生平

驰聘沙场

西汉太仆夏侯婴之后。夏侯敦十四岁时，有人侮辱他的老师，夏侯敦便把那人杀死，由此以烈气闻名。曹操举兵讨伐黄巾军时，便已跟随，担任裨将。190年，讨董卓联军组成后，曹操行使奋武将军，更以夏侯敦为司马，跟随曹操到扬州募兵。曹操建立势力后，派夏侯敦屯白马，不久又升折冲校尉，领东郡太守。

拔矢啖睛

193年，曹操征陶谦，留夏侯敦守濮阳、荀彧守鄄城。可是张邈、陈宫叛迎吕布，曹操家在鄄城，夏侯敦轻军往赴鄄城，适逢与吕布相会，并交战。吕布败退，遂入濮阳，袭得夏侯敦军辎重。吕布遣将伪降，夏侯敦中计并被伪降的吕军劫持，夏侯敦军中震恐。夏侯敦的部将韩浩声称按照国法将不考虑人质的安全，做出要招兵袭击劫持人质者的姿态。劫持人质者害怕，于是放弃人质投降，韩浩都把劫持者全杀光。豫州刺史郭贡率众数万到城下，有人说郭贡与吕布同谋，大家非常恐惧。郭贡求见荀彧，荀彧即将前往。夏侯敦怕荀彧遭害，劝说荀彧不要前往，荀彧依然前往，劝退了郭贡。曹操听说夏侯敦被劫持这件事后，将攻击劫质者不用顾忌人质定为法令，于是以后就没再发生劫持人质事件。曹操从徐州归来，之后随曹操征讨吕布时却被流矢射伤左目，从此被人称为「盲夏侯」，夏侯敦很介意这个称呼。自从失去左眼后，夏侯敦每次照镜看到自己盲眼都会不悦，将镜子摔在地上。

屯田救民

其后复领陈留、济阴太守、任建武将军、封高安乡侯。当时大旱，蝗灾，夏侯敦截断太寿水，形成一个池塘，亲自担土，率领士兵种稻耕田，避过缺粮危机，百姓皆受益，后又任河南尹。

在任陈留太守期间，举荐当地名士卫臻担任计吏。一次，夏侯敦让自己妻子也出场宴会来祝福卫臻升迁，卫臻不领情，认为这是末世才有的败俗之举，不合正礼。夏侯敦大怒，把他抓了起来，没过多久又把他放了。

功勋苦劳

196年，曹操迎汉献帝到许昌，夏侯敦转任河南尹。

198年，曹操派夏侯敦救援刘备，为吕布军的高顺与张辽所破。

200年，曹操开始与袁绍交战，夏侯敦率部防守敖仓，掩护大军左侧安全。

202年，夏侯敦随著于禁和李典到叶县迎战依附刘表的刘备，刘备将阵线后撤，选择博望与曹军对峙。一天早晨烧掉营地撤退了，夏侯敦不顾李典的劝谏，同于禁率领部队追击刘备，使李典留守。然而遭到敌军埋伏，幸得李典救援才能挽回战局，刘备见救兵已至于是撤退。

204年，邺城破后，受任为伏波将军，受权能简单从事，不用拘于制度。与田畴为好友，曾帮曹操劝田畴再次投靠，但不成功。

205-206年，夏侯敦奉曹操命率大军打败并州刺史高干及其同党河东人卫固、范先、盗贼张晟，诛杀卫固等。

207年，因前后功劳增封邑一千八百户，与以前所赐的加上有二千五百户之高。

215年，参加讨伐汉中张鲁的战事。

216-217年，曹操征孙权班师后，命夏侯敦督二十六军，与曹仁、张辽、朱灵等人屯兵居巢，防卫孙权，并赐予伎乐名倡。初时夏侯敦坚辞奖赏，但曹操说：「当初魏绛只凭平定西戎的功劳都能得到金银财宝，何况是将军立下的大功呢！」夏侯敦才接受曹操的好意。

身居高位

219年，曹操到摩陂，召夏侯敦同车，不经通传，自由进入曹操的卧室。曹操建立魏公国后，曹操不少下属担任魏国官员，只有夏侯敦是汉朝朝廷命官，夏侯敦上书希望曹操改封他魏官。但曹操却认为夏侯敦与他同为汉官，是友臣，怎能屈就魏的官号。在夏侯敦一再要求下，任命夏侯敦为前将军。曹操又让夏侯敦督各军回到寿春并前往召陵驻扎。当时孙权上书劝曹操称帝，夏侯敦也表示曹操应该顺应民意取代汉朝，但曹操表示「若天命在吾，吾为周文王矣。」

220年，曹操病故，曹丕登位，于三月已卯日（4月23日）封夏侯敦为大将军，四月庚午日（6月13日）夏侯敦去世，曹丕穿上素服到邺城东城门发丧，谥夏侯敦为忠侯，夏侯家也获得优厚待遇。曹魏朝廷认为夏侯敦为元勋，将夏侯敦的子孙全部封侯。

青龙元年五月壬申日（233年6月7日），夏侯敦与曹仁、程昱因功而受到曹睿在曹操庙庭祭祀的礼遇。

家庭

族弟

• 夏侯渊，曹操麾下大将，官至征西将军，封博昌亭侯，于定军山之战战死，追谥愍侯。

弟

• 夏侯廉，被封列侯。

子

• 夏侯充，夏侯敦之子，嗣高安乡侯。

• 夏侯楙，夏侯敦次子，娶曹操之女清河公主为妻，与曹丕甚有交情，任安西将军。

• 夏侯敦还有七子在他死后被封为关内侯（其中两人的表字为子臧与子江）。

孙

• 夏侯廙，夏侯充之子，继嗣高安乡侯。

• 夏侯敦还有二孙在他死后被封为关内侯。

• 夏侯佐，绍嗣高安乡侯，266年去世，无子

曾孙

• 夏侯劭，夏侯廙之子，继嗣高安乡侯。因死后无子，由堂叔夏侯佐继嗣。

评价

• 陈寿《三国志》:「夏侯、曹氏，世为婚姻，故敦、渊、仁、洪、休、尚、真等并以亲旧肺腑，贵重于时，左右勋业，咸有效劳。」「敦虽在军旅，亲迎师受业。性清俭，有馀财辄以分施，不足资之于官，不治产业。」

• 曹操：「魏绛以和戎之功，犹受金石之乐，况将军乎！」

• 曹丕下诏：「昔先王之礼，于功臣存则显其爵禄，没则祭于大蒸，故汉氏功臣，祀于庙庭。大魏元功之臣功勋优著，终始休明者，其皆依礼祀之。」

• 司马炎：「敦，魏之元功，勋书竹帛。昔庭坚不祀，犹或悼之，况朕受禅于魏，而可以忘其功臣哉！宜择敦近属劭封之。」

• 段默：「伏波与先帝有定天下之功。」

• 檀圭：「夏侯敦魏氏勋佐，金德初融，亦始就甄显，方赏其孙，封树近族。」

• 罗贯中：「开疆展土夏侯敦，枪戟丛中敌万军。 拔矢去眸枯一目，啖睛忿气唤双亲。忠心力把黎民救，雪恨平将逆贼吞。孤月独明勘比伦，至今功迹照乾坤。」

• 袁守定：「凡有急事用民力，以身先之，亦鼓舞民气之一道，夏侯敦为陈留太守，大旱蝗起，敦乃断太寿水作陂，艰著履新，身自负土，率将士劝种稻。民赖其利。」

• 王歆：「元让当时雄将，惜乎传记不详，五之一而云劫质事，显韩浩也，五之一而云楙。楙实庸懦之人，不意名将之子，便堕凡俗，是将门不得两传耶？略从粗窥，武则扫荡丑类、绥靖地方，文则劝课农桑、并为军屯。何曹夏侯之能者如是之多耶？岂梁沛间真有帝王气耶？」

民间形象

小说

明代罗贯中所撰之《三国演义》第18回写道夏侯敦在徐州攻防战时迎战吕布部将高顺，高顺败逃，夏侯敦从后追赶，不料遭另一名敌将曹性射箭偷袭。夏侯敦左眼被射中，痛得怒吼一声便怱忙用手拔箭，却不慎连著眼珠子拔了出来。夏侯敦立即大喊：「父精母血，不可弃也！」便把眼睛塞进嘴巴吞咽下去；然后又挺枪纵马，上前杀掉曹性报回一箭之仇。

《三国演义》第二十三回《祢正平裸衣骂贼吉太医下毒遭刑》中，祢衡评论曹操的将士时说：「荀彧可使吊丧问疾，荀攸可使看坟守墓，程昱可使关门闭户，郭嘉可使白词念赋；张辽可使击鼓鸣金，许褚可使牧牛放马，李典可使传书送檄，乐进可使取状读招；徐晃可使屠猪杀狗，于禁可使负版筑墙，吕虔可使磨刀铸剑，满宠可使饮酒食槽；夏侯敦称为完体将军，曹子孝呼为要钱太守。其馀皆酒桶，肉囊，饭袋耳。」完体将军是祢衡对夏侯敦的讥笑，身体完整的将军。意为仅能保全自己的躯体而已，古人讲究「身体发肤，受之父母，不可残也」的学说，夏侯敦失去一只眼睛，就不算「完体」，后代指平庸无能的人。

虽然《三国演义》书内多有杜撰创作成分，故此「夏侯吞眼」一事理应纯属虚构。但是由于这段情节精密紧凑，不单止直接描绘出夏侯敦的勇猛无惧，更侧面映衬「身体发肤，受之父母，不敢毁伤，孝至始也。」的传统孔儒观念，因此一直深受说书人或普遍读者的喜爱，久而久之即成为口耳相传的民间传说，由是更加强民间认为夏侯敦刚烈强悍的印象。

戏剧

中国传统戏曲中夏侯敦的角色，以蓝色为主，做成三块瓦脸，反映其粗莽而勇猛的性格，而左眼有一红条，代表其左目受伤。

电玩游戏

• 真三国无双系列 / 无双OROCHI系列（光荣公司开发，中井和哉配音）和赵云、周瑜、吕布、貂蝉、司马懿为游戏中的主角。

• 吞食天地II 赤壁之战（卡普空开发）

• 王者荣耀（天美开发）

• 朕的江山

影视形象

• 1983年电影《华佗与曹操》：虞桂春饰演夏侯敦

• 1985年电视剧《诸葛亮》：史德才饰演夏侯敦

• 1994年电视剧《三国演义》：分别由巴拉珠尔、鲁建国、段泽生饰演夏侯敦

• 1996年电视剧《关公》：叶飞饰演夏侯敦

• 1996年电影《诸葛孔明》：张绪成饰演夏侯敦

• 1999年电影《一代枭雄曹操》：张绪成饰演夏侯敦

• 2004年电视剧《武圣关公》：杨猛饰演夏侯敦

• 2010年电视剧《三国》：李梦成饰演夏侯敦

• 2012年电视剧《回到三国》：罗莽饰演夏侯敦

• 2013年电视剧《曹操》：尹君正饰演夏侯敦

• 2017年电视剧《大军师司马懿之军师联盟》：杨涵斌饰演夏侯敦

• 2020年电影《新解释·三国志》：由阿部进之介饰演夏侯敦

动漫作品

• 三国志

• 三国演义

• 《横山光辉三国志》（横山光辉）

• 《苍天航路》（王欣太）

• 《火凤燎原》（陈某）

延伸阅读

Early life

Xiahou Dun was from Qiao County (谯县), Pei State (沛国), which is on present-day Bozhou, Anhui. He was a descendant of Xiahou Ying, who served under the Han dynasty's founding emperor, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and though the family didn't reach national prominence in the centuries since, they were a leading family in Pei, often intermarrying down the generations with other prominent local clans the Dings and the Caos. Xiahou Dun first gained prominence when he killed a man who insulted his teacher when he was 13 years old.

In the 180s, possibly when Cao Cao was appointed Cavalry Commandant to help fight Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan, Xiahou Dun helped raise troops and from then on, would follow him across many a battle as his second in command. In 190, when Cao Cao was raising an army to participate in the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Xiahou Dun became his Major (司马) and when they were defeated by Xu Rong at Suanzao, Xiahou Dun went with Cao Cao to recruit more troops in Yang province, though they would face a mutiny among their new soldiers. Xiahou Dun was sent to garrison Boma (白马; near present-day Hua County, Henan), later promoted to Colonel Who Breaks and Charges (折冲校尉) and as Cao Cao became Governor of Yan in 192, succeeded him as the Administrator (太守) of Dong Commandery (东郡; the areas around present-day Puyang, Henan and Liaocheng, Shandong).

Defence of Yan Province

In 193, Cao Cao left his base in Yan Province on a campaign against Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province, whom he held responsible for the murder of his father Cao Song. Xiahou Dun was left behind in Dong commandery, stationed to hold its capital Puyang.

While Cao Cao was away in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled in Yan Province and invited the warlord Lü Bu to take Yan but Zhang Miao's attempt to reassure Xun Yu of Lü Bu's intent instead tipped off Xun Yu of the revolt, so Xun Yu wrote to Xiahou Dun for reinforcements to Juancheng County. Xiahou Dun led a lightly armed force towards Juancheng, but he encountered Lü Bu's army on the way and engaged the enemy in battle. Lü Bu withdrew his forces and took advantage of Xiahou Dun's absence to conquer Puyang, capturing much of Xiahou's supplies and equipment. Lü Bu later sent his men to pretend to surrender to Xiahou Dun, who fell for the ruse and was taken hostage by the enemy in his own camp. Lü Bu's men demanded a heavy ransom. Xiahou Dun's troops became fearful and confused when they heard that their commander had been taken hostage. Xiahou Dun's personally recruited subordinate Han Hao settled the troops then ordered an attack on the surprised hostage takers, who surrendered. Han Hao ordered them executed, and Xiahou Dun was saved.

Xiahou Dun, the mishap dealt with, continued to lead his forces eastwards to Juancheng where the situation was critical, reinforcing the small garrison there while some officials and members of the garrison plotted joining the revolt. That night, Xiahou Dun executed the plotters and settled the army. He also urged Xun Yu not to meet the wavering Inspector of Yu Guo Gong and his army, as Xun Yu was too important, but Xun Yu went and was able to persuade Guo Gong to withdraw. Xiahou Dun would be a core part of the Cao loyalists holding the slim remaining holdings in the eastern part of Yan, him and Xun Yu sending the local Cheng Yu to encourage Fan and Dong'e to hold out.

When Cao Cao learned of the rebellion, he withdrew his army from Xu Province and returned to Yan Province to attack Lü Bu. Xiahou Dun participated in the campaign against Lü Bu and was hit in the left eye by a stray arrow during a skirmish. After the loss of his left eye, when Dun and his cousin Xiahou Yuan had both reached the rank of General (putting this from 209 onwards), he was given the nickname "One-eyed Xiahou" (盲夏侯) in Cao Cao's army. Xiahou Dun hated this nickname and would throw a mirror to the ground whenever he saw his own reflection. Lü Bu and Cao Cao fought near Puyang for over 100 days, with Xiahou Dun's Major Dian Wei catching Cao Cao's eye, but famine cost Lü Bu momentum and in 195, Cao Cao drove Lü Bu out of Yan.

Mid-career

Xiahou Dun was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Chenliu (陈留; around present-day Kaifeng, Henan) commandery, the area once under Zhang Miao's control, where had a falling out with his Reporting Officer Wei Zhen around 200. Xiahou Dun invited Wei Zhen to bring his wife out to the feast, to which Wei Zhen strongly objected to as inappropriate to the fury of Xiahou Dun who had his subordinate jailed but soon released him. Then to Jiyin (济阴; near present-day Dingtao County, Shandong) commandery, and held the rank of General Who Builds Martial Might (建武将军). He was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Gao'an District (高安乡侯). While he was in office, a drought broke out and there was a locust infestation in the region. To counter these problems, Xiahou Dun spearheaded an agricultural program, in which he instructed workers to dam up the Taishou River (太寿水; a tributary of the Huai River) to create a large pond. He personally participated in the construction works and also encouraged the people to grow crops in the inundated land. This program greatly aided the people during those years of severe famine. He was later reassigned to be the Intendant of Henan (河南尹). In 198 Xiahou Dun was dispatched to Xu to reinforce the allied Liu Bei, who was under attack from Gao Shun on the orders of Lü Bu, but Gao Shun defeated Xiahou Dun then would drive out Liu Bei.

Xiahou Dun did not participate in Cao Cao's campaigns in northern China against Yuan Shao, Yuan's sons and their allies throughout the 200s CE. Instead, he held Henan, possibly the campaign being when he was made Intendant of Henan, helping keep Cao Cao's western flank secure and holding the Meng ford to protect the Ao Granary. In 202, Cao Cao's rival Liu Bei, who had sought refuge under Jing Province's governor Liu Biao, launched a series of raids into Cao Cao's lands. In response, Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin and Li Dian to lead an army to resist Liu Bei, both sides clashed at the Battle of Bowang. Liu Bei burnt his camps and feigned retreat to lure the enemy into an ambush. Xiahou Dun and his men fell for the trick and were defeated in the ambush. Li Dian, who warned Xiahou Dun about the danger of an ambush and did not join in the pursuit, led reinforcements to help Xiahou Dun and Yu Jin. Liu Bei withdrew his forces after seeing Li Dian's approach and the raid stopped.

After the Battle of Ye in 204, Xiahou Dun was promoted to General Who Calms the Waves (伏波将军) but retained his appointment as the Intendant of Henan with the freedom to act on his own initiative without being restricted by regulations. In 205, Gao Gan encouraged revolts in Hedong with Wei Gu holding the Shan crossing and local loyal forces unable to cross, Xiahou Dun was sent but before he could arrive, Du Ji persuaded Xiahou Dun to let him go across with a small escort and plot with the local loyalists. On 21 March 207, as Cao Cao prepared to attack the remnants of the Yuan family, he rewarded 20 of his officers with greater enoffments with Xiahou Dun granted an additional 1,800 taxable households in his marquisate in recognition of his contributions, bringing the total number of households to 2,500. Xiahou Dun befriended Tian Chou and would be sent by Cao Cao to, unsuccessfully, persuade Tian Chou to take up honors for his service In 213, Xiahou Dun would be one of the signatories calling for Cao Cao to become Duke of Wei.

Later life and death

Xiahou Dun accompanied the 215 campaign in Hanzhong against the theocratic warlord Zhang Lu but Cao Cao's forces struggled against Zhang Wei's forces. According to Dong Zhao's account, Cao Cao issued orders to recall with Xiahou Dun and Xu Chu were sent to bring the troops back from the hills. In the confusion, some of the returning troops got lost in the night and surprised some of the defenders who fled from their position. This was reported back to Xiahou Dun and, with some not believing it, Xiahou Dun rode forward to see for himself then went back to tell Cao Cao so they could exploit it, Zhang Wei's position collapsed and Zhang Lu soon surrendered. In 216, he accompanied Cao Cao to Juchao (居巢; in present-day Chaohu, Anhui) against southern rival Sun Quan but met with stalemate. In 217, Cao Cao withdrew but left behind Xiahou Dun as Area Commander in command of 26 juns (军) until Sun Quan negotiated terms including an acceptance of Cao Cao as King. As a reward for his contributions including at Juchao, he received a number of performing dancers and musicians. The imperial order that came with the reward read: "When Wei Jiang (魏绛) pacified the Rong people, he was only rewarded with gold and riches. Don't you, General, deserve more than him?"

In 219, when Cao Cao marched to Mobei (摩陂; southeast of present-day Jia County, Henan) in response to Guan Yu's attack, he treated Xiahou Dun with exceptional honors that no other officer received, by letting Xiahou ride in the same carriage and allowing Xiahou to enter Cao Cao's private quarters. At the time, Emperor Xian had made Cao Cao a vassal king under the title "King of Wei" (魏王) and granted him permission to set up an independent vassal kingdom, which was still nominally under Han imperial control. While many of Cao Cao's subordinates had been appointed to positions in his vassal kingdom, Xiahou Dun still held appointments under the Han central government. Xiahou Dun requested to serve in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom to show his loyalty, but Cao Cao told him, "I heard that the best rulers learn from their subjects while the second best befriend their subjects. Officials are noble men of virtue. Why lower yourself to serve such a small kingdom like Wei?" Xiahou Dun insisted, so Cao Cao appointed him as General of the Vanguard (前将军). Xiahou Dun then returned soldiers to Shouchun (寿春) and later garrisoned at Zhaoling (召陵).

Around late 219, Xiahou Dun, along with Chen Qun, Huan Jie and others, urged Cao Cao to take the throne from Emperor Xian. Xiahou Dun said, "Everyone in the Empire knows that the Han dynasty's lifespan has come to an end and that there are many contenders seeking to replace it. Since ancient times, whoever succeeds in eliminating the people's troubles will win the hearts of the people and become their ruler. As of now, Your Highness has been fighting battles for over 30 years, you've made outstanding achievements and the hearts of the people are with you. You should follow the will of Heaven and the people. What's there to hesitate about?" Cao Cao replied, "'These qualities are displayed in government. This then also constitutes the exercise of government.' If the Mandate of Heaven does belong to me, I'll be like King Wen of Zhou."

Cao Cao died in March 220 and passed on his vassal king title to his son, Cao Pi, who was still a nominal subject of Emperor Xian. Xiahou Dun was promoted to General-in-Chief (大将军) on 23 April. He died less than two months later on 13 June with Cao Pi leading the mourning ceremony at Ye's east gate.

The Cao Man Zhuan (曹瞒传) and the Shiyu (世语) mentioned that Xiahou Dun once suggested to Cao Cao to eliminate Liu Bei first in order to force Sun Quan to surrender of his own accord, and then follow in the footsteps of the mythological rulers Shun and Yu by making Emperor Xian voluntarily abdicate the throne to him. Cao Cao accepted his proposal. After Cao Cao's death, Xiahou Dun regretted his words and fell sick and died. The historian Sun Sheng dismissed the Shiyu account as nonsense, saying that it did not match what was recorded in the main text of Xiahou Dun's biography in the Sanguozhi – Xiahou Dun felt ashamed of serving under the Han imperial court so he requested to serve in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom.

Family

In late 220, Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne in his favour and established the state of Cao Wei, marking the end of the Han dynasty and the start of the Three Kingdoms period.

Cao Pi granted Xiahou Dun the posthumous title "Marquis Zhong" (忠侯), which literally means "loyal marquis". Xiahou Dun's original marquis title, "Marquis of Gao'an District" (高安乡侯), was inherited by his son, Xiahou Chong (夏侯充). Later, in recognition of Xiahou Dun's past contributions, Cao Pi added 1,000 taxable households to Xiahou Chong's marquisate and made each of Xiahou Dun's seven sons and two grandsons a Secondary Marquis (关内侯). Cao Rui on 7 June 233 started sacrifices at the Ancestral Temple to a few select figures who had helped create a dynasty; Xiahou Dun was one of the three.

Xiahou Dun's younger brother, Xiahou Lian (夏侯廉), was also enfeoffed as a marquis. Xiahou Dun's second son, Xiahou Mao, married one of Cao Cao's daughters, Princess Qinghe (清河公主), and held high-ranking positions in the Wei imperial court. Xiahou Dun also had two other sons—Xiahou Zizang (夏侯子臧) and Xiahou Zijiang (夏侯子江).

When Xiahou Chong died, his marquis title was inherited by his son, Xiahou Yu (夏侯廙). Xiahou Yu, in turn, was succeeded by his son Xiahou Shao (夏侯劭). According to the Jin Yang Qiu (晋阳秋), Xiahou Dun did not have any successor after his grandson, Xiahou Zuo (夏侯佐), died in 266. But the first Jin emperor Emperor Wu ordered that a kinsman be found to continue the line of such a distinguished servant in Cao Wei's founding.

Appraisal

Although Xiahou Dun was often in the military, he ensured he had teachers come to help him study. He led a frugal and simple lifestyle and used his excess wealth to help the needy. He took from official treasuries (instead of directly from the common people) when he did not have enough money. He also did not own much property.

Records of the Three Kingdoms In Plain Language

In Records of the Three Kingdoms in Plain Language, published in the 13th century, as part of a series of historical fiction, he serves as a brave warrior who is prone to being lured into fake retreat duels. Xiahou first appears when Zhang Fei arrives in Cao Cao's camp, for the second time, seeking help against Lü Bu. Xiahou Dun calls out to Zhang Fei and was delighted to get a meeting, and was appointed vanguard. Xiahou then duels Lü Bu, who faked defeat and when Xiahou Dun pursued, shot Xiahou Dun in the left eye. Dismounting, Xiahou Dun pulled out the arrow with the famous line, held the eye in his mouth and returns to fighting an astonished Lü Bu, who is forced to retreat.

Xiahou Dun survived longer in this work than he did historically. In Zhuge Liang's first northern campaign, Xiahou Dun held the key pass at Jieting and heard Jiang Wei had placed his camp in a dangerous position. Only worried about Zhuge Liang, he considered Jiang Wei a stupid little boy and launched a surprise attack at night, only to fall into an ambush led by Wei Yan; Xiahou Dun fled with Jieting lost. At Chang'an, he informed Emperor Cao Fang, who would then appoint Sima Yi to oppose Zhuge Liang.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Xiahou Dun is featured 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.

See the following for some fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms involving Xiahou Dun:

• Battle of Xiapi#Xiahou Dun losing his left eye

• Battle of Bowang#In fiction

In popular culture

In Chinese plays called zaju, Xiahou Dun is often assigned the role of the clown to be defeated by Shu heroes, be it Zhuge Liang at Bowang or being shown up by Guan Yu at Boma. In the 15th century play by Ming Prince Zhu Youdun called Guan Yunchangs's (Guan Yu's style name) Righteous and Brave Refusal of Gold, Xiahou Dun's introduction is boasting he has never been victorious, scared when facing fortifications, he fears the blade and runs from arrows. Blinded in Xu, left leg crippled by Zhang Liao at Puyang, he fears for more injury. He panics on hearing of Yan Liang's challenge to battle, dismisses Yan Liang for wearing so much armor when his troops use no weapons other than garlic, a word play on plans, having misunderstood the Art of War. Defeated in just a few bouts, he pleads for Guan Yu's help, then claims the credit for the victory. He then slanders Guan Yu to Cao Cao in the hopes Guan Yu would be killed, warning Cao Cao Guan Yu will leave so should kill him, but Cao Cao ignores him. Then tries to claim credit with Guan Yu for the rewards. Ordered by Cao Cao to give the departing Guan Yu a banquet in the final act, ignores orders and tries to murder the sleeping, drunk Guan Yu. But Guan Yu awakes, terrifying the overpowered Xiahou Dun who is spared by Guan Yu.

Xiahou Dun is featured as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series, as well as Warriors Orochi, a crossover between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors. He also appears in all installments of Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy game series.

There is a card based on Xiahou Dun, called "Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed", in the Portal Three Kingdoms set of the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game.

The anime Battle Vixens, Koihime Musō, and Yuyushiki also make references to Xiahou Dun, in which he is known by his Japanese name "Kakōton".

Xiahou Dun also appears as a playable character in Total War: Three Kingdoms, and is prominently featured in the game as a general in the service of Cao Cao.