Xǔ Chǔ appellation Zhòngkāng was a Qiáo state Qiáo man. Height over eight chǐ [~1.85 m], waist ten wéi [size of this unit is no longer known] in size, appearance manly and firm, valor and strength surpassing others. At Hàn’s end, he gathered youths and clansmen of several thousand families, together fortifying walls to resist bandits. At the time Rǔnán’s Gě Pō bandits of over ten thousand men attacked Chǔ’s walls, Chǔ’s multitudes were few and no match, fiercely battled and utterly exhausted. Weapons and arrows were used up, and so he had the men and women in the walls gather up and prepare stones like tub cups, placed at the four corners. Chǔ threw the stones, whatever was struck was destroyed. The bandits did not dare advance. The provisions were exhausted, and they falsely with the bandits made truce, using oxen to trade with the bandits for provisions. The bandits came to take the ox, the ox at once fled back. Chǔ then went out in front of the battle lines, with one hand dragged the ox back by the tail, walking over a hundred paces. The bandit multitudes were startled, and therefore did not dare take the ox and fled. Because of this, between the Huái, Rǔ, Chén, Liáng, those that heard of him feared him.

許褚字仲康，譙國譙人也。長八尺餘，腰大十圍，容貌雄毅，勇力絕人。漢末，聚少年及宗族數千家，共堅壁以禦寇。時汝南葛陂賊萬餘人攻褚壁，褚眾少不敵，力戰疲極。兵矢盡，乃令壁中男女，聚治石如杅斗者置四隅。褚飛石擲之，所值皆摧碎。賊不敢進。糧乏，偽與賊和，以牛與賊易食，賊來取牛，牛輒奔還。褚乃出陳前，一手逆曳牛尾，行百餘步。賊眾驚，遂不敢取牛而走。由是淮、汝、陳、梁間，聞皆畏憚之。

Tàizǔ [Cáo Cāo] traveled about the Huái and Rǔ, Chǔ with his multitudes submitted to Tàizǔ. Tàizǔ met and was impressed with him saying: “This is my Fán Kuài.” That day appointed him Commandant, recruiting him to the Night Guard. All that followed Chǔ as adventurer retainers, all became Tiger Troops. Accompanied in the campaign against Zhāng Xiù, was first to ascend, cutting of heads in the ten thousands, promoted to Colonel. Accompanied in suppressing Yuán Shào at Guāndù. At the time accompanying troops Xú Tā and others plotted to rebel, but as Chǔ was always in attendance in the left and right, feared him and did not dare act. Watching for when Chǔ had a rest day, [Xú] Tā and the rest hiding knives entered. Chǔ arrived home, felt bothered in heart, and at once returned to attendance. [Xú] Tā and the rest did not know, entered the tent and saw Chǔ, and was greatly alarmed and startled. [Xú] Tā’s expression changed, Chǔ noticed it, and at once struck and killed [Xú] Tā and the rest. Tàizǔ increased his closeness and trust in him, going out and in they walked together, not leaving his left and right. Accompanied the siege of Yè, fiercely battled and had achievements, bestowed noble rank as marquis within the passes. Accompanied in suppressing Hán Suí and Mǎ Chāo at Tóngguān. Tàizǔ was about to ferry north, just before crossing the Hé, first ferried over the soldiers, alone with Chǔ and Tiger Troops of over a hundred men remaining on the south bank to cover the rear. [Mǎ] Chāo led infantry and cavalry of over ten thousand men and came charging at Tàizǔ’s army, arrows falling like rain. Chǔ reported to Tàizǔ that bandits had come in numbers, now the soldiers had already been ferried completely, and it was appropriate to leave, and so he helped Tàizǔ board a boat. The bandits battled and pressured, the army fought to cross, the boat was weighed down and about to sink. Chǔ beheaded those climbing the boat, left hand raising a saddle to shield Tàizǔ. The boat laborer was by a stray arrow struck and died, Chǔ with his right hand also steered the boat, and only barely were they able to cross. That day, if not for Chǔ there would nearly have been disaster. Afterward, Tàizǔ with [Hán] Suí and [Mǎ] Chāo and others alone on horse met to talk, the left and right [attendants] all were not to accompany, he only brought Chǔ. [Mǎ] Chāo trusted in his strength, secretly wished to charge Tàizǔ, had previously heard of Chǔ’s valor, suspected the accompanying rider was Chǔ, and so asked Tàizǔ saying: “Where is your Excellency’s Marquis Hǔ?” Tàizǔ looked back and pointed to Chǔ, Chǔ with glaring eyes watched them. [Mǎ] Chāo did not dare move, and so each side went back. After several days they met in battle, greatly defeating [Mǎ] Chāo and the rest, Chǔ personally beheaded several, promoted to Martial Guard Internal Cadet General. The Martial Guard title from this began. In the army because Chǔ’s strength was like a tiger [hǔ] but he was a dullard [chī], therefore called him Hǔ Chī [“Tiger Dullard”]. Therefore [Mǎ] Chāo inquiring about a ‘Marquis Hǔ’ was because at the time all called him thus, all saying it was his family name and personal name.

太祖徇淮、汝，褚以眾歸太祖。太祖見而壯之曰：「此吾樊噲也。」即日拜都尉，引入宿衛。諸從褚俠客，皆以為虎士。從征張繡，先登，斬首萬計，遷校尉。從討袁紹於官渡。時常從士徐他等謀為逆，以褚常侍左右，憚之不敢發。伺褚休下日，他等懷刀入。褚至下舍心動，即還侍。他等不知，入帳見褚，大驚愕。他色變，褚覺之，即擊殺他等。太祖益親信之，出入同行，不離左右。從圍鄴，力戰有功，賜爵關內侯。從討韓遂、馬超於潼關。太祖將北渡，臨濟河，先渡兵，獨與褚及虎士百餘人留南岸斷後。超將步騎萬餘人，來奔太祖軍，矢下如雨。褚白太祖，賊來多，今兵渡已盡，宜去，乃扶太祖上船。賊戰急，軍爭濟，船重欲沒。褚斬攀船者，左手舉馬鞍蔽太祖。船工為流矢所中死，褚右手並泝船，僅乃得渡。是日，微褚幾危。其後太祖與遂、超等單馬會語，左右皆不得從，唯將褚。超負其力，陰欲前突太祖，素聞褚勇，疑從騎是褚。乃問太祖曰：「公有虎侯者安在？」太祖顧指褚，褚瞋目盼之。超不敢動，乃各罷。後數日會戰，大破超等，褚身斬首級，遷武衛中郎將。武衛之號，自此始也。軍中以褚力如虎而癡，故號曰虎癡；是以超問虎侯，至今天下稱焉，皆謂其姓名也。

Chǔ by nature was cautious in observing law, his character serious and speaking little. Cáo Rén from Jīng province came to visit Court, Tàizǔ had not yet gone out, [Cáo Rén] entered and with Chǔ met one another outside the hall. [Cáo] Rén called Chǔ to enter to sit and talk, Chǔ said: “The King [Cáo Cāo] is about to go out,” and then went back into the hall. [Cáo] Rén in his thoughts was resentful of him. Someone about this reprimanded Chǔ saying: “Campaigning South [General Cáo Rén] is of the Royal Clan and an important minister, he lowered himself to call to you, why did you decline?” Chǔ said: “Though he is close kin and valued, he is an outer vassal. I Chǔ am an inner servant. Publicly speaking is enough, why enter the room for privacy?” Tàizǔ heard, and all the more favorably treated him, promoted to Internal Core General. Tàizǔ passed away, Chǔ cried and sobbed coughing up blood. When Emperor Wén [Cáo Pī] ascended the steps, advanced his fief to Wànsuì precinct marquis, promoted to Martial Guard General, Regional Commander of the Internal Army Night Guard Restricted Troops, extremely closely trusted. Previously, Chǔ’s commanded Tiger Troops that accompanied on campaign, Tàizǔ believed were all strong troops, on the same day appointing him a General, from then afterward for achievements those that became generals and enfeoffed as marquis were several tens of men, commandants and colonels were over a hundred people, all were sword retainers. When Emperor Míng [Cáo Ruì] ascended the throne, advanced enfeoffment to Mù village marquis, fief of seven hundred households, bestowed on his son noble rank of one man as marquis within the passes. Chǔ died, posthumous name Zhuàng-hóu [“Strong Marquis”]. His son Yí succeeded. Chǔ’s elder brother Dìng also for battle achievements became Rousing Authority General, Regional Commander of the Border Road Tiger Elite. During Tàihé, the Emperor in recollection of Chǔ’s loyalty and filial peity sent down Imperial Order commending and praising, and further bestowed on Chǔ’s sons and grandsons two people noble rank as marquis within the passes. Yí was by Zhōng Huì killed. At Tàishǐ’s beginning, his son Zōng succeeded.

褚性謹慎奉法，質重少言。曹仁自荊州來朝謁，太祖未出，入與褚相見於殿外。仁呼褚入便坐語，褚曰：「王將出。」便還入殿，仁意恨之。或以責褚曰：「征南宗室重臣，降意呼君，君何故辭？」褚曰：「彼雖親重，外藩也。褚備內臣，眾談足矣，入室何私乎？」太祖聞，愈愛待之，遷中堅將軍。太祖崩，褚號泣歐血。文帝踐阼，進封萬歲亭侯，遷武衛將軍，都督中軍宿衛禁兵，甚親近焉。初，褚所將為虎士者從征伐，太祖以為皆壯士也，同日拜為將，其後以功為將軍封侯者數十人，都尉、校尉百餘人，皆劍客也。明帝即位，進〔封〕牟鄉侯，邑七百戶，賜子爵一人關內侯。褚薨，諡曰壯侯。子儀嗣。褚兄定，亦以軍功（封）為振威將軍，都督徼道虎賁。太和中，帝思褚忠孝，下詔褒贊，復賜褚子孫二人爵關內侯。儀為鍾會所殺。泰始初，子綜嗣。