Xini

Historical Record

Regarding the person Xini, there is no clear mention in the official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms. No general or figure named Xini appears in the historical material, nor is there any record concerning the Wuge Kingdom, the rattan-armor army, or the like. Therefore, from a historiographical standpoint, Xini is not a real historical figure, and his deeds cannot be verified.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xini is a figure of distinctly literary color. He is one of the two captain-leaders under Wutugu, the ruler of the Wuge Kingdom, ranked alongside Tu An, jointly commanding the renowned rattan-armor army^[1]. Xini's appearance comes after Meng Huo has been captured and released by Zhuge Liang for the seventh time; seeking reinforcements to oppose the Shu Han army, Meng Huo followed the advice of the Dailai Dongzhu and went to the Wuge Kingdom for help. The Wuge ruler Wutugu is portrayed as a man of unusual nature, twelve feet tall, who does not eat the five grains but feeds on live snakes and savage beasts, and whose rattan-armor army is moreover an elite force that blades and arrows cannot pierce and that does not sink when crossing rivers^[1].

When Meng Huo tearfully recounted his past affairs to Wutugu and requested help, Wutugu gladly agreed and immediately summoned the two captains Xini and Tu An, ordering them to lead thirty thousand rattan-armor soldiers on the campaign. These rattan-armor soldiers wore specially made rattan armor, made from rattan from mountain streams repeatedly soaked in oil and sun-dried over ten times, giving it extremely strong protective power^[1]. Having received their orders, Xini and Tu An, together with Wutugu, led this special army out from the Wuge Kingdom, advanced toward the northeast, and finally encamped at the Taohua River crossing to await battle with the Shu army^[1]. In the novel's narrative, Xini's role is mainly as a subordinate of Wutugu, carrying out his orders and taking part in the military operations against Shu Han. His existence serves to set off the strength of the rattan-armor army and the unusual powers of Wutugu, thereby foreshadowing the episode in which Zhuge Liang finally cleverly defeats the rattan-armor army and displaying Zhuge Liang's surpassing strategic wisdom. Unrecorded in history, Xini is entirely a product of literary creation.

Key Relationships

* Wutugu (commands_in): Xini is a subordinate of Wutugu, ruler of the Wuge Kingdom, serving as a captain-leader and taking orders directly under Wutugu's command. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Wutugu decided to send troops to help Meng Huo, it was Xini and Tu An whom he summoned and ordered to lead thirty thousand rattan-armor soldiers on the campaign^[1] (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Setting out on campaign on the orders of the Wuge Kingdom: Xini's signature scene is his receiving the order of Wutugu, ruler of the Wuge Kingdom, and, together with the other captain Tu An, leading thirty thousand rattan-armor soldiers in a mighty array out from the Wuge Kingdom, advancing to the Taohua River crossing to prepare for battle with the Shu Han army. This scene not only displays the distinctiveness of the rattan-armor army but also presages an imminent fierce battle^[1] (novel only).