The Tongquetai (銅雀臺/銅雀台; Dōjakutai; lit. "Bronze Sparrow Stand") is a structure built as ordered by Cao Cao and supervised by Cao Zhi, metonymous with the former's tastes in poetry and to bring glory back to the ruined state of Ye County after war had ravaged it and to be made in tandem with improving Ye's other aspects to truly form it into a capital (and to display Cao Cao's rise in power). Cao Cao was named Duke of Wei after the Wei Commandery carrying towards the founding of Cao Wei, and the aforementioned Cao Zhi also managed to write a poem about the stand terrace.
Even though no major battles were ever historically fought here as portrayed in the video games, the terrace in its historical later years would be torn apart in the coming conflicts after the War of Eight Princes, then later on ravaged by natural disasters to where only a few of the elements still remain to this day.
While the Tongquetai was often stated in urban legends to be a repose for poetry recitals and martial feats, it was also the infamous subject of the fictional lecherous intentions of Cao Cao going after the Two Qiaos via the account of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Zhuge Liang during the discussions of forming the Sun-Liu Alliance before the Battle of Chibi, twisted the said poem Cao Zhi wrote (by adding extra verses) to goad Zhou Yu into openly stating his intentions to declare war against Cao Cao.
The novel also has a few additional anachronisms via Cao Cao in Chapter 34 digging out a bronze bird/sparrow statue a buried spot, with Xun You claiming it to be an auspicious sign linked to ancient sage kings. Cao Cao being pleased with the omen, charged Cao Zhi with overseeing the construction of the terrace right away, as well as getting straight to work on the poem, a while before the conflict at Chibi.
Historically, it took 2 years after the Battle of Chibi for the terrace stand to finish its construction, and 2 years after Zhou Yu's death for the actual poem by Cao Zhi to be written in its true form.
Role in Games
Dynasty Warriors
The location appears in the Musou Warriors games for the first time in 4: Xtreme Legends, as Xiao Qiao's Legend Mode stage, called the Escape from Tong Qiao Tai (銅雀台脱出戦; Dōjakutai Dasshutsusen; "Bronze Sparrow Stand Escape Battle"). The map takes place within the Fan Castle map during sundown/dawn, likely as the central pagoda tower resembles what the Tongquetai would look like. After the construction of the said platform terrace, Xiao Qiao is kidnapped by Cao Cao's forces to be held captive for the warlord's lecherous intentions. Cao Cao first tries to aim for the younger Qiao sister for a chance to be defeated (as he drops a Huo Tuo ointment each defeat), only to retreat and eventually reappear as his desperation rises (only up to 5 total times). Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei, Xu Zhu and Cao Ren also are present to seal off Xiao Qiao's escape (even though the castle's exits remain sealed off to the player) and will also make reappearances when each are defeated. However, the 4 Wei generals can reappear, but only for a second time before Cao Cao's 4th appearance in a row.
On the 5th appearance, Xiahou Yuan also appears with Da Qiao in tow to bring to Cao Cao (where he can also be defeated as well). Cao Cao decides to be content in settling with just the older Qiao sibling, which prompts Xiao Qiao to head back and confront Cao Cao for the final time. In the cutscene with the two sisters reuniting, Cao Cao marvels at their beauty while being sure to truly have them in his hands, while Xiao Qiao retorts against his remark and the two sisters prepare to engage him. Cao Cao though for the final encounter appearance is in Hyper Mode. While Da Qiao must also not be defeated to prevent her from being captured (thus ending the stage in defeat if so), the officers can be engaged in any fashion one wishes to where it's possible to ignore either Cao Cao or his other generals for a while until the climax. If Cao Cao is defeated 5 total times when any other enemy generals are left alive, they must be defeated as well to end the stage (they need to only be beaten once, and after Cao Cao's 4th appearance they stop respawning if defeated at that time).
In Dynasty Warriors 8, the Tongquetai solely exists within Ambition Mode, and is only seen as a background piece at the very south of the hub map past a large river (likely referencing the Changmei/Long Bright Trench branching from the Zhangshui River). However, it is solely in an incomplete state during the start of the game and facility materials must be spent trying to built it up (as its own facility within the hub's options). Once the Tongquetai is fully constructed, it is formed as a lone palace that sits across the said river with 2 arcing bridgeways connecting to its sides (Jade Dragon and Gold Feng) as referenced in Cao Zhi's poem from the novel seen connecting on both sides of the palace. Once fully completed alongside all other facilities, an automatic event occurs where Emperor Xian is invited by a local minister to witness the founding of a new capital, signifying the 100% completion of Ambition Mode.
Also in Dynasty Warriors 9, the Tongquetai finally appears as a physical location to visit on the world map, portrayed as an extra minor palace castle placed just northwards of Ye Castle/City (based on a sketch within one of Rafe de Crespingy's texts) by being connected through multiple red elegant skyway bridges across both their castle walls (though the castle town that holds the Tongqueitai also has its own ground-level gates of entry); the gap between its south gate and Ye's north gate likely historically references the aforementioned canal branch from the Zhang River, though no river is present in-game to represent this.
The main palace itself has grand stairways leading to it from the east-to-west, with the main palace itself having the 2 aforementioned bridges once more styled akin to to aforementioned skyway bridges (which cannot be walked on or jumped on via invisible walls blocking off access to them). Akin to in actual history, the Tongquetai does not appear beside Ye's north castle wall until after the Battle of Chibi.
In 9: Empires however, the Tongquetai in a current playthrough is not present, and can only be made when the territory of Ye is claimed by the player along with having claimed at least 14 extra territories (for a total of 15 including Ye) as a milestone for the said playthrough, which triggers an automatic event where it is then built. This event also causes the current amount of territories under the ruler's control to gain a universal defense rating increase. However, unlike the base game, the Empires variant as soon as it appears on the overworld, has all of its gates (including Ye Castle's own north gate) mysteriously locked throughout, even the gates of the main palace hall.
Historical Information
Info about the Tongquetai
The Tongquetai itself while destroyed, has had many descriptions detailing its appearance alongside some of its remains. Built in AD 210, it was said to be around 10 zhang high (23 meters roughly), increased to 12 zhang during Cao Pi's reign topped with extra rafters and a bronze sparrow statue (increasing it all the way to 27 zhang). The palace complex itself was known as the Wenchang Hall (文昌殿, lit. "Literary Prosper Hall"). In 213, two other stand terraces that measured 8 zhang high (18 meters) were made linked with it known as the "Gold Tiger Stand" (金虎臺) to the south and "Ice Crib Stand" (冰井臺) in the north; the 3 were dubbed as the "Three Stands" (三臺). Around the northwestern quatrant of the city was the "Bronze Sparrow Garden" (銅雀園), also dubbed as the "west garden".
The naming of the terrace was named after a song about Chang'an, while the Gold Tiger Stand was named after a tiger tally Cao Cao received from the Han Emperor as part of the Nine Bestowments in 213.
To the northwest of Ye itself however, is the Xuanwu Pond (玄武池; Xuánwǔchí/Genbuchi; lit. "Occult Martial Pond"), where Cao Cao also historically trained his navy. The terrace however, was ravaged by not only the coming War of the Eight Princes during the early foundations of the Jin Dynasty, but also likely by the various civil wars afterwards and the Mongol conquest bringing ruin to Ye once more.
However, in the later dynasties, the other stand terraces have been often renamed due to various contexts, such naming taboos or for personal preferences dependent on the ruler at the time.
Trivia
- The Tongquetai in both the 8th installment's Ambition Mode and the 9th installment's Empires game are only accessed through high level achievements through in-game tasks.
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