| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 尹大目, 尹大目, Yǐn Dàmù |
| Other name | Doãn Đại Mục |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Tào Ngụy |
| Battles | Sự kiện Cao Mao bị sát hại |
The Life and Legacy of Yin Damu
Yin Damu was a palace attendant (Xiao Huangmen) who served under the imperial court of Cao Wei during the turbulent final decades of the Three Kingdoms era. Raised under the patronage of the imperial regent Cao Shuang, he was recognized for his integrity and steadfast devotion to the sovereign Cao household at a time when military regents steadily consolidated autocratic control.
Historical Service and Imperial Turmoil
When Sima Shi orchestrated the deposition of Emperor Cao Fang in 254 AD, the attendant acted as a liaison between the palace and the encroaching regency. Bound by imperial protocol yet harboring genuine grief, he openly wept while escorting the deposed monarch into exile. A year later, during the Huainan rebellion in 255 AD, Yin Damu was tasked with delivering an ultimatum to rebel commander Wen Qin. Desperately seeking to stall for the resistance against the Sima faction, he rode out alone and subtly signaled Wen Qin to hold out. However, the rebel general failed to grasp his veiled gestures and threatened his life, tragically thwarting the plan.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the classic novel, the loyal eunuch is depicted as an empathetic courtier distressed by Sima Zhao’s escalating dominion. Caught between his duty to the declining Cao Wei dynasty and the menacing grip of the regents, he continuously offered heartfelt counsel to Emperor Cao Mao before the monarch’s fatal revolt in 260 AD.
Key Historical Relationships
- Cao Shuang: The General-in-Chief and imperial regent whose household fostered the young attendant, earning his enduring loyalty and gratitude.
- Cao Fang & Cao Mao: Emperors of Wei whom he served faithfully, weeping at Cao Fang’s deposition and urgently warning Cao Mao against reckless confrontations.
- Sima Shi & Sima Zhao: Overbearing regents whose usurping power the palace courtier observed helplessly from within the halls of Luoyang.
- Wen Qin: The anti-Sima general who tragically mistook the attendant’s secret rescue efforts for treachery during the Huainan campaign.
Through these harrowing trials, Yin Damu remains remembered as a rare loyalist who risked his life navigating treacherous court politics to safeguard his sovereigns.
In Novel
Chapter 107
- Yin Damu (尹大目, Doãn Đại Mục): During Sima Yi's coup against Cao Shuang, Yin Damu serves as a Palace Colonel and is known to be close to Cao Shuang. Sima Yi deliberately exploits that relationship. He gives Yin Damu a letter from Jiang Ji and orders him to tell Cao Shuang that Sima Yi has sworn by the Luo River that he seeks only to remove Cao Shuang's military power, not to harm him. Yin Damu delivers the message, and Cao Shuang believes the false assurance. His role therefore becomes an important part of the deception that causes Cao Shuang to surrender his military authority and return to Luoyang.
History
Identification
- Yin Damu (尹大目, Doãn Đại Mục) is a minor figure associated with the Cao Wei court.
Historical Evidence
- The surviving record identifies him in connection with Wei political and court affairs, but does not provide enough information for a detailed biography here.
Classification
- Historical / Briefly Attested.
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