Cui Yong

Biography & Historical Record

Cui Yong was a fictional military officer serving under the Liang Province warlord Guo Si during the late Eastern Han dynasty. In Luo Guanzhong’s classic historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cui Yong serves as a frontline officer under Guo Si, who was one of the remnant faction leaders of Dong Zhuo’s army following Dong Zhuo’s assassination. Cui Yong does not appear in official historical chronicles such as Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) or Fan Ye’s Book of Later Han (Hou Han Shu). Within the literary framework of Chapter 13 of the novel, Cui Yong fulfills a vital narrative function as a sacrificial antagonist designed to introduce the formidable martial prowess and terrifying battle-ax technique of the legendary general Xu Huang.

In 195 AD, following the total breakdown of alliance between Liang Province warlords Li Jue and Guo Si in Chang’an, Emperor Xian of Han managed to flee the imperial capital under the protection of loyalist commanders Yang Feng and Dong Cheng, attempting to reach the eastern capital of Luoyang. Desperate to recapture the Emperor and retain him as a political hostage, Guo Si dispatched a massive cavalry force in hot pursuit. At Huayin County, Guo Si’s army caught up with the imperial carriage, threatening to slaughter the loyalist vanguard. As the two forces arrayed their ranks, Guo Si ordered Cui Yong to ride out to challenge Yang Feng’s forces to single combat. Arrogant and relying on superior numbers, Cui Yong shouted insults at the loyalists. In response, Yang Feng summoned his subordinate officer Xu Huang, who charged out wielding a massive battle-ax. Within a single bout, Xu Huang struck down and decapitated Cui Yong, causing instant panic among Guo Si’s troops and allowing Yang Feng to rout the pursuing army.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In Luo Guanzhong’s novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cui Yong appears in Chapter 13 during the chaotic flight of Emperor Xian from Chang’an. As Guo Si leads his pursuing army to recapture Emperor Xian at Huayin, loyalist general Yang Feng arrives to block the road and protect the imperial carriage. Guo Si dispatches Cui Yong to ride to the frontline and challenge the loyalist army. Spurring his steed forward, Cui Yong points his spear at Yang Feng and shouts arrogantly: ‘You rebellious bandit! How dare you obstruct the Prime Minister’s army? You are seeking your own destruction!’ Outraged by his insolence, Yang Feng calls upon his vanguard officer Xu Huang. Making his grand debut in the novel, Xu Huang charges out wielding a large battle-ax. Cui Yong spurs his horse forward to engage, but as the two steeds cross paths, Xu Huang brings down his battle-ax with shensheng fury, severing Cui Yong’s head in a single bout. Terrified by Cui Yong’s instant death, Guo Si’s frontline army breaks in complete rout, allowing Yang Feng and Dong Cheng to pursue the rebels for over twenty li and safeguard the imperial court.

Cui Yong (崔勇) — Historical & Literary Timeline

Key Relationships

Family

• No information

Friends

• Guo Si (郭汜, Quách Dĩ): Liang Province warlord and Cui Yong’s commanding officer, who ordered him to lead the vanguard and challenge the imperial escort during the pursuit of Emperor Xian at Huayin in 195 AD.

Enemies

• Xu Huang (徐晃, Từ Hoảng): Loyalist vanguard general under Yang Feng who accepted Cui Yong’s challenge at Huayin in 195 AD, decapitating him with a battle-ax in a single bout.
• Yang Feng (杨奉, Dương Phụng): Imperial loyalist commander protecting Emperor Xian whom Cui Yong insulted and challenged in single combat before Yang Feng sent Xu Huang out to duel him.
• Dong Cheng (董承, Đổng Thừa): Imperial relative and loyalist commander escorting Emperor Xian, whose forces routed Guo Si’s pursuing army following Cui Yong’s swift death in battle.

Other

• Emperor Xian of Han (汉献帝, Hán Hiến Đế): Han emperor whose escape from Chang’an to Luoyang in 195 AD Cui Yong was dispatched to intercept and recapture as a political hostage.