Bamboo Scroll竹簡 Ep. 7 · The Heights Above the River
Banners of Liu Bei's army on the heights of Mount Dingjun above the Mian River, Xiahou Yuan's camp among sharpened stakes below, 219 CE
Bamboo Scroll · Three Kingdoms · Episode 7

The Heights Above the River

Hanzhong, 217–219 CE — Two years, one river crossing, and one charge downhill with the drums rolling — the campaign that took Hanzhong from Cao Cao was won by an old general and planned by a strategist the novel gave to someone else.
16 panels~6 min read free to readevery line sourced
Panel 01: Spring, 219 CE. Above the valley of the Han River there stands a mountain called Dingjun. The army that held it had crossed a river by night to get there; the army camped below was about to learn what heights cost.
Spring, 219 CE. Above the valley of the Han River there stands a mountain called Dingjun. The army that held it had crossed a river by night to get there; the army camped below was about to learn what heights cost.
Panel 02: It began with a gate left in the wrong hands. Cao Cao had taken Hanzhong from Zhang Lu in 215 and gone home again, leaving generals to hold it. Liu Bei's advisers told him what that meant; in 217 he resolved to take the gate back.
Huang Quan If we lose Hanzhong, the three Ba will not stand — it is to cut off the arms and legs of Shu.
It began with a gate left in the wrong hands. Cao Cao had taken Hanzhong from Zhang Lu in 215 and gone home again, leaving generals to hold it. Liu Bei's advisers told him what that meant; in 217 he resolved to take the gate back.
Panel 03: The plan that went north was not Zhuge Liang's — he stayed to keep Chengdu, feeding the army and supplying the troops. The man with the army was Fa Zheng: strike to destroy the enemy, creep to expand the border, or hold the strong points for a long war — three courses, and the chance, he said, was given by heaven and must not be missed.
The plan that went north was not Zhuge Liang's — he stayed to keep Chengdu, feeding the army and supplying the troops. The man with the army was Fa Zheng: strike to destroy the enemy, creep to expand the border, or hold the strong points for a long war — three courses, and the chance, he said, was given by heaven and must not be missed.
Panel 04: The first move went wrong. Zhang Fei and Ma Chao were sent to Xiabian in Wudu to cut the north-western road; Cao Hong fell upon Wu Lan's camp, the diversion broke, and Lei Tong fell.
The first move went wrong. Zhang Fei and Ma Chao were sent to Xiabian in Wudu to cut the north-western road; Cao Hong fell upon Wu Lan's camp, the diversion broke, and Lei Tong fell.
Panel 05: Liu Bei came up in person and sat down at Yangping Pass against Xiahou Yuan. For a year the two armies faced each other across the valley, and neither could move the other.
Liu Bei came up in person and sat down at Yangping Pass against Xiahou Yuan. For a year the two armies faced each other across the valley, and neither could move the other.
Panel 06: Liu Bei sent ten thousand picked men by night against Zhang He's camp at Guangshi. Zhang He led his own bodyguards out to fight in the dark, and the attack did not break through.
Liu Bei sent ten thousand picked men by night against Zhang He's camp at Guangshi. Zhang He led his own bodyguards out to fight in the dark, and the attack did not break through.
Panel 07: In the first month of 219 Liu Bei left the pass, crossed the Mian River southward, and climbed the slopes of Mount Dingjun step by step, making his camp on the heights above Xiahou Yuan.
In the first month of 219 Liu Bei left the pass, crossed the Mian River southward, and climbed the slopes of Mount Dingjun step by step, making his camp on the heights above Xiahou Yuan.
Panel 08: By night the Shu troops burned and broke the deer-horn stakes of the Wei camp. Xiahou Yuan divided his soldiers — half to help Zhang He hold the east, the rest with himself at the south — and Fa Zheng saw that the general below the slope was growing thin.
By night the Shu troops burned and broke the deer-horn stakes of the Wei camp. Xiahou Yuan divided his soldiers — half to help Zhang He hold the east, the rest with himself at the south — and Fa Zheng saw that the general below the slope was growing thin.
Panel 09: Huang Zhong came down from the heights with the drums rolling. Yuan's army broke on the slope; Xiahou Yuan fell, and with him Zhao Yong, the inspector Cao Cao had appointed.
Huang Zhong came down from the heights with the drums rolling. Yuan's army broke on the slope; Xiahou Yuan fell, and with him Zhao Yong, the inspector Cao Cao had appointed.
Panel 10: The Wei army had lost its commander before dawn. Guo Huai and Du Xi pushed Zhang He to the front; Zhang He set the ranks in order and led what remained back to the Yangping line. Cao Cao confirmed him in command by remote appointment.
The Wei army had lost its commander before dawn. Guo Huai and Du Xi pushed Zhang He to the front; Zhang He set the ranks in order and led what remained back to the Yangping line. Cao Cao confirmed him in command by remote appointment.
Panel 11: In the third month Cao Cao came in person, out of Chang'an by the Xie Valley. Liu Bei gathered his generals on the heights and did not come down.
Liu Bei Cao Cao may come himself — he can do nothing. I will surely have Hanzhong.
In the third month Cao Cao came in person, out of Chang'an by the Xie Valley. Liu Bei gathered his generals on the heights and did not come down.
Panel 12: Cao Cao offered battle and got none. Liu Bei drew his troops onto the heights and held the defiles; day after day soldiers of the northern army slipped away in the dark.
Cao Cao offered battle and got none. Liu Bei drew his troops onto the heights and held the defiles; day after day soldiers of the northern army slipped away in the dark.
Panel 13: One evening the password of the night was a chicken rib. Yang Xiu began to pack: a chicken rib is tasteless to eat and a pity to throw away — that is Hanzhong, he said, and the king is going home.
One evening the password of the night was a chicken rib. Yang Xiu began to pack: a chicken rib is tasteless to eat and a pity to throw away — that is Hanzhong, he said, and the king is going home.
Panel 14: At the Han River, Zhao Yun met Cao Cao's foragers with an open gate and a silent camp. The northern troops suspected an ambush and turned; then the drums came out and the crossbows, and many men went into the water. Next day Liu Bei rode along the field.
Liu Bei Zilong is courage from head to foot.
At the Han River, Zhao Yun met Cao Cao's foragers with an open gate and a silent camp. The northern troops suspected an ambush and turned; then the drums came out and the crossbows, and many men went into the water. Next day Liu Bei rode along the field.
Panel 15: In the fifth month of 219 the northern army went home through the valleys to Chang'an. Hanzhong, held for Wei close on four years, was Liu Bei's.
In the fifth month of 219 the northern army went home through the valleys to Chang'an. Hanzhong, held for Wei close on four years, was Liu Bei's.
Panel 16: In the seventh month Liu Bei declared himself King of Hanzhong, on the ground he had won. Fa Zheng became Prefect of the Masters of Writing — without he commanded the capital district, within he was chief of counsel. He had one more year to live.
In the seventh month Liu Bei declared himself King of Hanzhong, on the ground he had won. Fa Zheng became Prefect of the Masters of Writing — without he commanded the capital district, within he was chief of counsel. He had one more year to live.

In this episode

The people who carried this year. The sources disagree about almost everything else.

Portrait of Liu Bei
Liu Bei劉備
161–223 CE
Claimant of the house of Han in Shu. Marched north for the gate that shielded his province, held the heights against Cao Cao himself, and took a king's title in Hanzhong.
Portrait of Fa Zheng
Fa Zheng法正
176–220 CE
Chief strategist of the campaign. Argued for the march on Hanzhong, planned the stroke at Dingjun, and became Prefect of the Masters of Writing in the new kingdom; died the year after the victory.
Portrait of Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong黃忠
d. 220 CE
Liu Bei's veteran general. Charged down Mount Dingjun with the drums rolling in 219, broke Xiahou Yuan's army, and slew him.
Portrait of Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan夏侯淵
d. 219 CE
Cao Cao's general in the west, of whom his soldiers said five hundred li in three days. Held Hanzhong for four years; died beneath the heights of Dingjun.
Portrait of Cao Cao
Cao Cao曹操
155–220 CE
Master of the north. Left two generals to hold Hanzhong for him, came in person to save it, and went home without a battle.

Myth Check

The novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a masterpiece — and not a source. Where its famous scenes depart from the histories, we leave them out of the story and put them here.

The story you may know

The Hanzhong campaign was masterminded by Zhuge Liang.

What the sources say

The histories name Fa Zheng: the persuasion to march, the three-course plan, and the design at Dingjun were his, and he went with the army. Zhuge Liang's recorded office through these years was holding Chengdu, feeding the army and supplying the troops. The novel has Zhuge Liang directing the whole war by letter from Chengdu; no history supports it.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, chs. 70–73; corrected by Sanguozhi, Shu shu 2, Shu shu 5 and Shu shu 7; Zizhi Tongjian, scroll 68
The story you may know

Huang Zhong slew Xiahou Yuan in single combat, as in the opera Dingjun Mountain.

What the sources say

No duel is recorded. The histories give an assault: Huang Zhong charged down from the heights with drums rolling, Yuan's army was badly defeated, and Yuan was killed in the rout together with Zhao Yong. The duel, the exchange of prisoners, and the opera's other business are later invention.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 71, and the opera Dingjun Shan; absent from Sanguozhi, Shu shu 6 and Wei shu 9
The story you may know

Cao Cao lost Hanzhong in a great pitched battle.

What the sources say

After Dingjun, Cao Cao came in person with a relief army and the war ended almost without fighting: Liu Bei held the heights and refused battle, desertions in Cao Cao's camps grew daily, and in the fifth month the northern army withdrew.

Sanguozhi, Shu shu 2, Biography of the Former Lord; Wei shu 1, Annals of Emperor Wu
The story you may know

The campaign turned on a string of duels — Zhang He against Huang Zhong, month after month of single combat.

What the sources say

The histories record two engagements: a failed night attack on Zhang He's camp at Guangshi, and the descent from Dingjun. No single combat between generals is recorded anywhere in the campaign; the war was decided by ground — who held the heights.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, chs. 70–71; Sanguozhi, Wei shu 17 and Shu shu 6

Sources

Every caption and quotation in this episode traces to one of these. Where scholars disagree, the panel says so.

Next

Before this: Episode 6 · The City and the Ford (Hefei, 215 CE). Next: Episode 8 · High Water (Fancheng and Jing Province, 219 CE). Or meet the cast, or read the chronology of the age.