampered by layers of bureaucracy. In 207, Xiahou Dun was granted an additional 1,800 taxable households in his marquisate in recognition of his contributions, bringing the total number of households to 2,500.

Later life and death

In 216, after a campaign against Cao Cao's rival Sun Quan, Xiahou Dun was ordered to station at Juchao (居巢; in present-day Chaohu, Anhui) and was placed in command of 26 juns (軍). As a reward for his contributions in battle, he received a number of performing courtesans to entertain him. 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?"

In 219, when Cao Cao was on a journey back from Mobei (摩陂; southeast of present-day Jia County, Henan), he treated Xiahou Dun like a close aide by letting Xiahou ride in the same carriage as him and allowing Xiahou to enter his private quarters. At the time, Emperor Xian had made Cao Cao a vassal king under the title "King of Wei" (魏王) and granted him permission to set up an independent vassal kingdom, which was still nominally under Han imperial control. While many of Cao Cao's subordinates had been appointed to positions in his vassal kingdom, Xiahou Dun still held appointments under the Han central government. Xiahou Dun requested to serve in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom to show his loyalty, but Cao Cao told him, "I heard that the best rulers learn from their subjects while the second best befriend their subjects. Officials are noble men of virtue. Why lower yourself to serve such a small kingdom like Wei?" Xiahou Dun insisted, so Cao Cao appointed him as General of the Vanguard (前將軍). Xiahou Dun then led his men to Shouchun (壽春) and later garrisoned at Zhaoling (召陵).

Around late 219, Xiahou Dun, along with Chen Qun, Huan Jie and others, urged Cao Cao to take the throne from Emperor Xian. Xiahou Dun said, "Everyone in the Empire knows that the Han dynasty's lifespan has come to an end and that there are many contenders seeking to replace it. Since ancient times, whoever succeeds in eliminating the people's troubles will win the hearts of the people and become their ruler. As of now, Your Highness has been fighting battles for over 30 years, you've made outstanding achievements and the hearts of the people are with you. You should follow the will of Heaven and the people. What's there to hesitate about?" Cao Cao replied, "'These qualities are displayed in government. This then also constitutes the exercise of government.' If the Mandate of Heaven does belong to me, I'll be like King Wen of Zhou."

Cao Cao died in early 220 and passed on his vassal king title to his son, Cao Pi, who was still a nominal subject of Emperor Xian. Xiahou Dun was promoted to General-in-Chief (大將軍). He died some months later.

The Cao Man Zhuan (曹瞞傳) and the Shiyu (世語) mentioned that Xiahou Dun once suggested to Cao Cao to eliminate Liu Bei first in order to force Sun Quan to surrender of his own accord, and then follow in the footsteps of the mythological rulers Shun and Yu by making Emperor Xian voluntarily abdicate the throne to him. Cao Cao accepted his proposal. After Cao Cao's death, Xiahou Dun regretted his words and fell sick and died. The historian Sun Sheng dismissed the Shiyu account as nonsense, saying that it did not match what was recorded in the main text of Xiahou Dun's biography in the Sanguozhi – Xiahou Dun felt ashamed of serving under the Han imperial court so he requested to serve in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom.

Family

In late 220, Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne in his favour and established the state of Cao Wei, marking the end of the Han dynasty and the start of the Three Kingdoms period.

Cao Pi granted Xiahou Dun the posthumous title "Marquis Zhong" (忠侯), which literally means "loyal marquis". Xiahou Dun's original marquis title, "Marquis of Gao'an District" (高安鄉侯), was inherited by his son, Xiahou Chong (夏侯充). Later, in recognition of Xiahou Dun's past contributions, Cao Pi added 1,000 taxable households to Xiahou Chong's marquisate and made each of Xiahou Dun's seven sons and two grandsons a Secondary Marquis (關內侯).

Xiahou Dun's younger brother, Xiahou Lian (夏侯廉), was also enfeoffed as a marquis. Xiahou Dun's second son, Xiahou Mao, married one of Cao Cao's daughters, Princess Qinghe (清河公主), and held high-ranking positions in the Wei imperial court. Xiahou Dun also had two other sons—Xiahou Zizang (夏侯子臧) and Xiahou Zijiang (夏侯子江).

When Xiahou Chong died, his marquis title was inherited by his son, Xiahou Yu (夏侯廙). Xiahou Yu, in turn, was succeeded by his son Xiahou Shao (夏侯劭). According to the Jin Yang Qiu (晉陽秋), Xiahou Dun did not have any successor after his grandson, Xiahou Zuo (夏侯佐), died in 266.

Appraisal

Although Xiahou Dun was a soldier for most of his life, he was receptive to scholarly arts and even invited notable scholars to his camp to tutor him. He led a frugal and simple lifestyle and used his excess wealth to help the needy. He took from official treasuries (instead of directly from the common people) when he did not have enough money. He also did not own much property.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Xiahou Dun is featured as a character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period.

See the following for some fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms involving Xiahou Dun:

• Battle of Xiapi#Xiahou Dun losing his left eye

• Battle of Bowang#In fiction

In popular culture

Xiahou Dun is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series, as well as Warriors Orochi, a crossover between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors. He also appears in all instalments of Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy game series.

There is a card based on Xiahou Dun, called "Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed", in the Portal Three Kingdoms set of the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game.

The anime Battle Vixens, Koihime Musō, and Yuyushiki also make references to Xiahou Dun, in which he is known by his Japanese name "Kakōton".

Xiahou Dun also appears as a playable character in Total War: Three Kingdoms, and is prominently featured in the game as a general in the service of Cao Cao.

生平

馳聘沙場

西漢太僕夏侯嬰之後。夏侯惇少年時就很剛烈，十四歲時，有人侮辱他的老師，夏侯惇就殺了那個人。曹操舉兵討伐黃巾軍時，便已跟隨，擔任裨將。190年，討董卓聯軍組成後，曹操行使奮武將軍，更以夏侯惇為司馬，跟隨曹操到揚州募兵。曹操建立勢力後，派夏侯惇屯白馬，不久又升折衝校尉，領東郡太守。

拔矢啖睛

193年，曹操征陶謙，留夏侯惇守濮陽、荀彧守鄄城。可是張邈、陳宮叛迎呂布，曹操家在鄄城，夏侯惇輕軍往赴鄄城，適逢與呂布相會，並交戰。呂布敗退，遂入濮陽，襲得夏侯惇軍輜重。呂布遣將偽降，夏侯惇中計並被偽降的呂軍劫持，夏侯惇軍中震恐。夏侯惇的部將韓浩聲稱按照國法將不考慮人質的安全，做出要招兵襲擊劫持人質者的姿態。劫持人質者害怕，於是放棄人質投降，韓浩都把劫持者全殺光。豫州刺史郭貢率眾數萬到城下，有人說郭貢與呂布同謀，大家非常恐懼。郭貢求見荀彧，荀彧即將前往。夏侯惇怕荀彧遭害，勸說荀彧不要前往，荀彧依然前往，勸退了郭貢。曹操聽說夏侯惇被劫持這件事後，將攻擊劫質者不用顧忌人質定為法令，於是以後就沒再發生劫持人質事件。曹操從徐州歸來，之後隨曹操征討呂布時卻被流矢射傷左目，從此被人稱為「盲夏侯」，夏侯惇很介意這個稱呼。

親率救災

其後復領陳留、濟陰太守、任建武將軍、封高安鄉侯。當時大旱，蝗災，夏侯惇截斷太壽水，形成一個池塘，親自擔土，率領士兵種稻耕田，避過缺糧危機，百姓皆受益，後又任河南尹。

在任陳留太守期間，舉薦當地名士衛臻擔任計吏。一次，夏侯惇讓自己妻子也出場宴會來祝福衛臻升遷，衛臻不領情，認為這是末世才有的敗俗之舉，不合正禮。夏侯惇大怒，把他抓了起來，沒過多久又把他放了。

功勳苦勞

196年，曹操接漢獻帝到許昌，夏侯惇轉任河南尹。

198年，曹操派夏侯惇救援劉備，為呂布軍的高順與張遼所破（夏侯惇應該在此時被射瞎左眼）。

200年，曹操開始與袁紹交戰，夏侯惇率部防守敖倉，掩護大軍左側安全。

204年，鄴城破後，受任為伏波將軍，受權能簡單從事，不用拘於制度。與田疇為好友，曾幫曹操勸田疇再次投靠，但不成功。

205-206年，夏侯惇奉曹操命率大軍打敗并州刺史高幹及其同黨河東人衛固、范先、盜賊張晟，誅殺衛固等。

207年，因前後功勞增封邑一千八百戶，與以前所賜的加上有二千五百戶之高。

215年，參加討伐漢中張魯的戰事。

216-217年，曹操征孫權班師後，命夏侯惇督二十六軍，與曹仁、張遼、朱靈等人屯兵居巢，防衛孫權，並賜予伎樂名倡。初時夏侯惇堅辭獎賞，但曹操說：「當初魏絳只憑平定西戎的功勞都能得到金銀財寶，何況是將軍立下的大功呢！」夏侯惇才接受曹操的好意。

身份凌駕

219年，曹操到摩陂，召夏侯惇同車，不經通傳，自由進入曹操的臥室。後受拜前將軍，督各軍還壽春，徙屯召陵。

220年，曹操病故，曹丕登位，於三月已卯日（4月23日）封夏侯惇為大將軍，可是在四月庚午日（6月13日）夏侯惇便如同追隨曹操般的去世，曹丕穿上素服到鄴城東城門發喪，謚夏侯惇為忠侯，夏侯家也獲得優厚待遇。曹魏朝廷認為夏侯惇為元勛，將夏侯惇的子孫全部封侯。

青龍元年五月壬申日（233年6月7日），夏侯惇與曹仁、程昱因功而受到曹叡在曹操廟庭祭祀的禮遇。

特徵

夏侯惇忠義剛直且好學專師，雖身在軍旅，也會迎師至陣中講學，14歲時有人羞辱其師，他便將那人殺死。為人極重外表，每次照鏡看到自己盲眼都會不悅，將鏡子摔在地上，更不喜歡被人叫自己「盲夏侯」。

生性儉樸，有多餘家財便會分送下屬，是終生皆未貪汙的清廉之士。

夏侯惇為帥欠奉、治軍亦弱，當主將時勝少敗多，單獨領軍有勝仗的紀錄是與呂布交戰，呂布雖然敗退，但仍能乘虛攻下濮陽。而在青州擔任主官駐紮時也管不住由黃巾賊轉為官兵的青州軍，後來由于禁出馬才解決，所以夏侯惇成為曹操後期唯一不被派往前線作戰的親信。

雖然戰鬥能力不佳，但夏侯惇內政與後勤能力出色，且個性剛直重義不怕死，後來改擔任中央代表到前線督戰。

曹魏第二人

曹操自命魏君，拜相時，幕府文武都領魏的官號，只有夏侯惇是漢朝朝廷命官，拜前將軍，夏侯惇上書希望曹操改封他魏官，表明他忠於曹操。但曹操卻認為夏侯惇與他同為漢官，是友臣，怎能屈就魏的官號，夏侯惇才願意受任。可見他深得曹操的信任，在當時無人能及。後來也成為唯一可以不經通報自由進出曹操房間的人，在世時是真正一人之下萬人之上的重臣。

家庭

族弟

• 夏侯淵，曹操麾下大將。

弟

• 夏侯廉，被封列侯。

子

• 夏侯充，夏侯惇之子，嗣高安鄉侯。

• 夏侯楙，夏侯惇次子，娶曹操之女清河公主為妻，與曹丕甚有交情，任安西將軍。

• 夏侯惇還有七子在他死後被封為關內侯（其中兩人的表字為子臧與子江）。

孫

• 夏侯廙，夏侯充之子，繼嗣高安鄉侯。

• 夏侯惇還有二孫在他死後被封為關內侯。

• 夏侯佐，高安鄉侯，無子，夏侯劭繼嗣。未詳夏侯佐因何得襲高安鄉侯。

曾孫

• 夏侯劭，夏侯廙之子，繼嗣高安鄉侯。

評價

• 陳壽《三國志》:「夏侯、曹氏，世為婚姻，故惇、淵、仁、洪、休、尚、真等並以親舊肺腑，貴重于時，左右勳業，咸有效勞。」「惇雖在軍旅，親迎師受業。性清儉，有餘財輒以分施，不足資之于官，不治產業。」

• 曹操：「魏絳以和戎之功，猶受金石之樂，況將軍乎！」

• 曹丕下詔：「昔先王之禮，於功臣存則顯其爵祿，沒則祭於大蒸，故漢氏功臣，祀於廟庭。大魏元功之臣功勳優著，終始休明者，其皆依禮祀之。」

• 司馬炎：「惇，魏之元功，勳書竹帛。昔庭堅不祀，猶或悼之，況朕受禪于魏，而可以忘其功臣哉！宜擇惇近屬劭封之。」

• 段默：「伏波與先帝有定天下之功。」

• 檀珪：「夏侯惇魏氏勛佐，金德初融，亦始就甄顯，方賞其孫，封樹近族。」

• 羅貫中：「開疆展土夏侯惇，槍戟叢中敵萬軍。 拔矢去眸枯一目，啖睛忿氣喚雙親。忠心力把黎民救，雪恨平將逆賊吞。孤月獨明勘比倫，至今功跡照乾坤。」

• 袁守定：「凡有急事用民力，以身先之，亦鼓舞民氣之一道，夏侯惇為陳留太守，大旱蝗起，惇乃斷太壽水作陂，艱著履新，身自負土，率將士勸種稻。民賴其利。」

• 王歆：「元讓當時雄將，惜乎傳記不詳，五之一而雲劫質事，顯韓浩也，五之一而雲楙。楙實庸懦之人，不意名將之子，便墮凡俗，是將門不得兩傳耶？略從粗窺，武則掃蕩醜類、綏靖地方，文則勸課農桑、並為軍屯。何曹夏侯之能者如是之多耶？豈梁沛間真有帝王氣耶？」

民間形象

小說

明代羅貫中所撰之《三國演義》第18回寫道夏侯惇在徐州攻防戰時迎戰呂布部將高順，高順敗逃，夏侯惇從後追趕，不料遭另一名敵將曹性射箭偷襲。夏侯惇左眼被射中，痛得怒吼一聲便怱忙用手拔箭，卻不慎連著眼珠子拔了出來。夏侯惇立即大喊：「父精母血，不可棄也！」便把眼睛塞進嘴巴吞嚥下去；然後又挺槍縱馬，上前殺掉曹性報回一箭之仇。

《三國演義》第二十三回《禰正平裸衣罵賊吉太醫下毒遭刑》中，禰衡評論曹操的將士時說：「荀彧可使弔喪問疾，荀攸可使看墳守墓，程昱可使關門閉戶，郭嘉可使白詞念賦；張遼可使擊鼓鳴金，許褚可使牧牛放馬，李典可使傳書送檄，樂進可使取狀讀招；徐晃可使屠豬殺狗，于禁可使負版築牆，呂虔可使磨刀鑄劍，滿寵可使飲酒食槽；夏侯惇稱為完體將軍，曹子孝呼為要錢太守。其餘皆酒桶，肉囊，飯袋耳。」 ，完體將軍是彌衡對夏侯惇的譏笑，身體完整的將軍。意為僅能保全自己的軀體而已，古人講究「身體髮膚，受之父母，不可殘也」的學說，夏侯惇失去一隻眼睛，就不算「完體」，後代指平庸無能的人。

雖然《三國演義》書內多有杜撰創作成分，故此「夏侯吞眼」一事理應純屬虛構。但是由於這段情節精密緊湊，不單止直接描繪出夏侯惇的勇猛無懼，更側面映襯「身體髮膚，受之父母，不敢毀傷，孝至始也。」的傳統孔儒觀念，因此一直深受說書人或普遍讀者的喜愛，久而久之即成為口耳相傳的民間傳說，由是更加強民間認為夏侯惇剛烈強悍的印象。

戲劇

中國傳統戲曲中夏侯惇的角色，以藍色為主，做成三塊瓦臉，反映其粗莽而勇猛的性格，而左眼有一紅條，代表其左目受傷。

電玩遊戲

• 真三國無雙系列 / 無雙OROCHI系列（光榮公司開發，中井和哉配音）和趙雲、周瑜、呂布、貂蟬、司馬懿為遊戲中的主角。

• 吞食天地II 赤壁之戰（卡普空開發）

• 王者榮耀（天美開發）

• 朕的江山

影視形象

• 1983年電影《華佗與曹操》：虞桂春飾演夏侯惇

• 1985年電視劇《諸葛亮》：史德才飾演夏侯惇

• 1994年電視劇《三國演義》：分別由巴拉珠爾、魯建國、段澤生飾演夏侯惇

• 1996年電視劇《三國英雄傳之關公》：葉飛飾演夏侯惇

• 1996年電影《諸葛孔明》：張緒成飾演夏侯惇

• 1999年電影《一代梟雄曹操》：張緒成飾演夏侯惇

• 2004年電視劇《武聖關公》：楊猛飾演夏侯惇

• 2010年電視劇《三國》：李夢成飾演夏侯惇

• 2012年電視劇《回到三國》：羅莽飾演夏侯惇

• 2013年電視劇《曹操》：尹君正飾演夏侯惇

• 2017年電視劇《大軍師司馬懿之軍師聯盟》：楊涵斌飾演夏侯惇

• 2020年電影《新解釋·三國志》：由阿部進之介飾演夏侯惇

動漫作品

• 三國志

• 三國演義

• 《橫山光輝三國志》（橫山光輝）

• 《蒼天航路》（王欣太）

• 《火鳳燎原》（陳某）