生平

早年侠义

早年，襄邑的刘氏与睢阳的李永有仇怨，典韦要为刘氏报仇。但李永为富春长，警备森严，典韦便用车载著鸡和酒扮作商人，当门打开，典韦取出怀中的匕首，闯入屋刺死李永与其妻，之后徐徐步出，取出车上的刀、戟逃离。因李永居近市集，全市皆惊动，李永手下追来者虽有数百人，但都不敢靠近典韦。走了四五里路，遇到其同伴，成功逃离。于是令不少豪杰知其名。后来张邈举兵，典韦参军为士，属于赵宠之下。190年张邈讨伐董卓兵败后获得曹操大将夏侯敦赏识，转为其麾下，多从征战，砍下敌军首级很多，因功拜为司马。

濮阳战敌

194年，吕布趁曹操东征徐州，偷袭兖州，曹操立即还击吕布。吕布派军屯兵在濮阳之西四五十里，曹操实行夜袭，杀至明早，吕布率军解救，三面围攻曹操。吕布亲率大军从早到午交战数十次，甚至亲自上阵肉搏敌兵，战况十分激烈。曹操招募壮士冲阵，典韦抢先响应，并募集勇士数十，穿上两重铠甲，放弃大楯，手持长撩矛戟出战。正值西面战况又急，敌军弓弩乱发，箭如雨下，典韦不顾险情冲前挡著敌兵，并告诉身边士卒：「敌人来到我面前十步才叫我。」士卒大叫：「十步了。」之后典韦又喝令：「到五步外再叫我！」众人皆惧，大叫：「敌人到了！」典韦挟带十多枝长戟，大吼而起，以戟掷敌、刺敌，所击者无不血肉横飞，应手倒地。最后至黎明时分，吕布撤退。而典韦因功被拜为都尉，成为曹操身边近卫，统领亲兵数百人，围绕主帐棚巡逻。后再迁为校尉。

宛城护主

197年，曹操攻宛，张绣投降。曹操十分高兴，设宴欢聚。十多日后，张绣反叛，偷袭曹操之营，曹操不敌， 轻骑逃走。典韦挡在门前，令敌军不能入，张绣军惟有分散从别门进入。当时典韦身边的十馀人皆死战，以一当十，典韦手执长戟左右劈砍击刺，可是身边士卒一个个战死，典韦也身受数十伤，敌人乘机上前要捉他，反被典韦双手挟著杀死两人，其馀敌人吓得不敢上前。典韦再奋而冲前，连杀多人，因伤势严重无法再战，乃瞪眼大骂，倒地而死。死了半晌，还无一人敢从前门而入。最后张绣军才敢再上前，割取其头，互传观看，覆军就视其躯。

曹操退至舞阴，知道典韦战死，不禁落泪。对众将领说：「我失去了长子（曹昂）和我的爱侄（曹安民），都没感到伤痛，但我只大哭典韦（的死）啊！」后取回其尸体，对著典韦尸体大哭，把他安葬在襄邑，每次经过其葬地，都用牲口拜祭典韦。243年七月，典韦与夏侯渊、曹洪、曹休、曹真、张辽、乐进、张合、徐晃、朱灵、锺繇、华歆、王朗、桓阶、陈群、李典、臧霸、文聘、许褚、庞德因功而受到曹芳于曹操庙庭祭祀的礼遇。

特徵

典韦勇猛不同凡向，形貌魁梧，他身边士卒都十分勇敢，每场战斗，都先登陷阵。如战吕布、宛城之战都看出其勇武果敢。又如插在营门前的牙门旗（约95公斤），一个普通人根本举不起，但典韦用一只手轻易举起，其力气过人，受人推崇。而且爱酒食，会与左右部下分享酒食，一起大吃大喝，所以有许多部下，但典韦仍不停供养他们。

为人忠慎稳重、志节任侠，如曾为刘氏报仇。后为曹操近卫，常站著一天侍卫，晚上也在曹操营帐左右睡而不回家。爱持大双戟与长刀等，军中都说：「帐下壮士有典君，提一双戟八十斤。」而曹操在宛设宴，曹操饮酒时，典韦持大斧站在曹操后面，每次有人上前，典韦都举斧怒视，张绣及其将帅都不敢仰视。

家庭

子

• 典满，典韦之子。典韦死后，升为郎中。后曹操思念典韦，再拜典满为司马。汉献帝禅让，曹丕称帝，典满为近侍，封为都尉，赐关内侯。

评价

• 陈寿《三国志》评曰：「许褚、典韦折冲左右，抑亦汉之樊哙也。」

• 曹军士卒：「帐下壮士有典君，提一双戟八十斤。」

• 张牛：「汉高之得樊哙，廓去妖氛；曹公之有典韦，克宁寰宇。」 「昔季布使酒，响振于河东；樊哙饮卮，功高于霸上。典韦长啜，身为时倾，蔡裔雄声，才堪国用。」

• 褚亮：「肃钩陈于中禁，排闾阖而上征，羊祜之握兵机，典韦之统军帐，任寄之重，恩私罕匹。」

• 袁枚《小仓山房外集·赠提督任勇烈公神道碑》以其形容任举的英勇：「然而公始则霁云断指，继乃公孙洞胸。小白未僵，大黄犹射。又典韦临危之戟，横贯数人。冲张辽已出之围，再呼残卒。浅色黄衫，盖棺之衣早备。玄緌新箧，归元之面如生。可以谓之勇矣，可以谓之烈矣。」

• 潘眉：「典韦雄武壮烈，不在辽、褚下。」

• 毛宗岗：「死典韦足拒生贼军。」

• 罗贯中《三国演义》：「铁戟双提八十斤，濮阳城外建功勋。典韦救主传天下，勇猛当先第一人。」「守护中军帐，英雄独典韦。闻风皆胆裂，望影总魂飞。 猿臂持双戟，彪躯挂铁衣。淯河鏖战死，千古显神机。」「铁戟双提八十斤，威风凛凛镇乾坤。欲将英杰从头数，惟说当年有典韦。」

艺术形象

戏剧

中国传统戏曲中典韦的角色，面谱以黄色为主，画成花三块瓦脸，表示其忠勇、凶猛，眉间勾双戟，为其所用兵器。出场剧目有《战宛城》。

影视

• 1994年电视剧《三国演义》：张甲田饰演典韦

• 1999年电视剧《曹操》：马戈饰演典韦

• 2013年电视剧《曹操》：孙玉城饰演典韦

动漫游戏

• 真·三国无双系列 / 无双OROCHI系列（光荣公司开发，中井和哉配音）

• 三国演义

• 《火凤燎原》（陈某）、火凤燎原外传小说《败将》（王贻兴）：设定为前「败将」成员（生卒年164～197），于曹操「奉孝杀戮」时登场，接替受伤之许褚出战燎原火，并单骑闯入万军之中杀害陶谦，于濮阳之战中在重伤下杀害吕布军中十多员大将及险些杀害吕布，在宛城之战中和燎原火交手得胜，被燎原火偷袭斩去半身，后被张绣杀害。

• 《苍天航路》（王欣太）

• 《王者荣耀》

• 《朕的江山》

延伸阅读

Background

Dian Wei was from Jiwu County, Chenliu Commandery, in present-day Ningling County, Henan. He was described as a stalwart man with great strength and the ambition of becoming a youxia (vigilante).

Assassinating Li Yong

When he was young, Dian Wei once agreed to help a certain Liu family in Xiangyi County (襄邑县; present-day Sui County, Henan) take revenge against one Li Yong (李永). As Li Yong was a former county chief, he had bodyguards to protect him during his travels.

Dian Wei disguised himself as a marquis and travelled to Li Yong's house in a carriage filled with food and wine. He entered the house without challenge, stabbed Li Yong with a concealed dagger, and killed Li Yong's wife as well. He then left the house and retrieved his weapons (a sword and a ji) from the carriage and walked away. As Li Yong lived near the marketplace, news of his death spread quickly and the whole town was shocked. Hundreds of men went to pursue the murderer but none of them dared to approach Dian Wei. After travelling four or five li on foot, Dian Wei met his companions and they escaped after a brief fight with the pursuers. Dian Wei became recognised as a hero after this incident.

Service under Cao Cao

Around February or March 190, when the regional official Zhang Miao was rallying an army to join the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Dian Wei answered the call and became a subordinate of Zhao Chong, a military officer serving under Zhang Miao. Once, a large banner was swaying in the strong wind and many men could not stop it from swaying despite their combined efforts. Dian Wei used only one hand to grab the banner pole and succeeded in keeping it upright. Zhao Chong was very impressed with Dian Wei's strength.

Dian Wei later became a subordinate of Xiahou Dun, a general under the warlord Cao Cao. He was promoted to the rank of Major for his valour in battle.

Battle of Puyang

Around September 194, when Cao Cao was at war with a rival warlord Lü Bu in Yan Province, he launched a surprise night raid on one of Lü Bu's camps located 40-50 li west of Puyang County and destroyed it before dawn. Just as Cao Cao and his troops were planning to return to their base, Lü Bu personally led reinforcements from Puyang County to attack them and caught them in an onrush.

Dian Wei ordered dozens of men to gather around him, put on two layers of armour, discard their shields and arm themselves only with spears and jis. Another wave of enemy soldiers closing in from the west unleashed a barrage of arrows onto Dian Wei and his men. Dian Wei remained oblivious to the arrows and told his men, "Let me know when the enemy is ten paces away." The men did so. Dian Wei then said again, "Let me know when they are five paces away." The men then suddenly cried out in fear, "The enemy is upon us!" Dian Wei was holding on to a dozen jis, and he flung them at the enemy when they approached him. Each ji knocked down an enemy soldier and not a single one missed its target.

As the sun rose, Lü Bu retreated back to Puyang while Cao Cao withdrew back to his base as well. Cao Cao was so impressed with Dian Wei that he promoted him to the rank of Commandant (都尉) and put him in command of hundreds of his personal bodyguards who patrolled the areas around his tent.

As Cao Caos bodyguard

Dian Wei was a robustly built fighter. He personally selected the soldiers who would serve under him. In battle, Dian Wei and his men were always the first to charge into the enemy formation. Dian Wei was later promoted to the rank of Colonel (校尉).

Dian Wei was known for being a loyal, prudent and responsible man. He often stood guard outside Cao Cao's tent from morning until dusk, and even at night he would sleep beside Cao Cao's tent, and he rarely returned to his own quarters. He was also a heavy eater and drinker, eating in huge mouthfuls and drinking in long gulps. Because of his enormous appetite, several men were required to serve him whenever he sat down for meals. Cao Cao was very impressed with him.

Dian Wei's weapons of choice were a pair of jis or long swords. There was a saying in Cao Cao's army about Dian Wei: "In our camp resides the warrior Dian Wei, who wields a pair of jis weighing 80 jin in total."

Death at the Battle of Wancheng

In February 197, Cao Cao invaded Wancheng (宛城; present-day Wancheng District, Nanyang, Henan) in the north of Jing Province. Wancheng was the territory of the warlord Zhang Xiu, who immediately surrendered upon learning of Cao Cao's invasion. Cao Cao was pleased so he threw a party for Zhang Xiu and his men. During the party, Dian Wei stood guard behind Cao Cao, holding a giant battle axe whose blade was one chi long. Zhang Xiu and his followers did not dare to look up when they toasted to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao had stayed in Wancheng for more than 10 days when Zhang Xiu suddenly rebelled and launched a surprise attack on his camp. Cao Cao was caught unprepared so he retreated with a few horsemen.

Dian Wei stood guard at the entrance to the camp and prevented Zhang Xiu's soldiers from advancing further. The enemy then scattered and broke into Cao Cao's camp from the other entrances. Dian Wei had about a dozen men with him and they were all heavily outnumbered by Zhang Xiu's forces. However, Dian Wei fought bravely with a long ji, and with each swing of his weapon, he broke more than ten enemy spears. As the battle went on, Dian Wei's men were eventually all killed and Dian himself had sustained several wounds all over his body, but he continued fighting the enemy at close quarters with short weapons. Dian Wei grabbed two enemies and killed them, and the others did not dare to approach him. Dian Wei then rushed forward and slew several more enemy soldiers before eventually succumbing to his wounds. Just before his death, he was still glaring and swearing at the enemy. Only after confirming that Dian Wei was dead did the enemies dare to come forward and decapitate him. Dian Wei's head was passed around for Zhang Xiu's men to see. They also came to look at his headless body.

By then, Cao Cao had already retreated safely to Wuyin County (舞阴县; southeast of present-day Sheqi County, Henan), and he broke down in tears when he heard of Dian Wei's death. He ordered his men to retrieve Dian Wei's body and personally attended the funeral and had Dian Wei buried in Xiangyi County (襄邑县; present-day Sui County, Henan). Later, whenever Cao Cao passed by Dian Wei's grave, he would stop to pay his respects and mourn Dian Wei.

Family

Cao Cao appointed Dian Wei's son, Dian Man (典满), as a langzhong (郎中). Cao Cao missed Dian Wei later so he promoted Dian Man to Major and kept Dian Man close to him. After Cao Cao died in March 220, his son Cao Pi appointed Dian Man as a Commandant (都尉) and granted him the title of a Secondary Marquis.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Dian Wei appears as a character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period.

Dian Wei first appeared in Chapter 10, and he was first introduced by Xiahou Dun to Cao Cao sometime in 193. According to Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei used to serve Zhang Miao but he could not get along well with Zhang's men, and he once killed tens of men before fleeing into the hills. While Xiahou Dun was out hunting, he saw Dian Wei chasing a deer across a stream and he brought the man back to his lord. Xiahou Dun continued to tell Cao Cao about Dian Wei's background and physical prowess. Cao Cao then asked Dian Wei to demonstrate his skills. At that time, a huge banner was swaying in the wind and was on the verge of collapsing. Many of Cao Cao's men were unable to keep the banner upright even with their combined efforts. Dian Wei shouted at them to move back and he grabbed the banner pole with one hand and kept it steady. Cao Cao exclaimed, "This is Elai of ancient times!" Dian Wei then became a Commandant under Cao Cao.

Dian Wei's death at the Battle of Wancheng is described in greater detail in Chapter 16 but is more exaggerated than his historical biography. In this exaggeration, it was mentioned that Dian Wei was able to pick up the dead bodies of enemies by their feet and swing them as a means of attack before he was finally killed by raining arrows and piercing spears. At Dian Wei's funeral, Cao Cao wept and told his followers, "I don't feel very sad over the loss of my eldest son (Cao Ang) and my favourite nephew (Cao Anmin). I'm only mourning Dian Wei!"

In popular culture

Dian Wei appears as a character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors, Warriors Orochi, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms video game series. He also appears in Chan Mou's manhua series The Ravages of Time, a retelling of the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Dian Wei appears alongside Xu Chu as a guardian spirit of General Cao Yanbing in the anime and drama series Rakshasa Street.