生平

夏侯婴早年在沛县县里赶车，每次送使者、客人路过沛县泗上亭时，都会和刘邦聊天，非常谈得来。不久，夏侯婴被试用为县里的小吏，与刘邦成了好友。刘邦有一次恶作剧伤了夏侯婴，被人告到官府去。因为刘邦是亭长，故意伤人会被加重其刑，所以刘邦就说谎，说他没有弄伤夏侯婴，夏侯婴也出庭作证，说刘邦没伤害他，于是此案了结。结果又被人告发夏侯婴说谎，反而夏侯婴自己因为伪证被监禁了一年多，还被鞭笞了好几百下，不过，终于使刘邦脱身。

起事阶段

刘邦当初率部众准备攻打沛县时，夏侯婴时以县令史的身份受刘邦调遣。刘邦降服沛县的那天，刘邦为沛公，赐夏侯婴七大夫的爵位，以为太仆。从攻胡陵，夏侯婴与萧何招降了泗水监「平」，平献出胡陵投降，赐婴五大夫的爵位。从击秦军砀东，攻济阳，拿下户牖，破李由军雍丘下，以兵车趣攻战疾，赐爵执帛。曾经以太仆身份驾车从击章邯军东阿、濮阳下，以兵车趣攻战疾，破之，赐爵执圭。又曾经驾车从击赵贲军开封，杨熊军曲遇。婴跟随刘邦捕虏六十八人，降卒八百五十人，得印一箱。因复常奉车从击秦军雒阳东，以兵车趣攻战疾，赐爵封转为滕公。因又驾车从攻南阳，战于蓝田、芷阳，以兵车趣攻战疾，至霸上接受秦王子婴出降。项羽至，灭秦，项羽分封诸侯，立刘邦为汉王。汉王赐夏侯婴列侯的爵位，号昭平侯，又以太仆之职，跟随刘邦入蜀、汉。

韩信犯汉营军法被判斩首之刑，韩信却对著夏侯婴说：「君上不是想要取得天下的吗？为何要斩壮士呢？」夏侯婴感到惊奇，释放韩信并向刘邦举荐。于是，刘邦命韩信为治粟校尉，但不受重用。

刘邦平定三秦后，夏侯婴随从进军彭城，后来刘邦被项羽打得大败，夏侯婴驾马车载著刘邦逃跑，路上遇到了刘邦儿子刘盈（后称汉惠帝）和女儿鲁元公主，夏侯婴就拉他们上马车，但是因为后面追兵紧随其后，刘邦眼见马非常疲惫，车速非常慢，楚军快要追上了，打算抛弃亲生子女，好几次把两个孩子踹下车，但夏侯婴就下车把他们再拉上马车，一连好几次，硬要把他们载在车上。刘邦为此非常生气，有十多次想杀夏侯婴，但最终刘邦与夏侯婴还是逃过了楚兵，把刘盈、鲁元送到了丰邑。

高祖时期

刘邦称帝后，他跟随刘邦伪装去云梦大泽巡游，拿下楚王韩信，将韩信贬为淮阴侯。夏侯婴被封为汝阴侯，并剖符节为信物，世世不绝。此后，一直随汉高祖刘邦到处平叛。「白登之围」又使刘邦成功脱险。

惠帝至文帝时期

刘邦驾崩，夏侯婴又作为太仆，侍奉汉惠帝和吕后。吕后去世，吕氏外戚当政，陈平、周勃等大臣们诛灭诸吕，夏侯婴和大臣们一起立代王刘恒。他亲自拘捕了汉少帝，以天子的法驾迎接代王刘恒，是为汉文帝，因功仍任太仆，直至去世，谥号为「文侯」。

后续

东汉末年曹操幕下的知名将领夏侯敦、夏侯渊即夏侯婴的后裔。传说曹操也可能出自夏侯婴的血脉。

影视形象

• 电视剧《楚河汉界》（1985年）：由张雷饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《汉刘邦》（1998年）：由李振启饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《楚汉骄雄》（2004年）：由陈荣峻饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《楚汉风云》（2005年）：由张春仲饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《大风歌》（2010年）：由傅虹钧饰演夏侯婴。

• 电影《鸿门宴》（2011年）：由陈之辉饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《楚汉争雄》（2011年）：由段卫平饰演夏侯婴。

• 电视剧《楚汉传奇》（2012年）：由林鹏饰演夏侯婴。

• 电影《王的盛宴》（2012年）：由齐一现饰演夏侯婴。

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 (砀县), Jiyang (济阳) and Yongqiu (雍丘), all in present-day eastern Henan; Dong'e (东阿; present-day Liaocheng, Shandong); Puyang; Kaifeng; Luoyang; Nanyang; Lantian; and Zhiyang (芷阳; 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 (执帛); zhigui (执圭); 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 (汉王) and was given a domain in the remote Bashu region (present-day Chongqing and Sichuan). He appointed Xiahou Ying as Minister Coachman (太仆) 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 (汝阴侯).

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.