Huang Zhong, Shu General

Virile in war, he kept the north in fear; His prodigies subdued the western sphere.

Huang Zhong (died 220) was a leading military general of the Kingdom of Shu during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun , in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle. For his merits, Huang Zhong was ranked among the five leading generals of Shu , later popularized as the Five Tiger Generals.

Huang Zhong had always been portrayed in popular literature and arts as an elderly general with youthful vigor and constitution. Even now , the spirit to strive for excellence despite old age is often attributed to him. However, little was documented about him in historical records and it is impossible to tell how old he was when he was named one of the Five Tiger Generals.

Life

Born in Nanyang Commandery (present day Nanyang , Henan) , Huang Zhong initially served a military post under Liu Biao , governor of Jing Province (荆州). After Liu Biao's death in 208 , the powerful warlord Cao Cao conquered Jing Province and Huang Zhong continued his service under this new lord of the land, specifically in Changsha under the Administrator , Han Xuan.

Following Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs in the same year , Liu Bei was gradually taking over the various commanderies in southern Jing Province , including Changsha. Huang Zhong strongly recommended to his lord Han Xuan to surrender to Liu Bei , which they did , sparing many innocent civilian lives that would be lost if there were a battle. Huan Xuan and Huang Zhong then began their service under Liu Bei. He performed extremely well in Liu Bei's campaign to gain Yi Province (益州) from 212 to 214 , his bravery in battles unmatched by any. After Yi Province was taken , Huang Zhong was promoted to General who Campaigns against Rebels (討虜將軍).

In 217 , Liu Bei led a force upon Hanzhong , which was under the control of Cao Cao. His force met with resistance led by Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass (陽平關). The confrontation dragged on for more than a year until one night , Liu Bei set fire to the barbed fence around Xiahou Yuan's camp at the foot of Mount Dingjun. Alarmed by the attack, Xiahou Yuan sent Zhang He to defend the eastern corner of the camp , while he guarded the south. Liu Bei's main force pressed against Zhang He, outmatching the latter. Xiahou Yuan had to dispatch a fraction of his own troops to Zhang He's rescue.

Accompanied by thundering drums, the division led by Huang Zhong then descended upon Xiahou Yuan's dwindling force. The battle became a rout and Xiahou Yuan himself was killed in battle. The victory at Mount Dingjun was a major stepping stone to the later conquest of Hanzhong.

In 219 , Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong , a symbolic measure comparing himself to the Emperor Gaozu of Han. He then promoted Huang Zhong to General of the Rear (後將軍) , placing the latter on the same level as four other major generals: Guan Yu , Zhang Fei , Zhao Yun and Ma Chao. However, Huang Zhong died in the next year, to an unspecified cause. He was given the posthumous title of Marquis Gang, literally meaning The Unyielding Marquis.

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