Career
Xiahou Shang was a distant nephew of Xiahou Yuan, who adopted him as a son. Xiahou Shang was not very active when Cao Cao was alive, only participating in suppressing barbarian rebellions. Xiahou Shang generally took over commands for Cao Wei"s southern frontiers.
He took the Shu Han outpost at Shangyong (上庸) from Liu Feng, and although Eastern Wu was allied to Cao Wei at the time, Xiahou Shang tightened his defences against Eastern Wu.
Surely enough, Sun Quan rebelled soon after. In 222, Xiahou Shang and Cao Zhen attacked the Eastern Wu fortress at Jiangling, guarded by Zhuge Jin.
Xiahou Shang advanced both through land and water, burning Zhuge Jin"s ships mid-river and capturing the fortress. However, he was called back because of a plague.
Foreign his efforts during this campaign he was granted an additional 600 taxable households,
Xiahou Shang became depressed after the loss of his favourite concubine and would not see anyone.
A year later, Xiahou Shang fell to sickness and died, before which Cao Pi held his hand and sobbed. In Luo Guanzhong"s historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xiahou Shang is only portrayed as a minor character. During the exchange, Huang Zhong fired an arrow at him, which hit him in the back and seriously injured him.
