Meet the Person #
His biography records successive frontier military posts, followed by his entry into Luoyang with troops after Emperor Ling's death and his acquisition of the capital's military command. He then deposed Emperor Shao and enthroned Emperor Xian. Forces east of the passes rose against him, and the court was moved to Chang'an.
In the third year of Chuping, Wang Yun, Shisun Rui, Lü Bu, and others planned Dong Zhuo's killing, and Lü Bu acted with an imperial edict. Dong Zhuo's death did not immediately end the military conflict; his followers continued to influence politics in Chang'an.
Approximate sequence, not a timeline drawn to scale.
Limits of the Evidence #
Fictional characters and details from later drama cannot simply be added to the biography. This page uses Volume 6's main text for its overview.
People and Relationships #
- Hua XiongHua Xiong → Dong Zhuo: army commanderSanguozhi, Volume 46, Sun Polu and Sun Taoni Biographies ↗
Related Deeds and Periods
Commander in Dong Zhuo's Army
- Zhang LiaoZhang Liao → Dong Zhuo: former subordinate generalSanguozhi, Volume 17, Zhang–Yue–Yu–Zhang–Xu Biographies ↗
Related Deeds and Periods
After He Jin's downfall and death: Zhang Liao and the troops he had recruited came under Dong Zhuo; this preceded his service under Cao Cao.
- Lü BuLü Bu → Dong Zhuo: former subordinate generalSanguozhi, Volume 7, Lü Bu and Zang Hong Biographies ↗
Related Deeds and Periods
Dong Zhuo appointed Lü Bu Cavalry Commandant, later promoted him to General of the Household, and often assigned him as a bodyguard. They are also recorded as swearing to be father and son, not blood relatives. Their later break and Dong Zhuo's killing are listed separately in the biography.
Related Historical Events (Not Personal Relationships) #
- Sun JianMilitary Opposition in the Campaign against Dong ZhuoSanguozhi, Volume 46, Sun Polu and Sun Taoni Biographies ↗
In This Book #
Specific chapters in which each figure appears will be cross-checked after QA of Shiji Sanguo's final manuscript; they are not filled in ahead of time.
Cite This Page
Shiji Sanguo website, “Dong Zhuo,” data version 2026-09-29.13, updated 2026-09-29.
https://shijisanguo.com/ai/people/dong-zhuo/
When citing a specific claim, also identify its original source, whether it comes from the main text or a quoted annotation, and your access date. The # beside each section heading links to that passage. This site's synthesis is not the original text of an ancient work.