Zhang He

Zhang He (onyomi: Chō Kō) is a general who first began his military career under Han Fu. After his liege was conquered, he served Yuan Shao until slander and distrust forced his defection to Cao Cao. His masterful tactics and rapid adaptability within the field were historically feared by Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. He died as a reputed elderly general and the emperor personally mourned his passing. Chen Shou respectfully dubbed him one of the five accomplished generals of Wei.

His character in the Dynasty Warriors series is young, flamboyant and eccentric. Fans may perceive him to be homosexual, but this has never been confirmed by Zhang He or any other character in the series. He is 29 years old and his height is 194 cm (a little over 6'4") in this franchise. Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll has him at thirty-seventh place with fans and forty-ninth in the Shin Sangoku Musou 7: Moushouden poll.

In Kessen II his character's height is 180 cm (short of 5'11").

Role in Games

 * "And here comes the belle of the ball!"
 * ―Kunoichi; Warriors Orochi 2

Dynasty Warriors
Zhang He is an eccentric man who is obsessed with dancing and beauty. He starts as an officer under Yuan Shao but joins Cao Cao either during or after the Battle of Guan Du. Once the Three Kingdoms are formed, he is sometimes ordered to guard Mt. Tian Dang. After he suffers defeat, he assists Xiahou Yuan's defense at Mt. Ding Jun. He often assists the capture of Han Zhong and partakes in deflecting Shu's advance in their Northern Campaigns. A few scenarios depict his death at Mount Qi.

In Dynasty Warriors 3, Zhang He makes his first appearance at Guan Du where he may defect to the Wei army if certain conditions are fulfilled.

Mount Qi is where his Legend Mode in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends takes place. Zhuge Liang's army has taken a position around the mountain top and threaten Sima Yi's forces. To counter, Zhang He is sent to the mountain to investigate Wei Yan's shady movements. As he pursues the fleeing general, Shu closes the gates along the mountain road and trap him with boulders and other traps. Undeterred, Zhang He corners Wei Yan and slays him to claim victory.

In Dynasty Warriors 5, Zhang He is described as one of the many drafted to end the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Finding his way to Yuan Shao, his reputation as a warrior grew when he suppressed Gongsun Zan's forces. In his story, he helps win the battle at Guan Du yet becomes enchanted by Cao Cao's beauty. He joins Wei afterwards and destroys his former master. After his assistance at Tong Gate, he is ordered to guard Mt. Tian Dang but suffers defeat. Humiliated by his loss, he gets his revenge against Shu at Mt. Ding Jun. Losing Xiahou Yuan and Cao Cao after the battle has a profound effect on Zhang He and he chooses to renew his oath of loyalty under Cao Pi. Wanting to end the tragedy that the wars have wrought, he contributes to the end of Shu at Jie Ting and Chen Cang. Zhuge Liang dies in their last battle and Wei easily conquers the rest of the land. To celebrate their grand victory, Zhang He orders the Wei army to disarm and join him in a dance.

He shares his Legend Mode in the Xtreme Legends expansion with Cao Cao, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren. Together, they struggle against the supernatural powers wielded by the Five Bushel sect. While the other generals lead their individual paths, Zhang He guards his liege in the center. He uses the shorter ascending valleys to open his lord's path.

Zhang He appears during the Battle of Chi Bi and Sima Yi's campaigns in the sequel. At Chi Bi, he will be inspired by the flames caused by the fire attack and gains a substantial morale boost. During the strategist's story, he is suspicious of Sima Yi's declarations of ambition but, taken by the strategist's daring plans, he joins the betrayal at Xu Chang.

In Dynasty Warriors 6: Special, Zhang He cares less about the results of a battle and more about his pursuit of beauty. After repelling Cao Cao's army at Guan Du, he becomes entranced with Cao Cao's military tactics and is convinced by Zhen Ji to leave Yuan Shao. As an officer in Wei, he keeps the armies motivated with his dances and contributes to uniting the land under Cao Pi's rule. Content with finding beauty during war, he ends his story by striving to find beauty during peace.

Like other titles in the series, Dynasty Warriors 7 has Zhang He appear during Wei's Story Mode when he first serves Yuan Shao. Cao Pi recognizes his talents during battle and asks if he wants his life to end with Yuan Shao. Zhang He hesitates until Cao Pi orders the supplies at Wuchao to be burned to the ground. When Cao Pi uses the fire as a metaphor for his choice, Zhang He decides to "burn brilliantly in a new age" and joins Cao Cao's army. Quickly taking to his duties, he is the one to direct Zhang Liao during the chase at Changban. After his service at Tong Gate, he joins Xiahou Yuan in conquering the south, starting with Yangping Gate. Together with the general, they are charged of guarding Hanzhong. While facing the Shu army at Mt. Dingjun, Xiahou Yuan charges him with protecting the main ally camp.

He reports Xiahou Yuan's death to Cao Cao who gives him orders to break through Mt. Tiandang for a safe withdraw. In honor of the "beauty" they have lost, Zhang He asks the commander to watch over his splendid performance. During the battle, he successfully causes Zhuge Liang's retreat. Though he tries to pursue, Sima Yi stops him since their objective to escape has been fulfilled. Noticing Xiahou Dun's frustration by Cao Cao's seemingly heartless reaction to Xiahou Yuan's end, Zhang He elaborates for him the sorrow he feels from their leader by choosing to prioritizes his plans to slay Guan Yu. He continues to appear in Wei's defense during Shu and Wu's Story Modes.

His first Legendary Mode takes place during Guandu, this time allowing players a chance to fight against Cao Cao's army for the battle. Jieting acts as his second Legendary Mode as he leads the men to take down Ma Su's position on the mountain top. Zhang He is impressed by Wei's perfect formation against the general, even when they're soon surrounded by Zhuge Liang's sudden reinforcements. His third Legendary Mode has him search for talented participants for a dance he wants to perform on stage with them. Zhang He convinces his various snarky or reluctant recruits by beating them with his dances. When his performance group is completely gathered, he announces rehearsals for their stage event will begin the following day.

Appearing first in Wei's story in eight installment, Zhang He is among the generals of Yuan Shao, and fights with his lord at Guandu. After being defeated by Cao Cao, however, he decides to align himself with Cao Cao and defects. He becomes a valuable asset to Wei participating in Chibi and Tong Gate. He is also present in Hanzhong's defense in which he consoles the enraged Xiahou Ba over the death of his father.

In the hypothetical route, Zhang He helps in the defeat of Wu at Jianye. In Shu's scenario, he takes a more active role as an enemy, and is among the defenders in Zhuge Liang's various northern campaigns.

Warriors Orochi
In the first game, Zhang He appears in all four stories as an officer of Orochi usually under Cao Pi's command. In Wei's first Gaiden stage, Zhang He is frustrated to serve such a "misshapen beast" and refuses to aid Cao Pi's efforts in defending their main camp. He criticizes Cao Pi for abandoning his "beautiful dream of total domination", and is in turn condemned for not doing his duty. He rejoins Wei's efforts when Cao Pi defends him from his attackers. The two will reconcile with Zhang He's faith fully restored in Cao Pi.

He continues to serve Wei in Warriors Orochi 2. He is given the task of subduing Yuan Shao's army at Shizugatake. By turning the Yuan sons against one another through deception, Zhang He has Yuan Shao join their army. He shares his dream mode with Diao Chan and Motochika as three aesthetics who work together to punish Da Ji at Osaka Bay. Zhang He's personal task in the stage is defeating the flow of soldiers in the area and charming them with his elegance.

Zhang He helped subjugate the dimensional realm in the name of Wei in Warriors Orochi 3, but he was eventually overwhelmed by the serpent army. Humorously he is imprisoned with other maidens by Dong Zhuo at Xuchang. Rescued by the coalition from the future, he gladly offers them their aid. Liu Shan relies on his memory of Mt. Xingshi to prevent Jiang Wei's death. Zhang He later answers the call to defend Nanzhong and quickly bonds with a mysterious swordsman in the battlefield.

Kessen
Zhang He appears alongside Xiahou Dun in Kessen II. Before his return to Wei, he was occupied with quelling various uprisings in the country. He is clad in full body armor and is a strong warrior to have as a support. According to the developers, he is the type of person who never allows people to see his real face. He is a skilled bowman and often leads a crossbow unit into battle.

Personality
Zhang He is depicted as a narcissist who takes joy in aesthetically appealing things and has melodramatic theatrical mannerisms. He frequently decorates his sentences with the words "beautiful" and "graceful." For his newer appearances, he specifies the beauty he admires to be a force that unites the will of the land, people, and war. He is also prone to dramatically posing during cutscenes, occasionally surrounded by a number of butterflies. Each war to him is a stage for him to demonstrate a beautiful dance. Zhang He has a disdain for things that are crude and vulgar. He has seen to be very comforting and encouraging to his comrades when they are in low spirits and discouraged. In spite of his odd behavior, his versatility and often flawless performance earns him respect from Cao Cao and Sima Yi.

Although he isn't always fond of Xiahou Yuan's attire, Zhang He is charmed by the general's war tactics and chummy sincerity. It is sometimes the general's compassion that allows him to overlook his defeat at Mount Tian Dang. Zhang He responds to his comrade's compliments with bubbling praise, which always isn't appreciated by the latter. As of the newest installment, he is cited to be adept in the musical and literary arts.

If an edit female character chooses to follow him, he will treat her in a different manner than other members of the male cast. His comments usually emphasize her bravery and elegance in battle, treating her as his fellow partner in crime rather than stating the personal feelings he felt by spending time with her. Humorously, when he offers his wife a break in Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires, he states that their beauty will be sullied by overworking and they should both rest.

Character Symbolism
Within the Dynasty Warriors series, Zhang He is often associated with butterflies. This stems from a pun of his family name (Zhang), which is pronounced as "chō" under its onyomi reading in Japanese. "Chō" is also the same pronunciation for the winged insect, although the characters have nothing distinctly in common with one another. To follow up on the concept, Zhang He creates a team with Diao Chan (Chō Sen) and Zhao Yun (Chō Un) in the series's mahjong title for the same reason. Zhang Liao (Chō Ryō) likely refused the bizarre offer while Zhang Jiao (Chō Kaku) and Zhang Fei (Chō Hi) didn't fit with Zhang He's tastes. Butterflies are commonly seen as objects of beauty yet also symbolize death and rebirth in various cultures. A few legends state that a person's remains or soul may be reincarnated as several butterflies after their passing.

In the Japanese version of Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires, Zhang He is given the nickname of "Dance of the Deadly Butterfly" while the English version changes it to "The Poet of Battle". As a dominant ruler in Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, he calls his five greatest warriors the "Five Jade Warriors".

The original names for his third and fourth weapons take their namesakes from one of the Four Sacred Beasts, the Vermilion Bird. A majestic king of birds who only appears during times of peace, its tail feathers flashes five vibrant, lovely colors. When it takes off for its flights, flocks of other birds will accompany it in the sky.

His Skill weapon's name within the original release of Dynasty Warriors 6 means to enter disorder. Usually within literary fiction and other similar media, this term is paired with two other characters for flowers of different shapes and colors (百花繚乱, hyakka ryōran). The four character phrase literally describes several blooming flowers being dispersed and scattered at once, creating a chaotic but astounding image. Sometimes, this same description is attributed to pretty and talented people.

Zhang He's Strength weapon for his spear set is literally named yugen, a traditional concept found within Japanese aesthetics. Originally based on Chinese concepts and Buddhism, yugen began to take a unique definition during the late Heian and Kamakura period. The definition of the word varies on the context. Waka poetry holds yugen in high regard as one of the top levels of beauty, stressing its usage for "suggestive yet powerful imagery" found within mediocrity and daily occurrences of the world. Anyone is capable of expressing yugen for the wonders of beauty is always shared by people. Subtlety with a profound and natural impact is the key concept of this definition. The variation is found within renga poetry, which states only the truly capable and experienced can grasp the true concept of yugen. It is unattainable by words alone, understood by additionally comprehending the meanings of that which isn't said. A full grasp of the human will and emotions is a universal necessity for this version.

Special has his armaments once again act as homages to the Four Sacred Beasts. Specifically, his weapons are the claws of the Vermilion Bird (Standard), the White Tiger (Skill), and Blue Dragon (Strength). His skill chart vaguely looks like his trademark weapon or a sideways map of the character "beauty" (美).

Voice Actors

 * S. Scott Bullock - Dynasty Warriors 4 (English-uncredited)
 * Yuri Lowenthal - Dynasty Warriors 5~8, Warriors Orochi series (English-uncredited)
 * Jeon Gwang-Ju - Dynasty Warriors 3~5 (Korean)
 * Yoshiyuki Konno - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Yasuhiko Tokuyama - Dynasty Tactics 2 (Japanese)
 * Takeshi Kusao - Kessen II (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See also: Zhang He/Quotes


 * "Behold my dance of death!"
 * "I will dazzle the battlefield with my exquisite dance!"
 * "I will gracefully cut you to pieces, and scatter them to the earth!"
 * "Victory is ours. Show your joy... not with your blade, but with a dance!"
 * "The enemy camp... Was it pretty?"
 * "Poor butterfly, your beautiful wings have been singed by the flames. I shall put you out of your misery."
 * "Ah! Yuan Shao is doomed to failure. Perhaps the freedom I seek shall be found with Cao Cao."
 * "...Is there something on my face?"
 * "Noticing and basking in the beauty of this world, serves to nourish my own immaculate beauty."
 * Zhen Ji and Zhang He; Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires


 * "I expected to see some things out of the ordinary. However, I do not think that anybody could be prepared for you."
 * "I am comfortable with who I am. It is only natural to be captivated by my timeless beauty."
 * Jia Xu and Zhang He; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "Oh man... I thought I'd found another pretty lady. What a disappointment..."
 * "I am as pretty as any lady, I assure you!"
 * Magoichi and Zhang He; Warriors Orochi


 * "I cannot allow Lu Bu's defeat, not when he brings such chaos to the world."
 * "Chaos is the enemy of beauty! Therefore, you must be destroyed."
 * Kotarō and Zhang He; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "Ranmaru, I believe that true beauty does not distinguish between men and women. In fact, by transcending gender, that is where real beauty lies."
 * "Umm... Why are you telling this to me?"
 * Zhang He and Ranmaru; Warriors Orochi 3

Gameplay

 * See also: Zhang He/Movesets

Dynasty Warriors 7
Zhang He is affiliated with dual claws in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. Upon performing his Musou techniques, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack:, , undefined, undefined: Charges forward doing a horizontal spin and rises upward.
 * Musou - Eagle Talon (鴛鴦襲): : Does a huge crossing slash with his claws.
 * Alternate Musou - Moonlight Butterfly (天鶏斬): R1 + : Jumps into the opponent in front of him to pin them down on the ground and spins in place as his claws drill into his opponent.


 * Warriors Orochi 3
 * , undefined: Dives on the ground with both claws pointed downward.
 * R1: Dazzles the enemy with a beautiful yet deadly butterfly dance that stuns them momentarily.


 * Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate
 * , R1: Does a butterfly pose in mid-air that powers up Zhang He.

Dynasty Warriors 8
Zhang He keeps the same moveset from the previous title with the following additions.


 * EX Attack 2 (Xtreme Legends only):
 * Aerial Musou - Peacock Strike (孔雀砲):, : Dives into the ground while rotating, performing a quick cross slash upon landing.
 * Awakening Musou: Does several upward slices while waltzing. The user then pauses for a moment before doing a pose that unleashes a surge of energy within the area. The extended version has the user jump at a low altitude and slash horizontally afterwards, eventually swiping at enemies in a criss-cross manner.

Dynasty Warriors
Zhang He's primary advantage in the game is his somewhat unpredictable fighting style and his incredible mobility. His moveset consists of graceful flips and tumbles, quick slashes and rolling jumps. He is the fastest character in the game, actually capable of catching up with generals fleeing on horseback when equipped with the right items. He has high attack power, good range, high attack speed and above average defense. Some of his moves, especially his musou attack, are ideal for hit-and-run situations, since they stun or hurt the enemy and allow Zhang He to dart away. On a horse, he has high mounted attack, very quick attacks with extended range, and a sweeping musou attack. Zhang He has good crowd control capabilities as well as one on one skills.

Weapons

 * See also: Zhang He/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Zhang He still uses the claws as his default weapon in this title.

Historical Information
Zhang He was a distinguished military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He began his military career when the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted in 184 and subsequently served under Han Fu and Yuan Shao before defecting to Cao Cao during the Battle of Guandu. He participated in many major campaigns, including those against Yuan Tan, Zhang Lu, Ma Chao, and Liu Bei. After Cao Cao's death in 220, Zhang He was primarily engaged with defending Cao Wei against the Northern Expeditions led by Chancellor Zhuge Liang of the Kingdom of Shu. He died from an arrow wound received during an encounter with Zhuge Liang's forces in 231.

Famed for his resourcefulness that even Zhuge Liang was said to be wary of, Zhang He was considered by Chen Shou, author of the Records of Three Kingdoms, to be one of the five top generals of the Kingdom of Wei, along with Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Yue Jin and Yu Jin. He was also said to be full of respect for Confucian scholars, and supported the measure to adopt masters of the Five Classics in Cao Pi's court.

Trivia

 * Dynasty Warriors 8's first promotional movie for Wei did not include Zhang He within it. When his fans raised their concerns about his disappearance on the game's official Twitter, the team had Zhang He "respond" back to them and revised the video to include him.
 * His Dynasty Warriors counterpart has an active English speaking fan club run by club president, Mike Bryant. Bryant has actually been quoted as saying, "if my partner and I were able to have children, we would most certainly name them and model their lives after the beautiful life that Zhang led."

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