The Insane Warrior That Ate His Own Eyeball | Xiahou Dun

During Xiahou's time different regions of China were ruled by warlords . This was a time of non-stop war, betrayal and strife. This story will be about the life of Xiahou and his feats.
All credit for the music goes to: No Copyright Music
Track: Under the moonlight (Matouqin) NCM version
Music provided by Youtube Free Music Library (NCM)

[humongousfungusamongus]

Eating ones own eyeball off an arrow that struck ones eye is HARDCORE BERSERK! Xiahou must have been feared more than the Reaper himself!

[kevinmoore]

My favorite character from Dynasty Warriors

[peyonn]

Xiahou Dun may not have achieved as many brilliant feats on the battlefield as Zhang Liao, Xiahou Yuan, or Cao Ren, but I believe his significance lay on a fundamentally different level—as a vital pillar sustaining the entire organization.

If Xun Yu’s intellect and Cao Ren’s valor were the "right and left arms" of Cao Cao, then Xiahou Dun’s loyalty and administrative skill were the "spine" that supported him from within. He wasn’t a trusted blade swinging at the frontlines, but rather a quiet force stabilizing everything from the inside.

And when the spine breaks, neither arms nor legs can move freely. It might sound like an exaggeration, but I truly think the structure functioned because he was at its center.

Also, we shouldn't reduce Xiahou Dun’s "loyalty" to a mere virtue. Just like Xun Yu’s strategic brilliance or Zhang Liao’s martial prowess, his personal qualities should be seen as a part of the organization’s overall strength.

Even in modern business, trusting someone with important work is essential—and often a strategic decision in itself. For Cao Cao, Xiahou Dun was someone he could trust absolutely, and in an age where betrayal was rampant, that kind of trust was immeasurably valuable.

Now, take his role as Commander of the Twenty-Six Military Units of Yang Province.
This massive responsibility wasn’t just about leading troops—it involved overseeing recruitment, logistics, training, and maintaining military presence against Sun Quan.

It was a role that demanded both a firm grasp of reality on the ground and keen strategic balance.
Xiahou Dun likely possessed the calm oversight required to manage all of that.
That’s probably why even great generals like Zhang Liao and Yu Jin served under his command.

Then there's his position as Governor of Henan Yin.
This wasn’t just some local administrative job—it meant governing the capital Luoyang and the surrounding areas during a time when it was still recovering from the devastation left by Dong Zhuo.

Restoring order and governing such a place required exceptional ability—administrative acumen, military judgment, diplomatic finesse in dealing with local elites, and a high degree of balance.

The importance of these "stay-at-home" positions becomes clearer when compared to other generals.
Zhang Fei lost Xiapi to Lü Bu. Guan Yu lost all of Jing Province and died.
History is full of such examples.

What they failed to protect, Xiahou Dun preserved time and again without major incident.
Even if he didn’t achieve flashy victories in battle, it’s not hard to imagine how much his steady presence contributed to the stability and function of Cao Cao’s camp.

In short, Xiahou Dun was more than just a "man of loyalty" or a "one-eyed general."
He was a supervisor and protector who upheld both military and administrative affairs, rooted in loyalty.

His honest work and leadership made him the ideal No.2 in Cao Cao’s organization.
Quietly—but undoubtedly—he was a true pillar that supported the era.

This is reflected in the fact that he is listed first in the Records of the Xiahou and Cao Families in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Wei section), and that he was one of the first three meritorious retainers enshrined posthumously.

Historically speaking, it's clear that Xiahou Dun was the most trusted second-in-command for Cao Cao.

To label him a "mediocre general" or to compare him unfavorably to other famous commanders is to overlook his essence, the structure of the organization, and the true nature of history itself.

Finally, there's no need to rank a "symbol of battlefield glory" like Zhang Liao above a "structural backbone" like Xiahou Dun.

Both are indispensable puzzle pieces for a functioning state or organization.

Yet in later generations, the latter often tends to be overlooked—so I wanted to take this opportunity to emphasize his true worth.

[larry-naylor]

Oh my goodness he's one of my favourite characters to play on Dynasty Warriors! Thank you for posting. 😊

[matthewwaters]

Wow what an amazing story, I love listening to stories of Ancient China, it’s Kingdom’s and it’s Warriors, another excellent and informative video, You have a really good channel.

[Elke-jm]

Wonderful video! You did an awesome job Ollie, as always. Love your narration! Thank you so much

[Agapy]

Yes please. Want to hear about his master. Thanks for a great narration, pictures, perfect music volume and your gracious self. Ollie, you are the best. Cheers.

[thejudgmentalcat]

I am so historically and culturally ignorant that I never heard of this guy. Thanks for a great video! ❤

[RagnaCloud]

Cao Cao: how was this taste?

Xiahou Dun: mayonnaise.

[rinmorinai]

Thank you for being a channel that feeds my addiction to historical events

[Jokes_on_D]

I am a huge fan of the 3 kingdom era of China the Wei army, led by Cao Cao was the one that intrigued me the most. Definitely do the Cao Cao video please! Great work as always!

[berenicewaters]

Thanks for the great video. This far away lands also evoke the imagination from times gone by.

[TheCrimeReel]

Great story - I have shared this one on my channel - great job

[Clearfieldman]

Funny thing is that if I recall correctly Cao Pi was the fourth child of Cao Cao, but the only one to initially survive many of the battles. The entire Cao family were pretty much skilled and cunning fighters.

[creolegoddess]

Your bringing Dynasty Warriors to life Thanks saw the one about Lu Bu great work !!

[picklerick.n.]

Amazing, as always, keep up the great work you do :) and yes I would personally love 2 here more about Cao-cao... :)))

[DDAWGY]

Like 20 years ago I spent $1, 200 on the Histories of the Three Kingdoms. It was a direct translation to the Chinese one that was written about 100 years after the last battle ended. It was the best books I ever owned. I love the videos you always do a phenomenal job please make more

[naenae]

Excellent ! Came over from Brief Case. As a true fan of anything ancient Chinese, this is right up my alley. Went to China in 2003 and cried viewing the terra-cotta army. Now I am intrigued with this man and will delve into finding out more about him. Thank you.

[theheroofchaos]

Xiahou dun is more than a legend, really want a cao cao video cause your videos are amazing i really like the way you explain :⁠-⁠D

[nicolevarnam]

Thanks for another Awesome Video❤Excellent Work🤘Would luv to hear bout his master