Dong Xi 董襲 Yuandai 元代

Contents

Introduction

Dong Xi (董襲), courtesy name Yuandai (元代; also 元世 Yuanshi or 玄岱 Xuandai in some sources), was an Eastern Wu general from Yuyao in Kuaiji and one of the “Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao.” He was tall (eight chi), physically powerful, and of “generous spirit and firm resolve.” When Sun Ce entered Kuaiji, Dong Xi welcomed him at Gaoqian Pavilion; Sun Ce found him imposing and took him on campaign. Dong Xi beheaded the rebel leaders Huang Longluo and Zhou Bo and was made Separate Commander and Chief Commandant Who Spreads Martial Might. He followed Sun Ce against Liu Xun at Xunyang and Wan and against Huang Zu at Jiangxia. After Sun Ce’s death, Lady Wu asked whether Jiangdong could be held; Dong Xi assured her of its terrain and the loyalty of the people. When Poyang bandits under Peng Hu rebelled, he campaigned with Ling Tong, Bu Zhi, and Jiang Qin and pacified the area in ten days, earning promotion to Chief Commandant Who Spreads Awe in Yue and then General of the Side. In 208 he and Ling Tong led a hundred dare-to-die troops each against Huang Zu’s moored mengchong at Miankou; Dong Xi cut the cables linking the ships so Sun Quan’s army could advance and defeat Huang Zu—Sun Quan toasted him as the one “who cut the cables.” At Ruxu, when the five-storey ship he commanded capsized in a storm, he refused to flee, saying he had been charged to guard the position; he drowned. Sun Quan donned mourning and treated his family generously. Xie Cheng and Chen Shou praised him as a “tiger of Jiangbiao” who gave his life to protect his lord.

Biography

Joining Sun Ce and pacifying Kuaiji

Dong Xi was from Yuyao (餘姚), Kuaiji Commandery (會稽郡). He was eight chi tall and exceptionally strong. When Sun Ce entered Kuaiji, Dong Xi went to meet him at Gaoqian Pavilion (高遷亭). Sun Ce was struck by his appearance and took him into his service. At the time the Shanyin bandits Huang Longluo (黃龍羅) and Zhou Bo (周勃) had gathered several thousand men. Sun Ce led the attack in person and Dong Xi went with him; Dong Xi personally struck down and beheaded both leaders. For this he was made Separate Commander (別部司馬), given several thousand troops, and promoted to Chief Commandant Who Spreads Martial Might (揚武都尉). He then followed Sun Ce to attack Liu Xun at Xunyang (尋陽) and Shangliao (上繚), took part in the capture of Wan (皖), and campaigned against Huang Zu at Jiangxia (沙羨).

Reassuring Lady Wu

In 200 Sun Ce was assassinated and his brother Sun Quan succeeded. Sun Quan was young and his mother Lady Wu (吳夫人) was anxious whether Jiangdong could be defended. She summoned Zhang Zhao, Dong Xi, and others and asked if the land was secure. Dong Xi replied: “The terrain of Jiangdong has the solidity of the three rivers. The late General Who Attacks the Caitiffs [Sun Ce] had virtue and kindness among the people. The General Who Attacks the Caitiffs [Sun Quan] has inherited the base; high and low obey his orders. Zhang Zhao handles affairs of the multitude; we [Dong Xi and the other generals] are the claws and teeth. This is a time of favourable terrain and harmonious men—there is nothing to worry about.” The assembly agreed.

Poyang and promotion

Later, Poyang bandits under Peng Hu (彭虎) and others raised tens of thousands in revolt. Dong Xi campaigned with Ling Tong, Bu Zhi, and Jiang Qin, each with a separate force. Where Dong Xi went, the rebels were broken; when Peng Hu and his men saw his banners they fled. The rebellion was quelled within ten days. Dong Xi was made Chief Commandant Who Spreads Awe in Yue (威越校尉) and then General of the Side (偏將軍).

Jiangxia: cutting the cables

In 208 Sun Quan marched west against Huang Zu (Jiangxia). Huang Zu had two mengchong ships moored across the mouth of the Mian (沔) River, fixed with cables to great stones on the banks; several thousand men on the ships shot crossbows so that “arrows fell like rain” and Sun Quan’s army could not advance. Dong Xi and Ling Tong were the vanguard. Each led a hundred dare-to-die troops in double armour; they boarded large vessels and drove straight into the mengchong. Dong Xi took his blade and cut the two cables linking the ships. Sun Quan’s army could then press forward. Huang Zu opened the gates and fled; Sun Quan’s forces pursued and killed him. The next day Sun Quan held a feast, raised his cup to Dong Xi, and said: “Today’s gathering is thanks to the merit of cutting the cables.” That winter Dong Xi was at Chaisang for the defence against Cao Cao (Chibi).

Death at Ruxu

When Cao Cao attacked Ruxu (濡須), Dong Xi followed Sun Quan to resist. Sun Quan ordered Dong Xi to take five multi-storey ships (五樓船) to Ruxu. In the middle of the night a violent storm arose and the five ships were on the point of capsizing. The officers and men took to smaller craft and urged Dong Xi to escape with them. Dong Xi refused and rebuked them: “I have received the general’s commission to prepare against the enemy here. How can I abandon my post? Whoever dares speak of leaving again—I will behead him.” No one dared speak again. The ships then capsized and Dong Xi drowned. Sun Quan changed into mourning dress, attended his funeral, and provided generously for his family.

Personality and traits

Dong Xi was “generous in spirit and firm in resolve” (謝承: 襲慷慨志節、武毅英烈) and “extremely loyal to the Sun house.” He was tall and physically powerful and did not shrink from danger; at Ruxu he chose to stay with his ship rather than flee, insisting that a general must not abandon his assigned post.

Political achievements

Under Sun Ce: welcomed him at Gaoqian Pavilion; beheaded Huang Longluo and Zhou Bo; Separate Commander, Chief Commandant Who Spreads Martial Might; campaign against Liu Xun (Xunyang, Shangliao, Wan); campaign against Huang Zu at Jiangxia. Under Sun Quan: reassured Lady Wu on Jiangdong’s security; with Ling Tong, Bu Zhi, and Jiang Qin pacified Poyang bandits (Peng Hu) in ten days;威越校尉, 偏將軍; 208 vanguard at Jiangxia (cut cables at Miankou); defence at Chaisang (Chibi); Ruxu (five-storey ships, drowned in storm).

Relationships

Sun Ce

Sun Ce met Dong Xi at Gaoqian Pavilion, was impressed by his stature, and employed him. Dong Xi won merit by beheading the bandit leaders and followed Sun Ce against Liu Xun and Huang Zu.

Sun Quan

After Sun Ce’s death, Dong Xi reassured Lady Wu that Jiangdong could be held. Sun Quan used him against Poyang bandits and at Jiangxia; at the feast after Jiangxia he credited Dong Xi with “the merit of cutting the cables.” When Dong Xi drowned at Ruxu, Sun Quan wore mourning and treated his family well.

Ling Tong

Dong Xi and Ling Tong shared the vanguard at Jiangxia in 208, each leading a hundred dare-to-die troops to cut the cables on Huang Zu’s mengchong ships.

Anecdotes and allusions

“Today’s gathering is thanks to the merit of cutting the cables”

After the fall of Jiangxia, Sun Quan held a banquet and raised his cup to Dong Xi: “今日之會，斷紲之功也”—“Today’s gathering is thanks to the merit of cutting the cables.”

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Refusing to abandon ship at Ruxu

When the five-storey ships capsized in a storm, Dong Xi refused to board the escape craft: “I have received the general’s commission to prepare against the enemy here. How can I abandon my post? Whoever dares speak of leaving again—I will behead him.” He drowned with the ship.

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel, Dong Xi is said to have presented Yan Baihu’s head when submitting to Sun Ce. He appears at Chibi (defence at Chaisang), at Hefei (reinforcing Taishi Ci), and at Xiaoyao Ford (reinforcing Sun Quan). His death at Ruxu follows history: he stays on the ship when it capsizes and drowns.

Achievements

Documented achievements include: welcoming Sun Ce at Gaoqian Pavilion; beheading Huang Longluo and Zhou Bo; Separate Commander and Chief Commandant Who Spreads Martial Might; campaigns against Liu Xun and Huang Zu; reassuring Lady Wu; pacifying Poyang (Peng Hu) in ten days;威越校尉, 偏將軍; 208 Jiangxia vanguard (cutting cables at Miankou); defence at Chibi; death at Ruxu (refusing to abandon post).

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Dong Xi’s biography is in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), “Biographies of Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, Dong Xi, Gan Ning, Ling Tong, and others” (吳書·程黃韓蔣周陳董甘凌徐潘丁傳). His courtesy name appears as 元世 (Yuanshi) in the Wenxuan commentary (Li Shan citing Wu zhi); later texts sometimes use 元代 (Yuandai) to avoid the Tang taboo on 世 (Emperor Taizong’s name). Taiping yulan gives 玄岱 (Xuandai). Romance uses 元代. The year of his death is given as 213 (first battle of Ruxu) or 217 (second) depending on the source.

Chen Shou’s and Xie Cheng’s evaluation

Chen Shou groups Dong Xi with the “tigers of Jiangbiao” whom the Sun house richly favoured. Xie Cheng (in Pei Songzhi’s citation) wrote: “Dong Xi was generous in spirit and firm in resolve, martial and heroic.” Lu Ji’s Discourse on the Fall of Wu (辨亡論) mentions “Dong Xi and Chen Wu giving their lives to protect their lord.”

Historical evaluations

Luo Guanzhong (Romance)

A verse in the novel remembers Dong Xi’s role at Jiangxia: “When Huang Zu was smitten, Dong Xi’s merit stood first. He flew to the enemy ships and his blade cut the long rainbow. Now his soul is painted on the waves; when the Ruxu ships broke, tears filled Jiangdong.”

Legacy

Dong Xi is remembered as one of the “Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao” who cut the cables at Jiangxia so Sun Quan could defeat Huang Zu, and who died at Ruxu refusing to abandon his sinking ship, embodying loyalty and resolve.

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, Dong Xi, Gan Ning, Ling Tong, and others” (吳書·程黃韓蔣周陳董甘凌徐潘丁傳).
Pei Songzhi. Commentary citing Xie Cheng, Hou Han shu.
Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), chapters on Sun Ce’s campaigns, Chibi, Hefei, and Ruxu.