The Royal Hunt at Xutian
许田打围
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The Royal Hunt at Xutian is a pivotal moment in Chapter 20 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms (《三国演义》) by Luo Guanzhong (罗贯中). This episode highlights Cao Cao (曹操) as a domineering minister who ‘held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords.’
In this scene, Cao Cao arranges a hunting expedition with Emperor Xian (汉献帝). When the emperor fails to hit a deer after three shots, he hands the task to Cao Cao. After obtaining the emperor’s ornate bow and golden arrow, Cao Cao shoots and strikes the deer with a single arrow. The soldiers, recognising the imperial arrow, mistakenly believe the emperor made the shot and loudly cheer, ‘Long live the emperor!’ Seizing the moment, Cao Cao rides forward to receive the acclamation himself—an act that stuns the courtiers. Guan Yu (关羽), incensed by this arrogance, attempts to strike Cao Cao down, but is restrained by Liu Bei (刘备), who instead offers polite praise: ‘What a masterful shot, Chancellor!’ Cao Cao modestly replies that it was thanks to the emperor’s good fortune, yet he does not return the imperial bow—he simply keeps it for himself.
Through this carefully crafted episode, Luo Guanzhong underscores Cao Cao’s overreach and his audacious grip on power. It is worth noting, however, that this scene is a literary embellishment. In the historical Records of the Three Kingdoms (《三国志》), the hunt at Xutian is mentioned only briefly without such dramatic detail.
story scene description by Rachel Ma
Fig 1: famille verte porcelain plaque, Kangxi period (1662–1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing
Fig 2-3: famille verte rouleau vase, Kangxi period (1662–1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Christie’s Auction House, New York, 23 Sept 2022, Lot 928
Fig 4: porcelain bowl with overglaze enamelled decoration, Shunzhi period (1644–61), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Sir Michael Butler Collection