Dong Zhuo () (c. 140s – 22 May 192),
courtesy name
A courtesy name ( zh, s=字, p=zì, l=character), also known as a style name, is an additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. This tradition is prevalent in the East Asian cultural sphere, particula ...
Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late
Eastern Han dynasty
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minister of the imperial government. Originally from
Liang Province, Dong Zhuo seized control of the imperial capital
Luoyang
Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
in 189 when it entered a state of turmoil following the death of
Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han (156/157 – 13 May 189), personal name Liu Hong, was the 12th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was also the last Eastern Han emperor to exercise effective power during his reign. Born the son of a lesser marquis who ...
and a massacre of the
eunuch faction by the court officials led by General-in-Chief
He Jin.
Dong Zhuo subsequently deposed
Liu Bian
Liu Bian (176 – 26 March 190), also known as Emperor Shao of Han and the Prince of Hongnong, was the 13th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty in China. He became emperor around the age of 13 upon the death of his father, Emperor Ling, and r ...
(Emperor Shao) and replaced him with his half-brother, the puppet
Emperor Xian to make him become the de facto ruler of China in the boy-emperor's name. The Eastern Han dynasty regime survived in name only. Dong Zhuo's rule was brief and characterized by cruelty and tyranny. In the following year, a coalition of regional officials (; ''cishi'') and warlords launched a
campaign against him. Failing to stop the coalition forces, Dong Zhuo sacked Luoyang and relocated further west to the former
Western Han capital at
Chang'an
Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...
(modern
Xi'an
Xi'an is the list of capitals in China, capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populou ...
,
Shaanxi province
Shaanxi is a province in north Northwestern China. It borders the province-level divisions of Inner Mongolia to the north; Shanxi and Henan to the east; Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan to the south; and Gansu and Ningxia to the west. Shaanxi ...
). He was assassinated soon after in May 192 by his subordinate
Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
in a plot orchestrated by Interior Minister
Wang Yun.
Early life
Dong Zhuo was born in
Lintao, Longxi
Commandery in the early 140s and was said to be a chivalrous youth who was physically strong and excelled in
horseback archery. He travelled around the
Qiang and
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of Nomad, nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese historiography, Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, t ...
regions and befriended many people.
Around 165, Dong Zhuo became a member of the Yulin corps (, branch of the Imperial Guard) in the capital. Dong served under Zhang Huan's () northern campaign to suppress an uprising of the
Qiang. He eventually became a
county magistrate
The county magistrate or local magistrate, known by several Chinese names, was the official in charge of the '' xian'' ("county"), the lowest level of central government in Imperial and early Republican China. The magistrate was the official ...
in the
Yanmen Commandery, a divisional commandant in the Shu Commandery, the Wu and Ji colonel in the
Western Regions, inspector of
Bing Province, and administrator of the
Hedong Commandery.
At some point in the 170s, he was employed as a minor official in an unnamed commandery, supervising captured thieves and robbers. Due to the many raids by non-Han minorities, the then-Inspector of Liangzhou, Cheng Jiu (成就), promoted Dong to serve under him. Under Cheng, Dong led troops to repel these raids and achieved much success. As such, the then-Inspector of Bingzhou, Duan Jiong (段颎), recommended Dong to the Three Excellencies of the time; then-
''Situ'' Yuan Wei (袁隗) hired Dong to serve under him.
By the late 170s, Dong Zhuo was Administrator of Hedong Commandery.
At the outbreak of the
Yellow Turban Rebellion
The Yellow Turban Rebellion, alternatively translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt during the late Eastern Han dynasty of ancient China. The uprising broke out in 184 CE, during the reign of Emperor Ling. Although t ...
in the summer of 184, Dong Zhuo was sent to take over command from
Lu Zhi in preparation of the offense on
Zhang Jue in Julu. Although his efforts during the rebellion were initially unsuccessful, with the arrival of
Huangfu Song, victory was achieved in the winter against the peasants.
During the
Liang Province Rebellion, the barbarians rebelled with local gentries
Han Sui and
Bian Zhang
Bian Zhang (died 186), originally named Bian Yun, was an official who lived in the Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served as the Prefect of Xin'an County.
In 185, Beigong Boyu of the Qiang tribe rebelled in Liang Province. Beigong Boyu to ...
. Dong was reinstated and sent to suppress the rebels. While suppressing this rebellion, Dong Zhuo had several tactical and strategic disagreements with Huangfu Song; after Huangfu managed to achieve victory despite Dong's disagreements, Dong became resentful and fearful of him.
Dong Zhuo was given the title "General Who Smashes the Caitiffs" in 185, and "General of the Vanguard" in 188. He was promoted to be the governor of Bing Province, but he refused to take up his new post as he was unwilling to leave his men.
[
During the turbulent situation, the power of the ]Eastern Han
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
dynasty was waning. Dong Zhuo then settled in Liang Province and built up his power.
Rise to power
Following the death of Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han (156/157 – 13 May 189), personal name Liu Hong, was the 12th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was also the last Eastern Han emperor to exercise effective power during his reign. Born the son of a lesser marquis who ...
in May 189, General-in-Chief He Jin ordered Dong Zhuo to lead troops into Luoyang
Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
to aid him in eliminating the powerful eunuch faction known as the Ten Attendants. Before Dong could arrive, He Jin was assassinated by the eunuchs in September that year and the capital city fell into a state of turmoil. The eunuchs took Liu Bian
Liu Bian (176 – 26 March 190), also known as Emperor Shao of Han and the Prince of Hongnong, was the 13th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty in China. He became emperor around the age of 13 upon the death of his father, Emperor Ling, and r ...
(Emperor Shao) hostage and fled from Luoyang. Dong Zhuo's army intercepted the eunuchs and brought the emperor back to the palace.[
After He Jin's death, He Jin's step-brother, General of Chariots and Cavalry He Miao (), was killed by He Jin's subordinate Wu Kuang (吳匡) and Dong Zhuo's brother Dong Min, for sympathizing with the eunuch faction which had assassinated He Jin.
After arriving in Luoyang, Dong Zhuo realized that his 3000 men were unequal to the numerous troops guarding the capital. Dong ordered some of his army to march out at night and re-enter the city at dawn, thus making it appear that he was receiving reinforcements. Dong then took command of the leaderless forces of He Jin and He Miao, convinced ]Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
to join his ranks, and made himself Excellency of Works.[
In 189, Dong deposed Emperor Shao and replaced him with Liu Xie ( Emperor Xian). Dong declared himself ]chancellor
Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
, and became the head of the imperial court in Luoyang. However, in the words of Rafe de Crespigny, Dong Zhuo's "conduct towards the court and the imperial officials was bullying, oppressive and frequently bloody." This prompted Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred tow ...
to form a coalition army with other regional officials in opposition to Dong Zhuo's military authority.[
]
Coalition against Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo retreats to Chang'an
In the same year, regional officials and warlords around the country formed a coalition force and launched a punitive campaign against Dong Zhuo. In response, he sent a detachment to intercept the coalition vanguard led by Sun Jian, and ordered his son-in-law, Niu Fu, to supply his fortress and manor of Mei, also known as ''"Meiwu"'' (郿坞) or ''Ten-Thousand Year Fortress'' (万岁坞), with 30 years' worth of rations, where he had planned to centralize his power or retire in safety behind its fortified walls built to be seven '' zhàng'' in height and thickness. After his subordinates Hua Xiong
Hua Xiong () (died 191), also recorded in the annotated version of Zizhi Tongjian as Ye Xiong (葉雄),《资治通鉴音注·卷第二百八·唐纪二十四》:叶,旧音摄,后音木叶之叶。吴志孙晧传有都尉叶雄。 was ...
, Hu Zhen, and Lu Bu were defeated by Sun Jian at Yangren, Dong Zhuo sent Li Jue to propose a marriage between Sun's son and Dong's daughter, and split the empire between the two families. Sun Jian refused and prepared to attack Luoyang.
Dong evacuated everyone in Luoyang and moved them to Chang'an
Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...
in the west. Before the relocation, Dong ordered his troops to ransack the tombs of the late Han emperors for treasures, seize valuables from the wealthy residents in Luoyang, and burn down the palaces and anything that might be useful to the coalition.[
Then the chancellor assembled his forces in the city and personally led them to ambush the approaching army. Dong's ambush failed and he was driven back by Sun Jian. He ordered Lu Bu to lead a cavalry force back to the city to halt Sun's progress before he took flight for Mianchi. Sun Jian broke through one of the eastern gates and defeated Lu Bu, taking the city.
]
Defeat of the coalition
Despite taking Luoyang, the city was so heavily damaged that Sun Jian chose to retreat rather than to try to hold it.[
Dong Zhuo then sent his generals Li Jue, Guo Si, and Zhang Ji to the frontline against the eastern warlords. By this time the coalition had already fallen into disarray and internal bickering. The only ones who actively opposed Dong were the senior imperial officer, Zhu Jun and his old friend, Tao Qian. Tao, despite having a general alliance with Dong, sent 3,000 elite troops from Danyang to aid Zhu in the battle with Dong's forces at Zhongmu. Zhu was defeated. Li Jue and his comrades then raided the surrounding area around Chenliu and Yingchuan for slaves. Morale among the allied soldiers were low due to news of the ways in which Dong Zhuo would torture captives. Apparently he would have them tied up with fat-soaked clothes and start a fire from their foot. He left their heads unbound so he could enjoy their screams and watch their expressions while being tortured.
]
Rule of terror
Two months after he moved the capital, Dong Zhuo revived the title of Grand Master, an antiquated title once reinvigorated by Wang Mang, but scrapped in the Eastern Han
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
. He appointed his younger brother Dong Min as General of the Left and gave official posts to several of his kin.
Dong Zhuo threw lavish banquets during which he would torture captured enemies by severing limbs, removing tongues and eyeballs, or burning them alive. His audience was said to have experienced a high degree of discomfort.
For Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred tow ...
's role as leader of the coalition against him, Dong Zhuo had the entire Yuan clan in Luoyang wiped out. Within two years, thousands of public servants were wrongly accused and executed, and numerous commoners were kidnapped or killed. In order to purchase materials for further development of the Mei citadel, he had bells and bronze statues, among which were nine of the Twelve Metal Colossi, melted and recast into coins. However, the coins did not weigh the same, resulting in all copper cash being devalued.[
]
Downfall and death
Dong Zhuo kept Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
as a personal bodyguard and swore an oath as father and son. However, after an argument, Dong threw a hand-axe at Lü Bu, who dodged the weapon. Lü Bu's relationship with Dong Zhuo further deteriorated when Lü had an affair with a woman in Dong's harem
A harem is a domestic space that is reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A harem may house a man's wife or wives, their pre-pubescent male children, unmarried daughters, female domestic Domestic worker, servants, and other un ...
.[
In 192, with encouragement from Interior Minister Wang Yun, Lü Bu made his decision to kill Dong Zhuo. On the morning of May 22, 192, Lü greeted Dong at the palace gate with a dozen trusted men led by Cavalry Captain Li Su, who had pretended to stand guard at the gate alongside Wang Yun. Li stepped forward and tried to stab Dong with a '' ji'', but Dong's body armour saved him. Dong cried out for Lü Bu to save him, but Lü merely answered, "This is an imperial order," after which he delivered a fatal blow to Dong.
It was recorded that Dong's corpse was left on the streets with a lit wick placed on his ]navel
The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus; : umbilici or umbilicuses; also known as the belly button or tummy button) is a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord.
Structure
The u ...
. The wick burned for several days on the fat of the corpse. It was said that the light from the flame could last for days. A special order stated that anyone who went forth to collect the body would be killed. However, three officials, including Cai Yong, still challenged the order and were executed. Meanwhile, all affiliates of the Dong clan, including Dong's 90-year-old mother, were put to death.[(卓母年九十,走至塢門曰“乞脫我死!”) ''Yingxiong Ji'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'', vol.06.]
Legacy
After Dong Zhuo's death, several of his loyalists, such as Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji and Fan Chou, escaped on the belief that their allegiance to him would be considered treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...
. Wang Yun, who had taken control of the government, heard their appeal for pardon and said, "Of all those who should be forgiven, they are the exceptions." The four then planned to relinquish their positions and go into hiding. However, an advisor named Jia Xu suggested they should take this opportunity to launch a strike at Chang'an since the Liang faction was practically unscathed. The four then roused several-thousand core followers to attack Chang'an. Wang sent Xu Rong and Hu Zhen (former members of the Liang faction) to fight the Liang force en route, but Xu was killed in the first encounter and Hu joined the rebels, inflating the size of their army to 100,000 when they surrounded the capital. Lü Bu attempted to break the siege, but was defeated outside the city gate, and thus Chang'an fell into the hands of Dong Zhuo's followers. Emperor Xian was taken hostage and power in the court fell into the hands of the Liang faction once again.
Family
* Father: Dong Junya (died 181)
* Mother: Lady Dong (103–192), titled Lady of Chiyang, executed
* Younger brother: Dong Min (died 192) – After Dong Zhuo backed Emperor Xian, Dong Min was appointed to the rank of Left General. After Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
killed Dong Zhuo, Dong Min was labeled an accomplice and executed, and his head was put on public display
* Nephew: Dong Huang (died 192) – born in Lintao County
Lintao County () is administratively under the control of Dingxi, Gansu province, China.
History
Pottery from the Majiayao culture (3300 to 2000 BC) has been found in Lintao.
Until the 20th century, Lintao was known as Didao (). The Battle of ...
, Gansu
Gansu is a provinces of China, province in Northwestern China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeastern part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibetan Plateau, Ti ...
, fathered by Dong Zhuó (董擢, note different character than his own) elder brother of Dong Zhuo, executed
* Sons: Dong Zhuo had some infant sons who were enfeoffed and later presumably executed, and at least one son of his was born 171 but died earlier than 190
** Granddaughter: Dong Bai (), born after 178, titled Lady of Weiyang. She was given her passage to adulthood ceremony and a grand title and lands at an unceremoniously young age despite a 50-year-old Zhu Jun's protests. For the grand ceremony, a platform was built to be five to six che – about in modern conversions – and she rode in a blue-covered golden carriage as thousands of soldiers marched behind her. Dong Huang was said to have given her the seal personally. Dong Bai was presumably executed.
** Grandson: born 186, executed
* Daughter: married Niu Fu
* Foster Son: Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''
'' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', a 14th-century historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. Because the real-life Dong Zhuo was already much of a cruel and treacherous character, the novel probably could do little more to accentuate that treachery and cruelty. It did, however, on two occasions deviate from the history.
Dong Zhuo and the three sworn brothers
Dong Zhuo first appeared as early as late in Chapter 1. Being sent to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Dong Zhuo was defeated by the rebel leader Zhang Jiao and the battle was turning into a rout.
The three newly sworn brothers, Liu Bei
Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a China, Chinese warlord in the late Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty who later became the founding Emperor of China, emperor of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms of ...
, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, happened to be nearby. They then led their forces out to Dong Zhuo's rescue. Suddenly met with this new opposition, the rebels were swept off their feet and had to retreat.
After returning to camp, Dong Zhuo asked the three brothers what offices they currently held. And they replied that they held none. Dong Zhuo harrumphed and then ignored them. This angered Zhang Fei so much that he grabbed his sword and wanted to kill Dong Zhuo. He was however stopped by his two brothers, who suggested taking their service elsewhere. Thus was Dong Zhuo's life spared and the three brothers went their own way.
Dong Zhuo and Diaochan
Perhaps the most popular story about Dong Zhuo was the fictional love triangle involving Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu and Diaochan, which eventually led to the death of Dong Zhuo at the hands of his own adoptive son, Lü Bu.
After Dong Zhuo moved the capital to the more strategically sound Chang'an, Interior Minister Wang Yun started to contemplate a plot to assassinate the tyrant by using the petite Diaochan, a young singer who was brought up in his household but whom he had been treating like his own daughter, to plant the seed of dissension between Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu.
Inviting Lü Bu over one night, Wang Yun asked Diaochan to serve wine to the guest. Lü Bu was immediately seized by the girl's beauty. Well aware of this, Wang Yun then promised to marry Diaochan to the mighty warrior.
A few days later, however, Wang Yun laid a feast for Dong Zhuo and repeated the feat. Like Lü Bu, Dong Zhuo could not lift his eyes off Diaochan, who also displayed her prowess in song and dance. Dong Zhuo then brought Diaochan home and made her his concubine.
When Lü Bu heard about this early the next morning, he headed for Dong Zhuo's bedroom and peeped in through the window. There he saw Diaochan sitting up grooming her hair while Dong Zhuo was still asleep. Aware of Lü Bu's presence, Diaochan put up a sorrowful expression and pretended to wipe tears off her eyes with a handkerchief.
A similar incident recurred about a month later, but this time Dong Zhuo woke up in time to see Lü Bu staring fixedly at Diaochan. Lü Bu was then thrown out and forbidden from entering the house.
Then one day, while Dong Zhuo was holding a conversation with Emperor Xian, Lü Bu sneaked to his foster father's residence and met with Diaochan in the Fengyi Pavilion (). Weeping, Diaochan pleaded with Lü Bu to rescue her from Dong Zhuo. Placing his halberd aside, Lü Bu held Diaochan in his arms and comforted her with words.
Right then, Dong Zhuo returned to find the duo in the pavilion. The startled Lü Bu turned to flee. Dong Zhuo grabbed the halberd and gave chase. Being too slow, Dong Zhuo could not catch up with the agile Lü Bu. He then hurled the halberd at Lü Bu but the latter fended it off and got away.
After the incident, Lü Bu became increasingly displeased with Dong Zhuo. The displeasure was further inflamed by Wang Yun, who suggested subtly that Lü Bu kill Dong Zhuo. Lü Bu was eventually persuaded.
The conspirators sent Li Su to fetch Dong Zhuo from his castle in Meiwu () under the pretense that the emperor intended to abdicate the throne to the warlord. The overjoyed Dong Zhuo then came to the palace gate, where his troops were barred from entering. As Dong Zhuo's carriage neared the palace building, soldiers loyal to Wang Yun escorted Dong Zhuo to the trap they set. Then suddenly a general stabbed Dong Zhuo.
Injured only in the arms, Dong Zhuo then cried out for Lü Bu to save him. Lü Bu walked over and impaled Dong Zhuo's throat with his halberd, proclaiming, "I have an imperial decree to slay the rebel!"
In popular culture
Animation
* The character Toutaku Chuuei (''Dong Zhuo Zhongying'' written in onyomi) of the anime short series, '' Ikki Tousen'', is based roughly on Dong Zhuo.
Comics
*Dong Zhuo appears as a character in the Hong Kong manhua
() are Chinese-language comics produced in Greater China. Chinese comics and narrated illustrations have existed in China throughout its history.
They are usually graphic and can be written for a myriad of genres, including romance, fanta ...
'' The Ravages of Time'' illustrated by Chan Mou.
* Dong Zhuo appears as a major antagonist in the manga series '' Sōten Kōro'', which is loosely based on '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms''.
Games
* Dong Zhuo is featured as a playable character in Koei's '' Dynasty Warriors'' and '' Warriors Orochi'' video game series.
* In the collectible card game '' Magic: The Gathering'' there is a card named Dong Zhou, the Tyrant, in the '' Portal: Three Kingdoms'' set.
* Dong Zhuo is a major faction leader in the strategy game '' Total War: Three Kingdoms''.
See also
* Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
The following are lists of people significant to the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of Chinese history. Their names in Mandarin pinyin are sorted in alphabetical order.
Fictional characters in the 14th-century historical novel '' Romance o ...
Notes
References
* Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''Records of the Three Kingdoms
The ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' is a Chinese official history written by Chen Shou in the late 3rd century CE, covering the end of the Han dynasty (220 CE) and the subsequent Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). It is regard ...
'' (''Sanguozhi'').
*
* Fan, Ye (5th century). '' Book of the Later Han'' (''Houhanshu'').
* Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguo Yanyi'').
* Pei, Songzhi (5th century). '' Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms'' (''Sanguozhi zhu'').
* Sima, Guang (1084). ''Zizhi Tongjian
The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
''.
*The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica., Xia, Z,H., Das, D. (2021). Dong Zhuo. ''Britannica .'' Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dong-Zhuo
*Evans,M. (2003). Dong Zhuo (Zhongyin). ''Biography (SGYY).'' ''Retrieved from:'' http://kongming.net/novel/sgyy/dongzhuo.php (Sanguo Yanyi)(Romance of the Three Kingdoms)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dong, Zhuo
192 deaths
2nd-century births
2nd-century deaths
Assassinated regents
Han dynasty generals
Han dynasty chancellors
Han dynasty warlords
People from Dingxi
Political office-holders in Shanxi
Han dynasty regents
Year of birth unknown
Leaders who took power by coup
Ancient assassinated Chinese people
2nd-century regents