Bao Xin

Historical Record

Bao Xin, styled Yuncheng, was a man of Pingyang in Mount Tai, the ninth-generation descendant of the Han Colonel-Director of Retainers Bao Xuan. His father Bao Dan had served as Palace Attendant in the Minor Treasury, and the Bao family was renowned for generations for its scholarly refinement. Bao Xin himself had great integrity from youth, was magnanimous and loving toward others, and was steady and resourceful. In the reign of Emperor Ling of Han, the General-in-Chief He Jin recruited him as Commandant of Cavalry and sent him back to his home district to raise troops ^c:4390. Bao Xin raised over a thousand men, and when he returned to Chenggao, He Jin had already been killed. Dong Zhuo had just then entered the capital, and Bao Xin, perceiving that Dong Zhuo would surely cause disorder, urged Yuan Shao to attack him while he was newly arrived and weary, to prevent his growing strong. Yuan Shao, however, feared Dong Zhuo and dared not act ^c:4389. Seeing this, Bao Xin led his troops back to his home district and gathered a following of twenty thousand men, seven hundred cavalry, and over five thousand baggage carts.

In the sixth year of Zhongping (189), when Cao Cao raised troops at Jiwu, Bao Xin and his younger brother Bao Tao led troops in response. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao jointly memorialized to appoint Bao Xin General Who Routs the Caitiffs and Bao Tao Auxiliary General. At the time Yuan Shao's power was at its height, and many men of valor flocked to him, but Bao Xin alone had unique discernment, saying to Cao Cao: "It is one who, with a strategy unmatched in the age, can muster heroes and restore order out of chaos—and that is you. Were he not the right man, however strong, he would surely perish. You are surely the one Heaven has raised up!" He thus bound himself closely to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao treated him with special intimacy ^c:4390. At the Battle of Bianshui, Bao Xin was wounded, and Bao Tao died in battle. After Yuan Shao usurped Han Fu's position and took possession of Jizhou, Bao Xin again counseled Cao Cao: "Treacherous ministers exploit the opening to overturn the royal house; that heroes rouse their integrity and the realm responds is righteousness. Now Yuan Shao is leader of the alliance, but he abuses his power for private gain and will breed disorder of himself—this is to have another Dong Zhuo. If you would check him, your strength cannot prevail; you would only court calamity—and how could that succeed? Better to take stock south of the Great River and await his changes." Cao Cao deeply agreed ^c:4390.

After Cao Cao was appointed Administrator of Dong Commandery, he memorialized to recommend Bao Xin as Chancellor of Jibei. In the third year of Chuping (192), the Yellow Turban Army of Qing Province, a host of a million, entered Yanzhou, killed the Chancellor of Rencheng Zheng Sui, and moved into Dongping. The Inspector of Yanzhou Liu Dai wished to fight the Yellow Turbans, but Bao Xin remonstrated: "Now the bandits number a million, the people are all in terror, the troops have no will to fight—they cannot be opposed. Observe that the bandit host moves band after band, the army without baggage train, relying only on plunder for supply. Now it would be better to husband the strength of our men and first hold firm. They wish to fight but cannot, to attack but cannot; their force will surely scatter, and then, choosing crack troops to hold the key points, we may strike and break them." But Liu Dai did not heed him, rashly went out to fight, and was killed by the Yellow Turbans ^c:4388.

After Liu Dai's death, Yanzhou was without a master. Chen Gong advised Cao Cao: "The province now has no master, and the royal command is cut off. I beg to persuade those of the province; you, sir, should go and govern it, using it to gather the realm—this is the enterprise of a hegemon-king." Bao Xin and the provincial officer Wan Qian and others also agreed with this proposal, and so went to Dong Commandery to welcome Cao Cao, raising him to be Governor of Yanzhou ^c:4388. Cao Cao then advanced his troops and fought the Yellow Turbans east of Shouzhang. Cao Cao led over a thousand foot and horse to survey the battleground, but unexpectedly came upon the bandit army; the engagement went ill, with several hundred killed and wounded. The Yellow Turbans pressed their advantage in pursuit, and Cao Cao's army, its new recruits unused to battle, was low in morale. In the midst of the rout, Bao Xin fought desperately and shielded Cao Cao with his own body, so that Cao Cao was able to break out, while Bao Xin fell in the battle, aged forty-one ^c:4390. After the battle, Cao Cao sent men to seek Bao Xin's body but could not find it, and so the men carved a wooden likeness, made offerings, and wept. Cao Cao finally defeated the Yellow Turbans, taking the surrender of over three hundred thousand and more than a million men and women, and formed the elite among them into the "Qingzhou troops" ^c:4388. In the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212), Cao Cao retroactively recorded Bao Xin's merit, posthumously enfeoffing his elder brother Bao Shao as Marquis of Xindu Pavilion and recruiting Bao Xin's son Bao Xun as Chancellor's Aide ^c:4390.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bao Xin's image diverges somewhat from history and is given more dramatic color. He first appears when Emperor Shao of Han and the Prince of Chenliu (the future Emperor Xian of Han) were pursued by Dong Zhuo's officers and drifted to Mount Beimang. At this time Bao Xin, in the capacity of Colonel of the Rear Army, together with the Minister over the Masses Wang Yun, the Grand Commandant Yang Biao, the Colonel of the Central Army Yuan Shao, and others, led several hundred horse and foot to welcome the imperial carriage; lord and ministers met, and all wept bitterly ^c:4392.

Thereafter, as Dong Zhuo entered the capital and his overbearing conduct grew daily more apparent, Bao Xin was one of the few who soberly recognized Dong Zhuo's ambition and dared to speak out. He sought out Yuan Shao on his own initiative, pointed out that Dong Zhuo surely harbored treacherous designs, and urged him to remove him swiftly. But Yuan Shao declined on the grounds that "the court is newly settled and one must not act rashly." Bao Xin then went to see the Minister over the Masses Wang Yun and stated the matter again, but Wang Yun replied, "Let it be discussed for now." Seeing that no one responded, Bao Xin led his own troops off to Mount Tai ^c:4393. This episode is not clearly recorded in the histories; the histories have Bao Xin urging Yuan Shao to attack Dong Zhuo, not first seeing Yuan Shao and then Wang Yun, and have Bao Xin "lead his troops back to his home district" rather than "go off to Mount Tai" ^c:4389.

Bao Xin's end in the novel also differs from history. In the novel, Cao Cao received an imperial edict, joined forces with Bao Xin to raise troops, and struck the bandits at Shouyang. Bao Xin charged into the thick of the enemy and was killed by the bandits ^c:4395. This deviates from the historical account in which Bao Xin died fighting the Yellow Turbans at Shouzhang to save Cao Cao. The novel depicts Bao Xin's sacrifice more directly, emphasizing his valiant death, though the location and specific circumstances are simplified.

Key Relationships

* Cao Cao (friend_of): Bao Xin's relationship with Cao Cao was exceedingly deep. In history, Bao Xin was an important supporter of Cao Cao's early rising; with discerning eyes he recognized Cao Cao as one "who can muster heroes and restore order out of chaos," and bound himself closely to him. When Cao Cao became Governor of Yanzhou, Bao Xin actively welcomed and supported him. In the end Bao Xin died to save Cao Cao ^c:4390. In the novel, Bao Xin also raised troops with Cao Cao to suppress the Yellow Turbans and died for Cao Cao ^c:4395.
* Yuan Shao (advises_in): Bao Xin repeatedly counseled Yuan Shao. In history, he urged Yuan Shao to attack Dong Zhuo when he had newly entered the capital, but Yuan Shao feared him and dared not act. Later, when Yuan Shao took Jizhou, Bao Xin advised Cao Cao to "take stock south of the Great River and await his changes" ^c:4390. In the novel, Bao Xin also urged Yuan Shao to remove Dong Zhuo swiftly, but it went unadopted ^c:4393.
* Bao Xun (parent_of): Bao Xin was the father of Bao Xun. The histories record that Bao Xun, styled Shuye, was a man of Pingyang in Mount Tai; his father Bao Xin was Chancellor of Jibei, who aided the Grand Progenitor in his planning and met his death. In the seventeenth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao retroactively recorded Bao Xin's merit and recruited Bao Xun as Chancellor's Aide ^c:4390.
* Cao Wei (serves): Although Bao Xin did not live to see the founding of the Cao Wei regime, as an important early strategist and general of Cao Cao his contributions were crucial to laying the regime's foundations. Cao Cao's retroactive recording of his merit, enfeoffment of his brother, and recruitment of his son also reflect the Cao Wei regime's recognition of his family ^c:4390.
* Dong Zhuo (opposes): Bao Xin was a firm early force opposing Dong Zhuo's tyranny. In history, he perceived Dong Zhuo's ambition and urged Yuan Shao to attack him. In the novel, he directly advised Yuan Shao and Wang Yun, demanding the swift removal of Dong Zhuo ^c:4393.
* Liu Dai (advises_in): Bao Xin once remonstrated with the Inspector of Yanzhou Liu Dai not to meet the million-strong Yellow Turban army head-on, but to adopt a strategy of holding firm and awaiting changes. But Liu Dai did not heed him, and was finally defeated and killed ^c:4388.
* Yu Jin (follower_of): During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Bao Xin once recruited a following, and Yu Jin too attached himself to Bao Xin ^c:4391.

Iconic Scenes

* Urging Yuan Shao to attack Dong Zhuo, to no avail: After Dong Zhuo entered the capital, Bao Xin foresaw that he would surely cause disorder and urged Yuan Shao to attack him while his footing was insecure and he was weary. But Yuan Shao, fearing Dong Zhuo's strength, could not adopt Bao Xin's counsel. This scene displays Bao Xin's far-sighted discernment and precise judgment of the situation, and also highlights Yuan Shao's hesitancy ^c:4389. In the novel, Bao Xin even directly advised Yuan Shao and Wang Yun, but neither adopted his counsel, and in the end he indignantly led his troops away ^c:4393 (novel-only).
* Remonstrating with Liu Dai, who did not heed and died in battle: When the million-strong Yellow Turban army of Qing Province entered Yanzhou and Liu Dai wished to fight, Bao Xin overruled the rest and proposed a strategy of holding firm and awaiting changes, holding that though the Yellow Turbans were numerous they had no baggage train and could not endure, and one should wait until they were worn out and scattered before attacking. But Liu Dai did not heed his counsel, rashly went out to fight, and was finally killed by the Yellow Turbans. This scene again displays Bao Xin's strategic vision and deep understanding of the battle situation ^c:4388.
* Welcoming Cao Cao as Governor of Yanzhou: After Liu Dai's death, Yanzhou was without a master. Bao Xin, together with Chen Gong and others, jointly raised Cao Cao to be Governor of Yanzhou and went in person to Dong Commandery to welcome him. This act laid an important base for Cao Cao in an age of chaos and reflects Bao Xin's firm support and trust in Cao Cao ^c:4388.
* The Battle of Shouzhang, dying to save Cao Cao: When Cao Cao fought the Yellow Turbans at Shouzhang, he advanced rashly out of contempt for the enemy, came suddenly upon their army, and fell into difficulty. At the critical moment Bao Xin, heedless of himself, fought desperately and shielded Cao Cao with his body, enabling Cao Cao to break out. Bao Xin himself fell in this battle, aged forty-one. This scene is the most tragically heroic moment of Bao Xin's life, manifesting his loyalty to Cao Cao and his valiant, fearless spirit ^c:4390. After the battle, Cao Cao "sought to recover Bao Xin's body but could not, so the men carved a wooden likeness in Bao Xin's form, made offerings, and wept," showing his respect and grief for Bao Xin ^c:4388.
* Welcoming the imperial carriage at Mount Beimang (novel-only): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bao Xin, as Colonel of the Rear Army, together with Wang Yun, Yuan Shao, and others, welcomed the drifting Emperor Shao of Han and the Prince of Chenliu at Mount Beimang. This scene is Bao Xin's first appearance in the novel, shaping him into the image of a loyal subject of the House of Han ^c:4392 (novel-only).