Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo(董卓; stylename: Zhongying 仲颖) (139? - 192 AD) was a general in the Later Han Dynasty of ancient China.

Dong Zhuo was in the Imperial Court, and quickly gained power through foul means. He became Prime Minister to the Han Emperor, who was seen to be really only a puppet to the tyrant Dong Zhuo. Dong was often seen just strolling in and out of the Palace as if it was his own.

Dong Zhuo commanded a large army. Early on in his career, he encountered a certain enemy with a small force, daring to stand in his way. Dong would have attacked and killed the enemy commander, but behind him stood a huge and impressive warrior. After an invite and promise of gifts, the warrior slew his master and brought the head to Dong Zhuo. With the mighty Lu Bu|L? Bu now at his side, Dong Zhuo was near invincible. He withstood allied attacks at the Hu Lao gate with the aid of L? Bu, burned the capital of Luoyang and fled to An Ding, making this the new capital.

According to the well-known fictional account that appears in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dong's reign was eventually unhinged by one dancer girl, Diao Chan or Sable Cicada. In the story, Diao Chan was asked by her adoptive father, Wang Yun, to befriend Dong Zhuo and L? Bu. Wang Yun promised Chan as a wife to each of the men. Chan played her part, and slowly the theretofore unbreakable bond began to crack between Dong and L?. The story relates that the beautiful dancer girl eventually tore the two apart so much that L? Bu slew Dong Zhuo, ending the tyrant's power.