Dong Zhuo (董卓) | 24 Histories

Overview

Dong Zhuo was a Late Han Warlord.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Dong flees	董逃

Life and dates

Death

executed 诛 · Agent Person Id Wang Yun (王允)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 113, passage 118
AD 192 三年夏
Killed · Killer Person Ids Lü Bu (吕布) · Authority Wang Yun (王允)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 119
AD 189 to AD 192 終歸逃窜，至於滅族
Destroyed after flight; clan exterminated
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 240
was killed
Killed
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 115, passage 87

Attested activity

AD 189 中平二年 afterward three years (~AD 188-192)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 115, passages 75, 85
AD 184 to AD 189 中平元年
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 118, passage 91
AD 184 中平元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 118, passages 51, 55
AD 189 中平六年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 113, passage 117
AD 189 八月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 76, passage 214
AD 189 六年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 76, passage 167

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AD 189 to AD 192 其後
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passages 75, 85
AD 190 to AD 193 初平中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 110, passage 142
AD 192 初平元年 afterward three years
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 115, passages 86-87
AD 189 to AD 192 卓初秉政
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Three Kingdoms 37, passages 191-192
AD 189 周、漢...莽、卓之亂
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 150, passage 206
AD 189 to AD 192 孫堅舉兵討董卓
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 28
AD 189 to AD 192 東漢末董卓擅政
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 23, passages 7-8
AD 189 漢中平六年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 5, passage 66
AD 189 to AD 192 漢末
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 16, passage 24; Book of Sui 43, passage 48
AD 189 獻帝践祚之初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passages 241, 243, 245
AD 192 至三年夏
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 119
AD 189 to AD 192 董卓 era around Chuping
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 30, passages 302-303
AD 189 to AD 192 董卓
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 108, passage 117
AD 189 to AD 192 董卓
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 201
AD 189 to AD 192 董卓用呂布
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 119
AD 190 董卓遷都長安
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 203
AD 189 to AD 192 關東舉兵欲共誅之
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passage 320
AD 184 to AD 189 靈帝中平中
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passages 239-240

Family

Sibling of Dong Min (董旻)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 214

Kinship Role clans · Count 3
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 119

Key source chapters

Career and standing

rebellious minister 逆臣
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 320
Grand Preceptor 太師
AD 189 to AD 192 漢末 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 16, passage 24
Chancellor 相国
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 142
Former General 前將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 167
Governor of Bing Province 并州牧
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 118, passage 91
Grand Commandant 太尉
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 118, passage 92

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grand preceptor 太师
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 119
shepherd of Bingzhou 并州牧
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 113, passage 117
Held
Regent
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 5, passage 66
Suffered
Exterminated three clans
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 119

Places and affiliations

Eastern Han 汉
Relation Under
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 115, passage 85
Later Han 後漢
Relation Active in
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 113, passage 117
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Active in
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 23, passages 7-8
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Active under
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 203
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 30, passage 302; Book of Later Han 76, passage 222
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 114, passage 75

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Polity Eastern Han 漢 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passage 320
At capital streets and palaces 街衢宫掖 · Relation Occupied
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 75
At Chang'an 長安 · Relation Moved capital to
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 203

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author · With Cai Yong (蔡邕)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 142
Report · Subject · Source Work Fengsu Tong 風俗通 · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 272

Events and relationships

Abolished excessive zong titles
AD 190 to AD 193 初平中 · Political · Proposer
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 142
Abused royal house and filled court with border peoples
AD 189 to AD 192 其後 · Political · Usurping magnate
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passage 85
Banned Dong flees songs and killed thousands
Legal · Persecutor
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 272
Campaign raised against him
AD 190 孫堅舉兵討董卓 · Military · Target · With Sun Jian (孫堅)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 28
Deposed the emperor, killed empress dowager and Lady of Wuyang, destroyed He clan
AD 189 八月 · Political · Usurper · With Emperor Shao of Han (少帝)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 222
Eastern armies raised to execute him but hung back
Military · Target
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 320

Show 14 more source-backed claims

Executed empress dowager, deposed and later killed the emperor
Political · Actor · With Empress He (何皇后)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 118, passage 55
Favored hostage son
Political · Patron · With Hostage son of the King of Cheshi (車師王侍子)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 30, passage 302
Filled capital with Hu troops and plundered palaces and tombs
AD 189 to AD 192 其後 · Military · Commander
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 114, passage 75
Killed capital officials clerk
Legal · Executor · With Zhao Qian (趙謙)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 30, passage 303
Led troops to capital
Political · Summoned general
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 113, passage 117
Named in Dong flees song
Political · Subject of rhyme
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passages 239-240
Posthumous shrine present in Changshan
AD 500 to AD 524 魏蘭根葬母時 · Commemoration · Honoree of shrine · At Changshan Commandery 常山郡 · Mode historian-narrative
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 23, passage 7
Soon destroyed
Political · Doomed figure
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 247
Subject encroaching on lord
Political · Usurper
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 245
Summoned to help destroy eunuchs; capital fighting followed
Military · Actor
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 118, passage 91
Summoned to Shanglin
AD 189 六年 · Military · Commander · At Shanglin Park 上林苑
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 167
Turmoil burned capital
Military · Perpetrator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 115, passage 85
Relation Patron of · Person Lü Bu (吕布)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 119; Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 201
Relation Oppressor of · Person Emperor Ling (靈帝)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 85

Assessments and attributes

Assessment cited as analogue for raising fierce retainers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 201
Assessment cruelly abused the royal house · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 85
Assessment domineering and cruel; would end in flight and clan extinction · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 240
Assessment overwhelmed Heaven, abused the people, utterly vicious · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 114, passage 320
Assessment wicked and lawless; ought not to have a surviving shrine · Mode named-person-speech Speaker Wei Langen (魏蘭根)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 23, passage 8

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 23, passage 7; Book of Later Han 40, passage 187; Book of Later Han 76, passage 186; Book of Later Han 114, passage 320; Book of Southern Qi 16, passage 24; Records of the Three Kingdoms 37, passage 191; Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 28

References in the histories

Search passages

History

40 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 23Volume 23 Biographies 15: Wei Langen; Cui Ling · 2 passages

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將葬常山郡境，先有董卓祠，祠有柏樹。 The burial was to take place in Changshan Commandery, where a shrine to Dong Zhuo already stood, with a cypress tree on the grounds.

蘭根以卓兇逆無道，不應遺祠至今，乃伐柏以為槨材。 Langen held that Dong Zhuo, wicked and lawless, ought not to have a shrine surviving to the present. He felled the cypress for coffin timber.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 30Volume 27: Biographies of Xuan, Zang, Two Wangs, Du, Guo, Wu, Cheng, Zheng, Zhao · 3 passages

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車師王侍子為董卓所愛，數犯法，謙收殺之。 The Cheshi king's son, a hostage at court and Dong Zhuo's favorite, broke the law again and again until Zhao Qian seized him and put him to death.

卓大怒，殺都官從事，而素敬憚謙，故不加罪。 Dong Zhuo flew into a rage and executed Zhao Qian's retainer, yet he still respected Zhao Qian too much to touch him.

溫與傕書曰：『公前托為董公報仇，然實屠陷王城，殺戮大臣，天下不可家見而戶說也。 Zhao Wen wrote: 'You claimed to avenge Dong Zhuo, yet you gutted the capital and cut down the great ministers—no edict can whitewash that across every hearth.'

Book of Later Han, Chapter 40Volume 35: Biographies of Zhang, Cao, Zheng · 1 passage

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董卓遷都長安，公卿舉玄為趙相，道斷不至。 Dong Zhuo's move to Chang'an brought a nomination for Zheng Xuan as chancellor of Zhao, but blocked roads kept him from taking up the post.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 76Volume 69: Biographies of Dou, He · 5 passages

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遂西召前將軍董卓屯關中上林苑，又使府掾太山王匡東發其郡強弩，并召東郡太守橋瑁屯城皋，使武猛都尉丁原燒孟津，火照城中，皆以誅宦官為言。 He summoned Dong Zhuo from the west to camp at Shanglin Park, ordered his clerk Wang Kuang of Taishan to levy crossbowmen, called Qiao Mao, governor of Dong commandery, to Chenggao, and sent the fierce colonel Ding Yuan to set fires at Meng Ford so that the glow lit Luoyang—every move announced as a move against the eunuchs.

紹使洛陽方略武吏司察宦者，而促董卓等使馳驛上，欲進兵平樂觀。 Yuan Shao set Luoyang's investigators on the eunuchs and prodded Dong Zhuo and the rest to race toward the capital, intent on marching to the Pingle Lodge.

今董卓垂至，諸君何不早各就國？」 Dong Zhuo was almost there—why not retire at once to their estates?"

匡遂引兵與董卓弟奉車都尉旻攻殺苗，棄其屍於苑中。 Wu Kuang then joined Dong Min, Dong Zhuo's younger brother and carriage attendant colonel, stormed He Miao's position, killed him, and dumped the body in the imperial park.

董卓遂廢帝，又迫殺太后，殺舞陽君，何氏遂亡，而漢室亦自此敗亂。 Dong Zhuo then deposed the emperor, forced the empress dowager to her death, executed the Lady of Wuyang, and wiped out the He family—after which the house of Han slid into ruin.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 1 passage

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初平中，相国董卓、左中郎将蔡邕等以和帝以下，功德无殊，而有过差，不应为宗，及余非宗者追尊三后，皆奏毁之。 In Chuping, Dong Zhuo, Cai Yong, and others argued that from Hedi onward the emperors lacked distinct merit yet had been over-honored as zong, and that three improperly raised empresses should be stripped; all were ordered dismantled.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 113Volume 102: Astronomy Part Three · 2 passages

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中平六年，官车晏驾，大将军何进令司隶校尉袁绍私募兵千余人，阴跱雒阳城外，窃呼并州牧董卓使将兵至京都，共诛中官，对战南、北宫阙下，死者数千人，燔烧宫室，迁都西京。 In Zhongping 6 the emperor died; He Jin ordered Yuan Shao as colonel director of retainers to raise a thousand picked troops outside Luoyang and secretly call Dong Zhuo from Bingzhou; the plot to slaughter the eunuchs ignited fighting at the palace gates, thousands fell, the halls went up in flames, and the court fled west.

及司徒王允与将军吕布诛卓，卓部曲将郭汜、李傕旋兵攻长安，公卿百官吏民战死者且万人。 After Wang Yun and Lü Bu killed Dong Zhuo, Guo Si and Li Jue wheeled their hosts on Chang’an; nearly ten thousand officials and townspeople perished in the sack.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 114Volume 103: Five Elements Part One · 9 passages

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其後董卓多擁胡兵，填塞街衢，虏掠宫掖，发掘園陵。 Then Dong Zhuo flooded the capital with steppe troops, choked the avenues, looted the inner palaces, and broke open imperial tombs.

其後董卓陵虐王室，多援邊人以充本朝，胡夷異种，跨蹈中國。 Dong Zhuo then rode roughshod over the dynasty, drafting frontier peoples into the capital until foreign tribes overran the heartland.

至三年夏，司徒王允使中郎將吕布殺太师董卓，夷三族。 In the summer of the third year Minister Wang Yun sent Lü Bu to cut down Dong Zhuo the grand preceptor and wipe out three generations of his kin.

案逆臣董卓滔天虐民，窮凶極惡，關東舉兵欲共誅之，轉相顧望，莫肯先進，處處停兵數十萬，若烏臘蟲，相隨橫取之矣。 The rhymes mocked Dong Zhuo: eastern lords mustered vast armies yet hung back like crow-la grubs, plundering in packs instead of striking first.

靈帝中平中，京都歌曰：「承樂世董逃，游四郭董逃，蒙天恩董逃，带金紫董逃，行谢恩董逃，整車騎董逃，垂欲发董逃，與中辞董逃，出西門董逃，瞻宫殿董逃，望京城董逃，日夜絕董逃，心摧傷董逃。」 Mid-Zhongping Luoyang took up a bitter refrain: every line of life's pomp ended in the refrain "Dong flees"—a drumbeat on the name Dong Zhuo.

案「董」謂董卓也，言雖跋扈，縱其残暴，終歸逃窜，至於滅族也。 The hidden word was Dong Zhuo: "however he strutted, the song foretold he would end in flight and clan extinction."

風俗通曰：「卓以董逃之歌主為己發，大禁絕之，死者千數。」 The Fengsu Tong notes: "Dong Zhuo read the 'Dong flees' songs as personal attacks, banned them utterly, and killed thousands."

案千里草爲董，十日卜爲卓。 Read as a riddle, the lines stack into the characters for Dong Zhuo.

今二字如此者，天意若曰：卓自下摩上，以臣陵君也。 So Heaven arranged the pieces to show Zhuo thrusting upward from below, a subject bullying his sovereign.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 115Volume 104: Five Elements Part Two · 2 passages

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其后三年，灵帝暴崩，续以董卓之乱，火三日不绝，京都为丘墟矣。 Within three years the emperor was dead; Dong Zhuo’s occupation left Luoyang burning three days until nothing remained but rubble.

其后三年，董卓见殺。 Three years later Dong Zhuo lay dead.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 118Volume 107: Five Elements Part Five · 3 passages

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后董卓戮太后，被以不孝之名，放废天子，后复害之。 Then Dong Zhuo murdered the empress dowager on a charge of filial impiety, deposed the boy emperor, and later murdered him as well.

阴呼并州牧董卓欲共诛中官，中官逆杀大将军进，兵相攻讨，京都战者塞道。 They secretly called in Dong Zhuo, governor of Bing Province, to help destroy the eunuchs; the eunuchs struck first and murdered General-in-Chief He Jin, and as rival forces clashed the streets of Luoyang choked with combat.

皇太后母子遂为太尉卓等所废黜，皆死。 The empress dowager and the boy emperor were then deposed by Dong Zhuo and his allies, and both perished.

Book of Jin, Chapter 108Volume 108 Records 8: Murong Hui · 2 passages

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王敦唱禍于前，蘇峻肆毒於後，凶暴過於董卓，惡逆甚於傕、汜，普天率土，誰不同忿！ He catalogued Jin's domestic rebels beside Han villains.

且孫氏之初，以長沙之眾摧破董卓，志匡漢室。 Sun Jian's loyalty anchored Wu rise.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 150Volume 146 Biographies 96: Xue Bo, Bao Fang, Li Ziliang, Li Shuo, Yan Shou, Xiao Xin, Du Ya, Wang Wei, Li Ruochu, Yu Qi, Lu Zheng, Yan Ping, Zheng Yuan, Du Jian, Pei Bin, Xue Pi · 1 passage

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及王室浸微，遂有莽、卓之亂。 When the royal house gradually declined, the disorders of Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo followed.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 15Volume 15 Book of Later Liang 15: Biographies 5: Han Jian, Li Hanzhi, Feng Xingxi, Sun Dezhao, Zhao Keyu, Zhang Shensi · 1 passage

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吾有罕之，亦如董卓之有呂布，雄則雄矣，鷹鳥之性，飽則颺去，實懼翻覆毒餘也。」 I keep him as Dong Zhuo kept Lü Bu—fierce but untrustworthy when fed."

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 53Volume 53 Book of Later Tang 29: Biographies 5: Li Cunxin, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunjin, Li Cunzhang, Li Cunxian · 1 passage

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與夫董卓之畜呂布，亦何殊哉！ How different, after all, was this from Dong Zhuo nurturing Lu Bu!

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 5Volume 5 Annals 5: Prince of Hailing · 1 passage

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案漢中平六年，獻帝卽位，便改元爲光熹，張讓、段珪誅後，改元爲昭寧，董卓輔政，改元爲永漢，一歲四號也。 It is on record that in Han Zhongping 6, when Emperor Xian ascended, the era was at once changed to Guangxi; after Zhang Rang and Duan Gui were killed it became Zhaoning; when Dong Zhuo seized power it became Yonghan—four era names in one year.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 16Volume 16 Treatises 8: Official Posts · 1 passage

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漢末，董卓爲太師。 Late in Han, Dong Zhuo held the Grand Preceptorship.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 37Volume 37: Book of Shu 7: Biographies of Pang Tong and Fa Zheng · 3 passages

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非所，將謂仕於董卓。 implying he served Dong Zhuo.

卓初秉政，顯擢賢俊，受其策爵者森然皆是。 When Zhuo seized government he promoted talent widely—those who accepted titles were legion.

在卓未至之前，後遷中丞，不為超越。 That predated Zhuo’s arrival in Luoyang; his promotion to imperial secretary followed normal course.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 39Volume 39: Book of Shu 9: Biographies of Dong, Liu, Ma, Chen, Dong, and Lü · 1 passage

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時孫堅舉兵討董卓，以南陽太守張諮不給軍糧，殺之。 When Sun Jian marched against Dong Zhuo, he executed Nanyang Administrator Zhang Zi for withholding supplies.

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 1 passage

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婁敬之與漢高，殊非血胤，呂布之于董卓，良異天親，芝焚蕙歎，事不同此。 Lou Jing stood with Emperor Gaozu of Han though they shared no blood; Lü Bu served Dong Zhuo though heaven had made them no kin. When one orchid withers the others may grieve, but your case is not like that.