The campaign
Hanzhong campaign
汉中之战
From 217 to 219 Liu Bei fought Cao Cao’s forces for Hanzhong, the gateway between Shu and the Central Plains. At Dingjun Mountain in 219 Huang Zhong pressed the attack, rallied his troops, and killed Xiahou Yuan in a decisive engagement that routed the enemy force; he was later promoted to General Who Campaigns West. Zhao Yun’s separate biography, quoted in Pei Songzhi’s annotations, says he accompanied Huang Zhong to seize Cao Cao’s stored grain, rode back through the pursuers to rescue the wounded Zhang Zhu, and opened his camp gates and hid the banners and drums so that Cao Cao’s troops suspected an ambush and withdrew; Liu Bei is said to have praised him as a man whose whole body was courage. Cao Cao eventually withdrew, and after the campaign Liu Bei accepted the title King of Hanzhong from his officials.
See the realm in 219 on the historical atlasThe people
Who fought it
Sources
Historical sources
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
At Dingjun Mountain, Huang Zhong pressed the attack, rallied his troops, and killed Xiahou Yuan in a decisive engagement that routed the enemy force.
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
After the victory at Dingjun Mountain, Huang Zhong was promoted to General Who Campaigns West.
- Later annotation三国志 · 裴松之注·蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
In the separate-biography account, Zhao Yun accompanied Huang Zhong to seize grain stored by Cao Cao’s army near Hanzhong.
- Later annotation三国志 · 裴松之注·蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
When Zhang Zhu was wounded during the withdrawal, Zhao Yun rode back through the pursuing force to bring him to safety.
- Later annotation三国志 · 裴松之注·蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
The separate-biography account says Zhao Yun opened the camp gates and hid the banners and drums, leading Cao Cao’s troops to suspect an ambush and withdraw.
- Later annotation三国志 · 裴松之注·蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
The separate-biography account reports that Liu Bei praised Zhao Yun as a man whose whole body was courage.
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书二·先主传
After the Hanzhong campaign, Liu Bei accepted the title King of Hanzhong from his officials.