生平

夏侯嬰早年在沛縣縣裡趕車，每次送使者、客人路過沛縣泗上亭時，都會和劉邦聊天，非常談得來。不久，夏侯嬰被試用為縣裡的小吏，與劉邦成了好友。劉邦有一次惡作劇傷了夏侯嬰，被人告到官府去。因為劉邦是亭長，故意傷人會被加重其刑，所以劉邦就說謊，說他沒有弄傷夏侯嬰，夏侯嬰也出庭作證，說劉邦沒傷害他，於是此案了結。結果又被人告發夏侯嬰說謊，反而夏侯嬰自己因為偽証被監禁了一年多，還被鞭笞了好幾百下，不過，終於使劉邦脫身。

起事階段

劉邦當初率部眾準備攻打沛縣時，夏侯嬰時以縣令史的身份受劉邦調遣。劉邦降服沛縣的那天，劉邦為沛公，賜夏侯嬰七大夫的爵位，以為太僕。從攻胡陵，夏侯嬰與蕭何招降了泗水監「平」，平獻出胡陵投降，賜嬰五大夫的爵位。從擊秦軍碭東，攻濟陽，拿下戶牖，破李由軍雍丘下，以兵車趣攻戰疾，賜爵執帛。曾經以太僕身份駕車從擊章邯軍東阿、濮陽下，以兵車趣攻戰疾，破之，賜爵執珪。又曾經駕車從擊趙賁軍開封，楊熊軍曲遇。嬰跟隨劉邦捕虜六十八人，降卒八百五十人，得印一箱。因復常奉車從擊秦軍雒陽東，以兵車趣攻戰疾，賜爵封轉為滕公。因又駕車從攻南陽，戰於藍田、芷陽，以兵車趣攻戰疾，至霸上接受秦王子嬰出降。項羽至，滅秦，項羽分封諸侯，立劉邦為漢王。漢王賜夏侯嬰列侯的爵位，號昭平侯，又以太僕之職，跟隨劉邦入蜀、漢。

韓信犯漢營軍法被判斬首之刑，韓信卻對著夏侯嬰說：「君上不是想要取得天下的嗎？為何要斬壯士呢？」夏侯嬰感到驚奇，釋放韓信並向劉邦舉薦。于是，劉邦命韓信為治粟校尉，但不受重用。

劉邦平定三秦後，夏侯嬰隨從進軍彭城，後來劉邦被項羽打得大敗，夏侯嬰駕馬車載著劉邦逃跑，路上遇到了劉邦兒子劉盈（後稱漢惠帝）和女兒魯元公主，夏侯嬰就拉他們上馬車，但是因為後面追兵緊隨其後，劉邦眼見馬非常疲憊，車速非常慢，楚軍快要追上了，打算拋棄親生子女，好幾次把兩個孩子踹下車，但夏侯嬰就下車把他們再拉上馬車，一連好幾次，硬要把他們載在車上。劉邦為此非常生氣，有十多次想殺夏侯嬰，但最終劉邦與夏侯嬰還是逃過了楚兵，把劉盈、魯元送到了豐邑。

高祖時期

劉邦稱帝後，他跟隨劉邦偽裝去雲夢大澤巡遊，拿下楚王韓信，將韓信貶為淮陰侯。夏侯嬰被封為汝陰侯，並剖符節為信物，世世不絕。此後，一直隨漢高祖劉邦到處平叛。「白登之圍」又使劉邦成功脫險。

惠帝至文帝時期

劉邦駕崩，夏侯嬰又作為太僕，侍奉漢惠帝和呂后。呂后去世，呂氏外戚當政，陳平、周勃等大臣們誅滅諸呂，夏侯嬰和大臣們一起立代王劉恆。他親自拘捕了漢少帝，以天子的法駕迎接代王劉恆，是為漢文帝，因功仍任太僕，直至去世，謚號為「文侯」。

後續

東漢末年曹操幕下的知名將領夏侯惇、夏侯淵即夏侯嬰的後裔。傳說曹操也可能出自夏侯嬰的血脈。

影視形象

• 電視劇《楚河漢界》（1985年）：由張雷飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《漢劉邦》（1998年）：由李振啟飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《楚漢驕雄》（2004年）：由陳榮峻飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《楚漢風雲》（2005年）：由張春仲飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《大風歌》（2010年）：由傅虹鈞飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電影《鴻門宴》（2011年）：由陳之輝飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《楚漢爭雄》（2011年）：由段衛平飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電視劇《楚漢傳奇》（2012年）：由林鵬飾演夏侯嬰。

• 電影《王的盛宴》（2012年）：由齊一現飾演夏侯嬰。

Early life

Xiahou Ying was from Pei County in present-day Jiangsu. He started his career as a minor officer in charge of horses, chariots and carriages in the county office. Whenever he passed by Sishui Village (泗水亭), one of the villages in Pei County, he would visit his friend Liu Bang, a low-ranking officer in the village, and spend a long time chatting with him.

On one occasion, Liu Bang played a prank on Xiahou Ying and caused him to be injured. The county magistrate found out about the incident and ordered an investigation. Under the law of the Qin dynasty at the time, Liu Bang would be punished more severely than a civilian because he was a village officer. Xiahou Ying lied that he had accidentally injured himself in order to protect Liu Bang, and the case was initially closed. Later, somebody reported Xiahou Ying for making a false statement so Xiahou Ying was arrested, flogged, and imprisoned for over a year. However, he still continued to cover up for Liu Bang.

Rebelling against the Qin dynasty

In 209 BC, several rebellions broke out throughout China to overthrow the Qin dynasty. When Liu Bang also started a rebellion in Pei County, Xiahou Ying joined him and assisted him in seizing control of their home county. Liu Bang then gave himself the title "Duke of Pei" (沛公), and made Xiahou Ying a seventh-grade official (七大夫) and appointed him as his personal carriage driver.

When Liu Bang was attacking Huling (胡陵; northeast of present-day Longgu Town, Pei County, Jiangsu), Xiahou Ying and Xiao He, another of Liu Bang's followers, managed to persuade the Qin officer guarding Huling to surrender to Liu Bang. For his achievement, Xiahou Ying was promoted to a fifth-grade official (五大夫).

Between 209 BC and 206 BC, Xiahou Ying joined the rebels led by Liu Bang in attacking Qin forces at various locations: Dang County (碭縣), Jiyang (濟陽) and Yongqiu (雍丘), all in present-day eastern Henan; Dong'e (東阿; present-day Liaocheng, Shandong); Puyang; Kaifeng; Luoyang; Nanyang; Lantian; and Zhiyang (芷陽; east of present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi). During battle, he was known for driving his chariot at high speed and striking at the enemy with sheer ferocity. In one battle at Kaifeng, he captured 68 enemy soldiers, received the surrender of 850 others, and obtained a box of golden seals. For his achievements, he was consecutively promoted to higher positions: zhibo (執帛); zhigui (執珪); and Duke of Teng (滕公).

After the Qin dynasty was overthrown by rebel forces in 206 BC, the former Qin Empire was divided into the Eighteen Kingdoms, each ruled by a rebel leader or surrendered Qin general. Liu Bang became the King of Han (漢王) and was given a domain in the remote Bashu region (present-day Chongqing and Sichuan). He appointed Xiahou Ying as Minister Coachman (太僕) and awarded him the title of Marquis of Zhaoping (昭平侯).

Chu–Han Contention

From 206 BC to 202 BC, Xiahou Ying fought on Liu Bang's side against Liu Bang's rival, Xiang Yu, in a power struggle for supremacy over China historically known as the Chu–Han Contention.

Around 206 BC, Han Xin, who previously served under Xiang Yu, defected to Liu Bang's side after Xiang Yu refused to heed his suggestions. When Han Xin first joined Liu Bang, he was given a lowly position as a supply officer and his talent was hardly noticed by anyone. On one occasion, Han Xin was implicated in a capital case involving 13 others and about to be executed. At the time, Xiahou Ying was supervising the executions. When it was his turn, Han Xin looked up at Xiahou Ying and asked, "Does the King of Han not want to gain control of the Empire? Why does he execute warriors then?" Xiahou Ying sensed that Han Xin was no ordinary soldier so he released Han Xin, chatted with him and recognised his talent. He then recommended Han Xin to Xiao He, one of Liu Bang's chief advisers. Xiao He, in turn, recommended Han Xin to Liu Bang, but Liu Bang was unimpressed with Han Xin.

When Liu Bang first moved into the remote Bashu region, many men under him deserted. Disappointed that Liu Bang did not appreciate his talent, Han Xin deserted as well. When Xiao He heard about it, he left in search of Han Xin and managed to find him and bring him back. Xiahou Ying also caught up with them and, together with Xiao He, succeeded in convincing Han Xin to return to Liu Bang. This time, Liu Bang listened to Xiao He and Xiahou Ying; he appointed Han Xin as a general.

In 205 BC, Liu Bang lost to Xiang Yu at the Battle of Pengcheng and was forced to retreat. Pursued by enemy forces, he fled on a carriage with his son and daughter driven by Xiahou Ying. During their journey, Liu Bang became panicky and attempted to abandon his children so that the carriage could move faster. Each time he forced his children off the carriage, Xiahou Ying would stop and pick them up again. Liu Bang was so angry with Xiahou Ying that he threatened to kill him each time he did that. Eventually, they managed to escape from danger and Xiahou Ying delivered Liu Bang's children safely to Liu Bang's base in the Guanzhong region.

Service under Emperor Gaozu

In 202 BC, Liu Bang ultimately defeated Xiang Yu, became the emperor of China, and established the Han dynasty. Xiahou Ying followed Liu Bang to suppress rebellions by the vassal kings throughout the emperor's reign. During the Battle of Baideng in 200 BC, Xiahou Ying helped Liu Bang escape from danger after the Han forces were defeated by the Xiongnu. The emperor also enfeoffed Xiahou Ying as the Marquis of Ruyin (汝陰侯).

Service under Emperor Hui

After Liu Bang's death in 195 BC, Xiahou Ying continued serving as Minister Coachman under Liu Bang's son and successor, Liu Ying (Emperor Hui), who was effectively a puppet emperor controlled by his mother, Empress Lü.

Service under Emperor Wen

Following the end of the Lü Clan Disturbance in 180 BC, Xiahou Ying and others supported Liu Heng (Emperor Wen), another son of Liu Bang, in becoming the new emperor, thus restoring Liu Bang's clan to power again.

Death

Xiahou Ying continued serving under Emperor Wen until his death in 172 BC. Emperor Wen granted Xiahou Ying the posthumous title "Marquis Wen" (文侯).

Descendants

Many of Xiahou Ying's descendants were active towards the end of the Han dynasty. The most prominent ones were the generals Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, who served under the warlord Cao Cao. Their descendants also served in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.