Zhang He

Zhang He became a playable character in Dynasty Warriors 3. His skills were noticed by Sima Yi and he eventually became one of the Five Generals of Wei. He is one of the most unique figures in the Dynasty Warriors series, often cited by fans as one of its most unusual and memorable characters (although opinions are split on the matter). Due to his eccentric traits, fans often perceive him to be homosexual, but this has never been confirmed by Zhang He or any other character in the series.

In the Dynasty Warriors series, he is 29 years old and his height is 194 cm (a little over 6'4"). He stands at 180 cm (short of 5'11") in Kessen II.

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.

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.

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.

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." 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. 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 former'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.

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.

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)
 * Yuri Lowenthal - Dynasty Warriors 5~6, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * 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?"
 * "Out of my way! I have no use of a man of your... persuasion."
 * "You are a dancer too, are you not?"
 * Okuni and Zhang He; Warriors Orochi

Ground Moveset

 * undefined (undefined, undefined): A backflip slash, followed by up to two forward flip slash attacks.
 * , undefined: Jumps in the air and kicks.
 * ,, undefined (undefined, undefined, undefined): A series of rapid slashes followed by a forward sliding lunge.
 * ,, , undefined: Zhang He brings his weight back, and lunges forward, shooting like a torpedo at high speeds. Ends with a flip and swipe.
 * ,, , , undefined: A butterfly-laden gust knocks enemies into the air.
 * ,, , , , undefined: A slide to the left and series of slashes then to the right and a series of slashes.
 * A series of rapid moving slashes followed by a powerful cross slash.


 * , : Jump, then swing.
 * , undefined (undefined): Zhang He jumps, then performs a flip upside down, and while still in mid-air, spins twice in opposite directions with extended claws.
 * Dashing : Sliding kick.

Horse Moveset

 * undefined: Zhang He slashes downwards on each side.
 * ,, , , , : Three attacks with both claws to the right side, three to the left.
 * Repeating slashes to all sides until the Musou gauge empties.


 * Warriors Orochi
 * ,: An airdash that makes him temporarily invincible. Zhang He performs an aerial roll forward.
 * R1: Ducks low and hops into the air, slicing with both claws. Creates an X-shaped special effect.
 * direction + R1: Dashes forward while quickly cutting with both claws.

Dynasty Warriors 6
In the original release, he shared his moveset with Ma Chao, Sun Ce and Taishi Ci. See Dynasty Warriors 6/Weapon Movesets for more details.


 * Special attack: True Speed: greatly boosts speed. Leans his upper body forward, holding his spear in a defensive position while he runs.
 * Dashing : Performs a quicker sliding version of his normal version.
 * Dashing undefined: Quicker spin on his attack as he continues running.

The following moves are for his new moveset in Special.

Ground Moveset

 * string (Renbu ∞): Three overhead diagonal slashes and a hopping slash to his left. Turns his back to opponent to stab with one of his claws. Pivots forward to smash both of his claws forward and performs a flip kick. Claps with both of his claws forward and spins into dual cuts. Hits two more times before performing twelve left and right diagonal cuts.
 * undefined string (Renbu ∞): Ducks for a lunging attack. Spins into the air twice, slashing with both of his claws. Follows with an overhead slice with both claws to the left before he performs a one-legged pose, one leg being held behind him and parallel to the ground. Emits a shockwave.
 * undefined (held): A spinning kick with one leg pointed upwards to the sky, emitting a violet shockwave with black butterflies. Looks similar to his previous C5.
 * String of attacks based on Renbu levels. His finale has him finish with a few spinning slashes before he strikes a dramatic pose with his claws pointed upward. Emits a violet shockwave around him.


 * , : Bisecting downwards strike with both claws.
 * , undefined: Hovers into the air and twirls his claws ground first. Contentiously spins to eventually split his legs. Props himself onto his feet by pushing off from his claws.
 * Dashing : Turning horizontal slices with both claws, pivoting him to a quick stop.
 * Dashing undefined: Briefly lowers his claws as he runs a few steps quicker. He hops and spins twice with his claws.


 * Grapple attack : A quick slash to his front. If it connects, he follows with a vertical leaping slash.
 * Grapple attack undefined: An anticipated rising slash with his right claw. If it connects, the slash launches his foe into the air. Zhang He leaps into the air and hooks his claws onto his opponent. He revolves his body to throw them onto the ground.
 * Deadlock attack: A quick stunning slash with his right claw before he captures his opponent's chin with his left. He raises them for a moment before slashing them four times with his right claw in a slapping motion. He launches them away with a somersault kick.


 * Special attack: True Speed: greatly boosts speed. Leans his upper body forward, holding his left claw defensively in front of him as he runs.
 * Dashing : Quickly slices both claws before he spins into a hopping slice. Keeps sprinting.
 * Dashing undefined: Hops into the air and propels his body upside down. Spins twice with his claws pointed downwards, similar to his old jumping undefined. While still moving in a small arc over the ground, he lands with his legs, emitting a shockwave.

Horse Moveset

 * string: Slices with both claws in a rising and declining x-motion. Hits both sides at once. Number of attacks depends on Renbu level.
 * undefined: Performs a slanted handstand on his saddle, balancing his legs into the air. Twirls with his body in a straight line and leans slightly to his right, hitting enemies with his joined legs. Uses the same momentum to the same to the left. Launches himself into the air whilst turning to land safely on his saddle in a normal sitting position.
 * faster version of the string that ends with a undefined attack.

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. In Dynasty Warriors 6, Zhang He wields a double ended spear instead of his former twin claws from the previous iterations. This weapon change was heavily criticized by fans of the games and his claws return in the special version. His fighting style changes, as he doesn't hop, dash, or leap around as much during his actions.

Weapons

 * See also: Zhang He/Weapons

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.