Editing Ding Yuan (section)

==In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''==
[[File:Lu_Bu_murders_Ding_Yuan.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A Qing dynasty illustration of Lü Bu murdering Ding Yuan.]]

The 14th-century historical novel ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' is a romanticisation of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms period of China. In Chapter 3, Ding Yuan becomes a rival of Dong Zhuo after he opposes the latter's plan to depose [[Liu Bian|Emperor Shao]] in favour of [[Emperor Xian of Han|Emperor Xian]]. However, Dong Zhuo refrains from killing Ding Yuan on the spot because Ding Yuan's foster son, the formidable warrior [[Lü Bu]], is protecting him.

[[Li Su (Han dynasty)|Li Su]], an official under Dong Zhuo who is from the same commandery as Lü Bu, then volunteers to persuade Lü Bu to defect to Dong Zhuo's side. Bringing along a famous steed named [[Red Hare]] and other extravagant gifts, he meets Lü Bu at his camp outside the city. Attracted by the gifts and feeling convinced by Li Su, Lü Bu agrees to betray his foster father and defect to Dong Zhuo's side. That very night, Lü Bu barges into Ding Yuan's tent, decapitates him and brings his head as a present to Dong Zhuo the following day.