Han Dang 韓當 Yigong 義公

Contents

Introduction

Han Dang (韓當), courtesy name Yigong (义公), was an Eastern Wu general from Liaoxi and one of the “Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao.” He was skilled in archery and horsemanship and had great strength; Sun Jian valued him and he followed Sun Jian on campaign, repeatedly risking danger and capturing or killing enemies, and was made Separate Commander. When Sun Jian died (191) he followed Sun Ce, took part in the conquest of Danyang, Wu, and Kuaiji, was made Colonel Who Leads the Van with two thousand troops and fifty horses, and later campaigned against Liu Xun, defeated Huang Zu, and pacified Poyang; he was Magistrate of Lean and the Shanyue feared him. At Chibi (208) he was General of the Household and helped defeat Cao Cao; when Huang Gai was hit by an arrow and fell into the water, Han Dang recognised his voice and had him saved. In 209 he was sent to rescue Chen Lan at Tianzhu Mountain but was twice defeated by Zang Ba (at Fenglong and Jiashi). In 219 he went with Lü Meng up the river to attack Guan Yu and was made General of the Side and nominal Administrator of Yongchang. At Yiling (222) he fought with Lu Xun and Zhu Ran and defeated Liu Bei, was made General of Ferocious Might and Marquis of the Capital Pavilion, and when Cao Zhen attacked Nan Commandery he held the southeast. In 223 he was enfeoffed Marquis of Shicheng, promoted to General Who Manifests Martial Might and Administrator of Guanjun, and given the title Supervisor; he led ten thousand “dare-to-die” and Jiefan troops against the Danyang bandits and defeated them. He died in 226. His son Han Zong inherited but later defected to Wei with his mother and troops, raided Wu, and was killed at Dongxing. Chen Shou counted him among the “tigers of Jiangbiao”; the Wu shu said he was diligent and had merit but as a military subordinate shared glory with the leading figures, so he was not enfeoffed until after Sun Jian’s time.

Biography

Under Sun Jian and Sun Ce

Han Dang was from Lingzhi (令支), Liaoxi (遼西). He was skilled in archery and horsemanship and had great physical strength, so Sun Jian recruited him. He followed Sun Jian on campaign, repeatedly faced danger, broke the enemy line, and captured or killed enemies. He was appointed Separate Commander (別部司馬).

When Sun Jian died (191), Han Dang continued to follow Sun Ce. He took part in the attack on Danyang, Wu, and Kuaiji; he was promoted to Colonel Who Leads the Van (先登校尉) and given two thousand troops and fifty horses. He later took part in the campaign against Liu Xun, the defeat of Huang Zu, and the pacification of Poyang. He was made Magistrate of Lean (樂安長). The Shanyue feared and submitted to him.

Under Sun Quan: Chibi to Yiling

In 208 Han Dang served as General of the Household (中郎將) and followed Zhou Yu and others at the Battle of Red Cliffs, where they defeated Cao Cao. During the battle Huang Gai was hit by a stray arrow and fell into the cold water; when Wu soldiers pulled him out they did not recognise him and laid him on a makeshift bed. Huang Gai called out for Han Dang; Han Dang recognised his voice, wept, had him changed out of his wet clothes and cared for, and Huang Gai survived.

In 209 Sun Quan sent Han Dang to rescue Chen Lan at Tianzhu Mountain. Zang Ba, under Zhang Liao’s orders, was sent to block Wu from relieving Chen Lan. Han Dang sent troops to meet Zang Ba at Fenglong and was defeated; he sent troops again to intercept at Jiashi and was defeated again. Chen Lan was not relieved and Zhang Liao eventually took the stronghold.

In 219 Han Dang went with Lü Meng up the river to attack Guan Yu and take Nan Commandery. He was promoted to General of the Side (偏將軍) and nominal Administrator of Yongchang (永昌太守).

In 222 at the Battle of Yiling (Xiaoting) Han Dang fought with Lu Xun and Zhu Ran and defeated Liu Bei. He was made General of Ferocious Might (威烈將軍) and enfeoffed Marquis of the Capital Pavilion (都亭侯). When the Wei general Cao Zhen attacked Nan Commandery, Han Dang defended the southeastern sector. On the border he encouraged his officers and men to stand firm together and respected his superiors and the law; Sun Quan praised him.

Marquis of Shicheng and death

In 223 Han Dang was enfeoffed Marquis of Shicheng (石城侯), promoted to General Who Manifests Martial Might (昭武將軍) and Administrator of Guanjun (冠軍太守), and given the title Supervisor (都督). He led ten thousand “dare-to-die” and Jiefan troops to attack the Danyang bandits and defeated them. He died in 226. His son Han Zong (韓綜) succeeded to his marquisate and troops. That year Sun Quan campaigned against Shiyang and, because Han Zong was in mourning, had him guard Wuchang. Han Zong committed misconduct and, fearing punishment, in 227 took his father’s coffin, his mother, his family, and several thousand troops and defected to Wei. He repeatedly raided Wu territory; Sun Quan hated him. He later served Wei at the Battle of Dongxing and was killed.

Personality and traits

Han Dang was strong, skilled with bow and horse, diligent, and had merit. The Wu shu says that as a military subordinate he shared in the glory of the leading figures, so his rank was not increased during Sun Jian’s lifetime and he remained Separate Commander. As a commander on the border he encouraged his officers and men and was respectful and law-abiding; Sun Quan thought well of him.

Political achievements

Under Sun Jian: Separate Commander; campaigns and merit. Under Sun Ce: conquest of three commanderies; Colonel Who Leads the Van; campaigns against Liu Xun, Huang Zu; pacification of Poyang; Magistrate of Lean. Under Sun Quan: General of the Household at Chibi (208); rescue attempt for Chen Lan (209, defeated by Zang Ba); General of the Side and nominal Yongchang Administrator after capture of Nan Commandery (219); Yiling (222), General of Ferocious Might, Marquis of the Capital Pavilion; defence against Cao Zhen; Marquis of Shicheng, General Who Manifests Martial Might, Administrator of Guanjun, Supervisor (223); campaign against Danyang bandits.

Relationships

Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Sun Quan

Han Dang served three generations of the Sun family and was one of the “Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao.”

Huang Gai

At Chibi, when Huang Gai was wounded and fell into the water, Han Dang recognised his voice and had him rescued and cared for.

Han Zong

Han Dang’s son Han Zong succeeded him but later defected to Wei with the family and troops, raided Wu, and was killed at Dongxing—a source of lasting anger for Sun Quan.

Anecdotes and allusions

Recognising Huang Gai’s voice

At Chibi, Huang Gai was hit by an arrow and fell into the water. Rescued but unrecognised, he was laid on a makeshift bed. He called out for Han Dang; Han Dang said “That is Gongfu’s voice,” wept, had him changed and tended, and Huang Gai survived.

Source: Wu shu, in Pei Songzhi’s commentary to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel, Han Dang appears with Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Zu Mao as Sun Jian’s earliest officers. He is said to have killed Zhang Hu (under Huang Zu) and the former Yuan Shao general Jiao Chu who had surrendered to Cao Cao. He often fights alongside Zhou Tai. At Chibi he takes part in the naval battle and with Zhou Tai defeats Wen Ping on the shore. He follows Zhou Yu to Nan Commandery and fights Cao Hong for thirty rounds; Cao Hong retreats. At Ruxu he and Zhou Tai fight Xu Chu to a draw. At Yiling he and Zhou Tai are initially unwilling to accept Lu Xun as commander.

Achievements

Documented achievements include: under Sun Jian (Separate Commander, campaigns); under Sun Ce (three commanderies, Colonel Who Leads the Van, Liu Xun, Huang Zu, Poyang, Magistrate of Lean); under Sun Quan (Chibi, rescue of Huang Gai; attempt to relieve Chen Lan; Nan Commandery campaign; Yiling; defence against Cao Zhen; Marquis of Shicheng, General Who Manifests Martial Might, campaign against Danyang bandits).

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Han Dang’s biography is in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and others” (吳書·程黃韓蔣周陳董甘凌徐潘丁傳). The Wu shu (in Pei Songzhi’s commentary) describes his diligence and the reason he was not enfeoffed under Sun Jian. His death is dated to 226 by the fact that in that year Sun Quan campaigned against Shiyang and had Han Zong guard Wuchang while in mourning; Han Zong’s defection is recorded under 227 in the Wu zhu zhuan.

Chen Shou’s evaluation

“All these generals were tigers of Jiangbiao, and the Sun house treated them with great favour.”

Historical evaluations

Lu Ji

“Gan Ning, Ling Tong, Cheng Pu, He Qi, Zhu Huan, Zhu Ran and the like displayed their might; Han Dang, Pan Zhang, Huang Gai, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai and their kind exerted their strength.”

Legacy

Han Dang is remembered as one of the “Tiger Generals of Jiangbiao” who served the Sun family for three generations and who rescued Huang Gai at Chibi. His later reputation was overshadowed by his son Han Zong’s defection to Wei and raids on Wu.

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and others” (吳書·程黃韓蔣周陳董甘凌徐潘丁傳).
Pei Songzhi. Commentary citing Wu shu.
Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), chapters on Sun Jian, Chibi, Nan Commandery, Ruxu, and Yiling.