Kong Xiu

Historical Record

There is no clear record of Kong Xiu in the official histories. Neither the Records of the Three Kingdoms nor any other historical source mentions this man, and there is no record of his life or office. Therefore, from the standpoint of the biographical materials, Kong Xiu is not a genuine historical figure; his image is entirely a product of literary creation.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Kong Xiu appears as a general guarding Dongling Pass, portrayed as one of Cao Cao's subordinates. He first appears in Chapter 27 and is the first casualty in the story of Guan Yu "passing five passes and slaying six generals." The novel depicts Kong Xiu leading five hundred soldiers in guard at Dongling Pass; when Guan Yu, escorting his two sister-in-law ladies, arrived there, Kong Xiu came out of the pass to meet him. He asked Guan Yu where he was going, and learning that Guan Yu meant to go to Hebei to seek his elder brother Liu Bei, he demanded that Guan Yu produce a pass document from Chancellor Cao, on the grounds that "Yuan Shao of Hebei is precisely the Chancellor's adversary"^[1].

Guan Yu explained that, because his journey had been hurried, he had not obtained a pass document; Kong Xiu insisted that he was "bound by the law" and would not let him through, and proposed that, in order to pass, Guan Yu must leave his two sister-in-law ladies behind as hostages. These words angered Guan Yu, who raised his blade to kill him. Kong Xiu retreated into the pass, sounded the drums to muster his troops, donned his armor and mounted, then charged out of the pass again, loudly issuing a challenge. Guan Yu had the carriages drawn back, urged his horse forward with blade in hand, and clashed with Kong Xiu. In "but a single bout" as the two horses met, Guan Yu's blade fell and Kong Xiu lay "a corpse beneath his horse"^[1]. Guan Yu then explained to Kong Xiu's subordinates that killing Kong Xiu had been "unavoidable," and told them to report to Cao Cao that Kong Xiu had meant to harm him, which was why he had cut him down. This episode is, in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, an important component of Guan Yu's image of loyalty and righteousness, and it raises the curtain on the subsequent series of "passing five passes and slaying six generals" stories. In actual history there was no such man and no such event; Kong Xiu is entirely a character invented to set off Guan Yu's martial valor and righteousness.

Key Relationships

* Relationship with Guan Yu: The relationship between Kong Xiu and Guan Yu is a typical adversarial one. As one of Cao Cao's generals, Kong Xiu was ordered to guard the pass, while Guan Yu, having taken leave of Cao Cao, was anxious to find his elder brother Liu Bei. Kong Xiu's obstruction directly led to the conflict between the two, and in the end Kong Xiu was slain by Guan Yu^[1] (novel only).
* Relationship with Cao Cao: Kong Xiu was a general under Cao Cao, responsible for garrisoning Dongling Pass. He strictly enforced Cao Cao's laws, demanding that Guan Yu produce a pass document, which reflected his loyalty to Cao Cao and his adherence to duty. Yet his death also indirectly precipitated a more complex entanglement of loyalty and righteousness between Guan Yu and Cao Cao (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

Kong Xiu's iconic scene is unquestionably his blocking of Guan Yu at Dongling Pass and his eventual slaying by Guan Yu. This scene is the beginning of the series of "passing five passes and slaying six generals" stories, and a key stroke in shaping Guan Yu's heroic image in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. When Guan Yu escorted the carriages to Dongling Pass, Kong Xiu came out of the pass to meet him, first asking ceremonially where he was going, then resolutely obstructing him on the grounds that "without a pass document you may not be let through." His insistence, and his demand that Guan Yu "leave the elders behind as hostages," thoroughly enraged Guan Yu^[1].

The ensuing battle is depicted by the novel as extremely swift and decisive. Guan Yu "urged his horse forward with blade in hand, and without a word made straight for Kong Xiu," while Kong Xiu "leveled his spear to meet him." Yet in "but a single bout," Kong Xiu was cut down by Guan Yu beneath his horse^[1]. This scene not only displays Guan Yu's matchless martial skill, but also highlights his firm resolve and unobstructable loyalty and righteousness on the road to seek his brother. Kong Xiu's death cleared the first obstacle from Guan Yu's path of "riding a thousand li alone," and left readers with a deep impression, becoming a classic, brief yet intense, conflict scene in Romance of the Three Kingdoms (novel only).