魏书十八 · 许褚传
许褚字仲康，谯国谯人也。长八尺余，腰大十围，容貌雄毅，勇力绝人。汉末，聚少年及宗族数千家，共坚壁以御寇。
Xu Chu, courtesy name Zhongkang, was from Qiao. He stood over eight chi tall, with a waist ten spans around. His bearing was imposing and formidable, and his courage and strength surpassed those of all others. At the end of the Han, he gathered several thousand households of young men and clansmen, and together they built a fortified stronghold to defend against bandits.
时汝南葛陂贼万余人攻褚壁，褚众少不敌，力战疲极。兵矢尽，乃令壁中男女，聚治石如杅斗者置四隅。褚飞石掷之，所值皆摧碎。贼不敢进。粮乏，伪与贼和，以牛与贼易食，贼来取牛，牛辄奔还。褚乃出陈前，一手逆曳牛尾，行百余步。贼众惊，遂不敢取牛而走。由是淮、汝、陈、梁闲，闻皆畏惮之。
At the time, over ten thousand bandits from near Ge Lake, Runan attacked Xu Chu's stronghold. Xu Chu's followers were too few to withstand them, but fought with all their strength until they were utterly exhausted. When their weapons and arrows were spent, Xu Chu had the men and women within the fortress gather stones the size of grain measures and pile them at the four corners. He then hurled the stones at the enemy, shattering whatever he struck. The bandits dared not advance. When provisions ran low, Xu Chu feigned peace with the bandits and offered cattle in exchange for food. When the bandits came to take the cattle, the animals kept bolting back. Xu Chu then stepped out before the lines, seized them by the tail with one hand, and dragged it back out for over a hundred paces. The bandits were astonished, and dared not take the cattle, and fled. Because of this, throughout the region between the Huai River, Ru River, and the states of Chen and Liang, all who heard of him regarded him with fear and awe.
太祖徇淮、汝，褚以众归太祖。太祖见而壮之曰：「此吾樊哙也。」即日拜都尉，引入宿卫。诸从褚侠客，皆以为虎士。从征张绣，先登，斩首万计，迁校尉。
When Cao Cao (posthumously honoured as Taizu, the Grand Progenitor) advanced along the Huai and Ru rivers, Xu Chu led his followers in joining Cao Cao. Upon seeing him, Cao Cao was impressed and said, "This is my Fan Kuai!" That same day he appointed him Commandant, and had him serve as a personal guard. Those who had followed Xu Chu were all made Tiger Warriors (elite guards). Xu Chu joined Cao Cao's campaign against Zhang Xiu, where he was among the first to break through the enemy lines and killed enemies by the tens of thousands. For this, he was promoted to Colonel.
从讨袁绍于官渡。时常从士徐他等谋为逆，以褚常侍左右，惮之不敢发。伺褚休下日，他等怀刀入。褚至下舍心动，即还侍。他等不知，入帐见褚，大惊愕。他色变，褚觉之，即击杀他等。太祖益亲信之，出入同行，不离左右。
Later, Xu Chu followed Cao Cao in the campaign against Yuan Shao at Guandu. At the time, Xu Ta and several others among Cao Cao's personal attendants plotted treason. But because Xu Chu was constantly at Cao Cao's side, they feared him and dared not act. Waiting until a day when Xu Chu was off duty, Xu Ta and the others concealed knives and entered Cao Cao's tent. Xu Chu had already returned to his quarters when he suddenly felt uneasy, and immediately went back to attend Cao Cao. Unaware that Xu Chu had returned, Xu Ta and the others entered the tent and were greatly startled to see him there. Xu Ta's expression changed, which Xu Chu noticed. He immediately struck down and killed Xu Ta and the others. Cao Cao trusted and favoured him all the more, and thereafter kept him constantly at his side wherever he went.
从围邺，力战有功，赐爵关内侯。从讨韩遂、马超于潼关。太祖将北渡，临济河，先渡兵，独与褚及虎士百余人留南岸断后。超将步骑万余人，来奔太祖军，矢下如雨。褚白太祖，贼来多，今兵渡以尽，宜去，乃扶太祖上船。贼战急，军争济，船重欲没。褚斩攀船者，左手举马鞍鞌太祖。船工为流矢所中死，褚右手并泝船，仅乃得渡。是日，微褚几危。
Afterwards, Xu Chu joined the siege of Ye, fought hard and for his merits, granted the rank of Marquis Within the Pass. He also followed Cao Cao in the campaign against Han Sui and Ma Chao at Tongguan. When Cao Cao was about to go northward and cross the river, he sent his troops across first. Cao Cao remained on the southern bank with only Xu Chu and over a hundred Tiger Warriors to guard the rear. Ma Chao led over ten thousand infantry and cavalry in a charge against Cao Cao's forces, with arrows falling like rain. Xu Chu told Cao Cao that the enemy had come in great numbers and that the troops had all finished crossing, so it was time to leave. He then helped Cao Cao aboard the boat. As the fighting grew intense, the troops scrambled to cross, overloading the boat until it was on the verge of sinking. Xu Chu cut down those clinging to its sides and held up a saddle with his left hand to shield Cao Cao. The boatman was struck by a stray arrow and killed. With his right hand, Xu Chu poled the boat against the current to reach the opposite bank. Had it not been for Xu Chu that day, Cao Cao would have come close to disaster.
其后太祖与遂、超等单马会语，左右皆不得从，唯将褚。超负其力，阴欲前突太祖，素闻褚勇，疑从骑是褚。乃问太祖曰：「公有虎侯者安在？」太祖顾指褚，褚瞋目盼之。超不敢动，乃各罢。后数日会战，大破超等，褚身斩首级，迁武卫中郎将。武卫之号，自此始也。军中以褚力如虎而痴，故号曰虎痴；是以超问虎侯，至今天下称焉，皆谓其姓名也。
When Cao Cao later held a parley on horseback with Han Sui, Ma Chao, and the others, none of his attendants were allowed to follow, with only Xu Chu accompanying him. Ma Chao, relying on his own strength, secretly intended to charge forward and strike Cao Cao. Having long heard of Xu Chu's valour, however, he suspected that the mounted attendant beside Cao Cao was Xu Chu. He therefore asked Cao Cao, "Where is the one they call your Tiger Marquis?" Cao Cao turned and pointed to Xu Chu, who glared fiercely at Ma Chao. Ma Chao dared not move, and the two sides then withdrew. Several days later, battle was joined, and Ma Chao and the others were utterly defeated. Xu Chu personally killed and beheaded many of the enemy, and was promoted to Getleman-General of the Martial Guards. The title "Martial Guard" began from this point. WWithin the army, because Xu Chu had the strength of a tiger but was guileless and simple, he was nicknamed the "Tiger Fool". This was why Ma Chao had asked about the "Tiger Marquis". Even to this day, people throughout the realm still call him the "Tiger Marquis," taking it to be his actual name.
褚性谨慎奉法，质重少言。曹仁自荆州来朝谒，太祖未出，入与褚相见于殿外。仁呼褚入便坐语，褚曰：「王将出。」便还入殿，仁意恨之。或以责褚曰：「征南宗室重臣，降意呼君，君何故辞？」褚曰：「彼虽亲重，外藩也。褚备内臣，众谈足矣，入室何私乎？」太祖闻，愈爱待之，迁中坚将军。
Xu Chu was by nature cautious and law-abiding, plain and reserved, and a man of few words. When Cao Ren came from Jing province to pay court, Cao Cao had not yet come out, and Cao Ren, having entered, encountered Xu Chu outside the hall. Cao Ren invited Xu Chu to sit and talk, but Xu Chu replied, "The King is about to come out," and returned inside. Cao Ren took offence at this. Someone rebuked Xu Chu over it, saying, "The General Who Conquers the South is an eminent minister of His Majesty's clan. He lowered himself to invite you, why did you refuse?" Xu Chu replied, "Though he is a close and honoured kinsman, he is still an outer vassal, whereas I serve as an inner attendant. Speaking together in public would have sufficed, so what need was there to speak in private chambers?" When Cao Cao heard of this, he valued Xu Chu all the more and treated him with even greater favour, promoting him to General of the Central Vanguard.
太祖崩，褚号泣呕血。文帝践阼，进封万岁亭侯，迁武卫将军，都督中军宿卫禁兵，甚亲近焉。初，褚所将为虎士者从征伐，太祖以为皆壮士也，同日拜为将，其后以功为将军封侯者数十人，都尉、校尉百余人，皆剑客也。
When Cao Cao died, Xu Chu wailed and wept until he vomited blood. When Cao Pi (posthumously honoured as Emperor Wen, the Civil Emperor) ascended the throne, Xu Chu was further enfeoffed as Wansui Neighbourhood Marquis, and promoted to General of the Martial Guards, as Commander of the Central Army's palace guards. He was held in great favour and treated with great intimacy. Originally, Cao Cao regarded all the Tiger Warriors whom Xu Chu had led on campaigns as stalwart men and appointed them all as officers on the same day. Afterwards, several dozen earned merit and rose to become generals and enfeoffed marquises, while over a hundred became Commandants and Colonels. All of them were skilled swordsmen.
明帝即位，进牟乡侯，邑七百户，赐子爵一人关内侯。褚薨，谥曰壮侯。子仪嗣。褚兄定，亦以军功封为振威将军，都督徼道虎贲。太和中，帝思褚忠孝，下诏襃赞，复赐褚子孙二人爵关内侯。仪为钟会所杀。泰始初，子综嗣。
When Cao Rui (posthumously honoured as Emperor Ming, the Illustrious Emperor) ascended the throne, Xu Chu was advanced to Mu Township Marquis, with a fief of seven hundred households. One of his sons was also granted the rank of Marquis Within the Pass. When Xu Chu died, he was posthumously honoured as Marquis Zhuang, the Valiant Marquis. His son Xu Yi succeeded him. Xu Chu's elder brother Xu Ding, also for military merit, was appointed General Who Rallies Might, commanding the Rapid Tigers on patrol. During the Taihe Era, the Emperor, recalling Xu Chu's loyalty, issued an edict of praise and commendation, and again granted two of Xu Chu's descendants the rank of Marquis Within the Pass. Xu Yi was killed by Zhong Hui. At the beginning of the Taishi Era, Xu Yi's son Xu Zong succeeded him.