Dian Wei
Encyclopedia
Dian Wei was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao
during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled in wielding dual halberds, each of which was said to weigh 40 jin. He was killed in action at the Battle of Wancheng
while covering Cao Cao's escape from enemies.
, Henan
), Dian Wei's birth year is unknown. Chen Shou
's Records of Three Kingdoms
describes Dian as a stalwart man with superhuman strength.
When he was young, Dian Wei once agreed to kill a rival of his fellow townsman. Disguised as a noble, Dian Wei traveled to his enemy's house in Suiyang
and entered the gates without challenge. He then slayed his enemy's entire family. As the victim lived near the market, news of his death soon spread and hundreds of men went on pursuit of the murderer. However, none of them dared to fight Dian Wei, who headed out of town with the pursuers at his heels. After walking four or five li, Dian Wei met his companions and escaped after a fight.
In 189, the regional warlord Zhang Miao
was raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo, who was holding the Emperor Xian
hostage in the imperial court. Dian Wei heeded the call. He greatly impressed his superiors when he managed to keep a huge banner swaying in strong wind upright with just one hand, while several other men with their combined efforts could not do so.
, a general under Cao Cao. During the campaign against Lü Bu
in Puyang
, Cao Cao and his troops were caught amidst an onrush by the enemy. Dian Wei gathered scores of men around himself. All of them put on two layers of armor, discarded their shields, and charged towards the enemy holding spears and halberds. Another wave of enemy closing in from the west unleashed a barrage of arrows onto Dian Wei and his men. Oblivious to the missiles, Dian Wei told his comrade, "Tell me when the enemies are ten paces away." His comrade did so. Dian Wei said again, "Tell me when it's five paces." His comrade then cried with fear, "The enemies are upon us!"
Spinning around, Dian Wei flung the dozen javelins he was holding at his enemies. With each fling a man fell from his saddle and not a javelin missed its target. The enemies then retreated. Deeply impressed, Cao Cao promoted Dian Wei to the rank of colonel and made him his own personal bodyguard.
In 197, Cao Cao waged a war against Zhang Xiu
, the governor of Wancheng, who immediately surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was pleased and invited Zhang Xiu and his men to a banquet. During the banquet, Dian Wei stood behind Cao, holding a giant axe, the blade of which was one chi long. Zhang Xiu and his men dared not even look up at the pair whenever they toasted to Cao Cao.
's widow to be a concubine of his, which angered Zhang Xiu. Cao Cao heard of Zhang Xiu's displeasure, and plotted to kill the latter. However, the plan was leaked and Zhang Xiu launched a surprise attack on Cao Cao, leading to the Battle of Wancheng
. Cao Cao escaped on horseback. Dian Wei stood guard at the front gate of the camp ground, with a dozen men on his side, and fought fiercely using a long halberd. One swing of the halberd saw more than ten enemy spears broken. As the battle went on, Dian Wei's companions were killed one by one, while Dian was also wounded.
Dian Wei then grabbed two enemies and used them as weapons. No other enemy dared to approach him. Dian Wei rushed forward and killed a few more enemies before finally dying of blood loss. He was still staring and swearing as he took his last breath. Only after assuring that he was dead did the enemies dare to come forward and severed his head, which was passed around for all to see. When the word spread, all the enemies came to revere Dian Wei's body, not believing anyone could fight so ferociously.
When Cao Cao heard of Dian Wei's death, he broke down in tears. He then ordered his men to steal Dian Wei's corpse back so that the warrior could be buried in his hometown. Thereafter, whenever Cao Cao passed by the tomb, he would stop to mourn Dian Wei. Cao Cao also made Dian Wei's son, Dian Man
, an officer, and kept him at his side.
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
, was a romanticized version of the events that occurred during the Three Kingdoms era.
In the book, Dian Wei was introduced to Cao Cao by Xiahou Dun sometime in 193. According to Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei used to serve in Zhang Miao's camp. After killing dozens of comrades with his bare hands following a dispute, Dian Wei escaped to the hills. Xiahou Dun, while out hunting, found Dian Wei chasing a tiger across a stream and brought the man back to his camp.
Cao Cao then asked Dian Wei to demonstrate his martial skills. Carrying his halberds, each of which weighed 40 jin, Dian Wei vaulted himself onto a horse and galloped to and fro. Then he saw a huge banner about to topple in the strong wind. A crowd of soldiers were struggling vainly to hold it up. Dian Wei dismounted and held the banner perfectly steady with just one hand.
Seeing this, Cao Cao exclaimed, "This is E Lai
from the ancient times!" Thus this fictional nickname of Dian Wei stuck with him, and he was henceforth known as "E Lai" Dian Wei. In the novel after his death Cao Cao could not find his body and wept because of this, furthermore he expressed sorrow that Dian Wei who was talented died, while he couldn't feel as much sorrow for his son and nephew who also died in the battle.
and Warriors Orochi
video game series.
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled in wielding dual halberds, each of which was said to weigh 40 jin. He was killed in action at the Battle of Wancheng
Battle of Wancheng
The Battle of Wancheng or Battle of Wan City was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu in 197 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
while covering Cao Cao's escape from enemies.
Early life
A local of Jiwu (己吾, present day Ningling CountyNingling County
Ningling County is a county of Shangqiu city, Henan province, People's Republic of China, with the population of about ??,????....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), Dian Wei's birth year is unknown. Chen Shou
Chen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
's Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
describes Dian as a stalwart man with superhuman strength.
When he was young, Dian Wei once agreed to kill a rival of his fellow townsman. Disguised as a noble, Dian Wei traveled to his enemy's house in Suiyang
Suiyang District
Suiyang District is one of the two districts of the city of Shangqiu, Henan, China.-External links:*...
and entered the gates without challenge. He then slayed his enemy's entire family. As the victim lived near the market, news of his death soon spread and hundreds of men went on pursuit of the murderer. However, none of them dared to fight Dian Wei, who headed out of town with the pursuers at his heels. After walking four or five li, Dian Wei met his companions and escaped after a fight.
In 189, the regional warlord Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao , style name Mengzhuo , was a minister of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as prefect of Chenliu Commandery. Zhang Miao led an army during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. In the coalition Zhang expressed displeasure at their leader, Yuan Shao, and Yuan sent Cao...
was raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo, who was holding the Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian of Han
Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
hostage in the imperial court. Dian Wei heeded the call. He greatly impressed his superiors when he managed to keep a huge banner swaying in strong wind upright with just one hand, while several other men with their combined efforts could not do so.
Service under Xiahou Dun
Dian Wei later served under Xiahou DunXiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
, a general under Cao Cao. During the campaign against Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
in Puyang
Puyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
, Cao Cao and his troops were caught amidst an onrush by the enemy. Dian Wei gathered scores of men around himself. All of them put on two layers of armor, discarded their shields, and charged towards the enemy holding spears and halberds. Another wave of enemy closing in from the west unleashed a barrage of arrows onto Dian Wei and his men. Oblivious to the missiles, Dian Wei told his comrade, "Tell me when the enemies are ten paces away." His comrade did so. Dian Wei said again, "Tell me when it's five paces." His comrade then cried with fear, "The enemies are upon us!"
Spinning around, Dian Wei flung the dozen javelins he was holding at his enemies. With each fling a man fell from his saddle and not a javelin missed its target. The enemies then retreated. Deeply impressed, Cao Cao promoted Dian Wei to the rank of colonel and made him his own personal bodyguard.
Bodyguard of Cao Cao
Henceafter, Dian Wei was always next to Cao Cao in every battle Cao participated in. He was also loyal and responsible. He stood guard outside Cao Cao's tent throughout the day and slept somewhere close during the night, and rarely returned to his own quarters. The capable warrior was also an extraordinary eater and drinker. He ate in huge mouthfuls and drank in long gulps. Because of his enormous appetite, several men were required to serve him whenever he sat down for meals.In 197, Cao Cao waged a war against Zhang Xiu
Zhang Xiu
Zhang Xiu was a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He eventually surrendered to Cao Cao in 200. Having contributed greatly to the decisive Battle of Guandu and subsequent campaigns against the heirs of Yuan Shao, Zhang Xiu died en route Liucheng on a campaign to...
, the governor of Wancheng, who immediately surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was pleased and invited Zhang Xiu and his men to a banquet. During the banquet, Dian Wei stood behind Cao, holding a giant axe, the blade of which was one chi long. Zhang Xiu and his men dared not even look up at the pair whenever they toasted to Cao Cao.
Battle of Wancheng and death
During Cao Cao's stay at Wancheng, he forced Zhang JiZhang Ji (warlord)
Zhang Ji was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He was the uncle of Zhang Xiu and was married to the beautiful Lady Zou...
's widow to be a concubine of his, which angered Zhang Xiu. Cao Cao heard of Zhang Xiu's displeasure, and plotted to kill the latter. However, the plan was leaked and Zhang Xiu launched a surprise attack on Cao Cao, leading to the Battle of Wancheng
Battle of Wancheng
The Battle of Wancheng or Battle of Wan City was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu in 197 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
. Cao Cao escaped on horseback. Dian Wei stood guard at the front gate of the camp ground, with a dozen men on his side, and fought fiercely using a long halberd. One swing of the halberd saw more than ten enemy spears broken. As the battle went on, Dian Wei's companions were killed one by one, while Dian was also wounded.
Dian Wei then grabbed two enemies and used them as weapons. No other enemy dared to approach him. Dian Wei rushed forward and killed a few more enemies before finally dying of blood loss. He was still staring and swearing as he took his last breath. Only after assuring that he was dead did the enemies dare to come forward and severed his head, which was passed around for all to see. When the word spread, all the enemies came to revere Dian Wei's body, not believing anyone could fight so ferociously.
When Cao Cao heard of Dian Wei's death, he broke down in tears. He then ordered his men to steal Dian Wei's corpse back so that the warrior could be buried in his hometown. Thereafter, whenever Cao Cao passed by the tomb, he would stop to mourn Dian Wei. Cao Cao also made Dian Wei's son, Dian Man
Dian Man
Dian Man was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the son of Dian Wei. When his father was killed in action at the Battle of Wancheng, Dian Man continued to serve Cao Cao...
, an officer, and kept him at his side.
In fiction
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
, was a romanticized version of the events that occurred during the Three Kingdoms era.
In the book, Dian Wei was introduced to Cao Cao by Xiahou Dun sometime in 193. According to Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei used to serve in Zhang Miao's camp. After killing dozens of comrades with his bare hands following a dispute, Dian Wei escaped to the hills. Xiahou Dun, while out hunting, found Dian Wei chasing a tiger across a stream and brought the man back to his camp.
Cao Cao then asked Dian Wei to demonstrate his martial skills. Carrying his halberds, each of which weighed 40 jin, Dian Wei vaulted himself onto a horse and galloped to and fro. Then he saw a huge banner about to topple in the strong wind. A crowd of soldiers were struggling vainly to hold it up. Dian Wei dismounted and held the banner perfectly steady with just one hand.
Seeing this, Cao Cao exclaimed, "This is E Lai
E Lai
E Lai was a bodyguard for King Zhou during the Shang Dynasty of China. According to the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian, E Lai was known for his immense physical strength....
from the ancient times!" Thus this fictional nickname of Dian Wei stuck with him, and he was henceforth known as "E Lai" Dian Wei. In the novel after his death Cao Cao could not find his body and wept because of this, furthermore he expressed sorrow that Dian Wei who was talented died, while he couldn't feel as much sorrow for his son and nephew who also died in the battle.
Modern references
Dian Wei appears as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty WarriorsDynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
and Warriors Orochi
Warriors Orochi
, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
video game series.