Han Xian

Historical Record

Han Xian, in the official histories, has a rather sparse record of his life, associated chiefly with the turbulent late-Han period, especially the events after Emperor Xian's return eastward to Luoyang. He once escorted and guarded Emperor Xian of Han together with Yang Feng and others. However, after Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian and established the capital at Xu, Han Xian and Yang Feng failed to observe the laws of the court, each fleeing on his own and turning instead to raiding the Xu Province and Yang Province region^[1].

According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Han Xian was ultimately killed by Liu Bei. However, Pei Songzhi's annotation citing the Record of Heroes offers a more detailed account: Liu Bei lured and captured Yang Feng, and Han Xian, having lost Yang Feng's forces, became isolated and without support. At the time Han Xian intended to flee back to Bingzhou, but on the way was waylaid and killed by Zhang Xuan, the garrison commander of Zhuqiu^[1]. This shows that Han Xian's end was not directly at Liu Bei's hand, but rather that his power collapsed indirectly through Liu Bei's actions, and he was ultimately killed by another.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Han Xian's image and experiences are given more dramatic color, his role far more active than the historical record. He first appears in the identity of a White Wave commander; together with Li Le and Hu Cai, he was summoned by Dong Cheng, Yang Feng, and others to come rescue Emperor Xian of Han, who was being pursued by Li Jue and Guo Si^[2]. In the course of escorting the emperor, Han Xian and Yang Feng displayed loyalty to the House of Han, once declaring their willingness to fight the rebels to the death to protect His Majesty^[3].

However, after escorting the emperor to Luoyang, when faced with Cao Cao's threat, the fate of Han Xian and Yang Feng took a turn. They clashed with Cao Cao's army, and in the end, being isolated and weak, led their defeated troops to take refuge with Yuan Shu^[4]. This episode has no clear record in the histories and is the Novel's literary invention to enrich the web of relationships and the development of the plot.

After taking refuge with Yuan Shu, Han Xian for a time became a general under Yuan Shu, taking part in the military actions after Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor. After Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, he made Han Xian a deputy commander of one of the seven armies sent to attack Xu Province^[5]. However, in the course of the Xu Province campaign, Han Xian was persuaded by Chen Deng, came to recognize Yuan Shu's suspicious nature, and was urged to turn his arms and return to the House of Han. In the end, Han Xian and Yang Feng together rebelled against Yuan Shu, helping Lü Bu defeat Yuan Shu's army^[6].

After defeating Yuan Shu, Lü Bu recommended Han Xian as Governor of Yidu and Yang Feng as Governor of Langya, intending to keep the two in Xu Province. But Chen Gui and his son, out of consideration regarding Lü Bu, held that the two should not be kept, lest they augment Lü Bu's power, and in the end Han Xian was sent to garrison Yidu^[7]. In the Novel, Han Xian's end is not clearly accounted for, but his rebellion within Yuan Shu's faction and his interactions with Lü Bu, Liu Bei, and others make his image fuller.

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei (enemy_of): In history, Han Xian was ultimately killed by Liu Bei, or his power collapsed through Liu Bei's actions and he was ultimately killed by another^[1]. In the Novel, Han Xian once took refuge with Yuan Shu together with Yang Feng, and since Yuan Shu was Liu Bei's enemy, Han Xian too stood indirectly in opposition to Liu Bei.
* Emperor Xian of Han (serves): In both history and the Novel, Han Xian early on took part in escorting and guarding Emperor Xian of Han, displaying loyalty to the House of Han^[2].
* Yuan Shu (serves): In the Novel, Han Xian and Yang Feng, after their defeat in battle against Cao Cao, took refuge with Yuan Shu and for a time became his generals^[5]. However, they ultimately rebelled against Yuan Shu^[6]. No clear record in history.
* Yuan Shu's Faction (defected_to): In the Novel, Han Xian was once a member of Yuan Shu's faction, but later, at Chen Deng's instigation, chose to rebel against Yuan Shu^[6]. No clear record in history.
* Yang Feng (ally_of): In both history and the Novel, Han Xian and Yang Feng were always close allies, acting together and advancing and retreating together^[1],^[2].
* Cao Cao (enemy_of): In the Novel, Han Xian once opposed Cao Cao together with Yang Feng, but was ultimately defeated^[4]. In history, after Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian and established the capital at Xu, Han Xian failed to observe the laws and fled, standing indirectly in opposition to Cao Cao^[1].
* Lü Bu (ally_of): In the Novel, after rebelling against Yuan Shu, Han Xian joined forces with Lü Bu to defeat Yuan Shu's army^[6]. No clear record in history.

Iconic Scenes

* White Wave Commander Rescues the Emperor: As one of the White Wave commanders, Han Xian, summoned by Dong Cheng and Yang Feng, led his troops to rescue Emperor Xian of Han, who was being pursued by Li Jue and Guo Si, and declared his willingness to fight to the death for the House of Han^[2],^[3]. This scene is his first appearance in the Novel and establishes his early image of loyalty to the House of Han (Novel only).
* Defeated, He Takes Refuge with Yuan Shu: At Luoyang, the troops of Han Xian and Yang Feng were defeated in battle against Cao Cao, and in the end, isolated and weak, they led their defeated troops to take refuge with Yuan Shu^[4]. This turning point changed Han Xian's political stance and the course of his fate (Novel only).
* Turning His Arms to Strike Yuan Shu: At Chen Deng's instigation, Han Xian came to recognize Yuan Shu's character and ultimately chose, together with Yang Feng, to rebel against Yuan Shu, helping Lü Bu defeat Yuan Shu's army^[6]. This scene displays Han Xian's reading of the situation and his latent loyalty to the House of Han, and also makes his image in the Novel more complex (Novel only).
* Killed by Liu Bei: In history, Han Xian's ultimate end was to be killed by Liu Bei, or for his power to collapse through Liu Bei's actions so that he was finally waylaid and killed by Zhang Xuan, the garrison commander of Zhuqiu^[1]. This is his most important concluding event in the official history.