Song Xian

Historical Record

Regarding the biographical materials for Song Xian, there is at present no clear record. In the official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Song Xian is not mentioned, and his life, his particular offices, and his role within Lü Bu's faction all cannot be verified. We are therefore unable to construct his historical image from the historical materials.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Song Xian, as one of the generals under Lü Bu, is shaped chiefly through a series of events and through his interactions with other members of Lü Bu's faction. He first appears in Chapter 16, when together with Wei Xu he was ordered by Lü Bu to escort Lü Bu's daughter to Shouchun for a marriage alliance with Yuan Shu ^c:5196. This shows that he held a certain standing within Lü Bu's faction, able to take part in important diplomatic affairs. Subsequently, Song Xian and Wei Xu appear again, reporting to Lü Bu the matter of having half their horses seized by Zhang Fei while buying horses in Shandong ^c:10202, which directly led to an escalation of the conflict between Lü Bu and Liu Bei. This shows that he also played a role in conveying intelligence and carrying out missions in military operations.

In Lü Bu's many clashes with the forces of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and others, Song Xian often acted together with Wei Xu. For example, when Lü Bu divided his forces to meet Yuan Shu's generals, Song Xian and Wei Xu were ordered to lead troops out to Jieshi to confront Chen Lan ^c:5197. Later, with Cao Cao's great army bearing down, Lü Bu again divided his forces, and Song Xian and Wei Xu were sent west to take Ru and Ying ^c:5198, showing Lü Bu's trust in them in entrusting important military tasks to the two. When Lü Bu was besieged at Xiapi, Song Xian and Wei Xu were also ordered to protect Lü Bu's wife and children and his money and grain in their transfer into Xiapi ^c:5199, which further highlights the variety of his duties within Lü Bu's faction.

However, what Song Xian is best known for in the novel is his betrayal of Lü Bu in the Baimen Tower episode. When Lü Bu was besieged by Cao Cao and the army's morale was disintegrating, Song Xian, Wei Xu, and Hou Cheng secretly conspired, considering Lü Bu "without benevolence and without righteousness," and resolved to forsake him ^c:10203. Taking advantage of a moment when Lü Bu was dozing atop the city tower, they stole his painted halberd and, together with Wei Xu, bound Lü Bu ^c:1486, and finally handed him over to Cao Cao. After Lü Bu was captured, faced with Lü Bu's reproach, "I treated my generals not unkindly—how could you bear to turn against me?", Song Xian bluntly pointed out that Lü Bu "listened to the words of his wife and concubines and would not heed the counsel of his generals—how is that not unkind?" ^c:10205, exposing Lü Bu's character flaw of being stubborn, self-willed, and deaf to honest counsel, and providing a justification for their betrayal. After Lü Bu's death, Song Xian surrendered to Cao Cao, and on the eve of the Battle of Guandu was sent by Cao Cao to fight Yan Liang ^c:5200. Cao Cao called him "a fierce general under Lü Bu," but Song Xian was finally slain by Yan Liang, ending his career in the novel.

Key Relationships

* Lü Bu's faction (serves): Song Xian was one of the generals under Lü Bu, repeatedly ordered to carry out military and non-military tasks, such as escorting Lü Bu's daughter, buying horses, fighting, and protecting the household and the money and grain ^c:5196, ^c:10202, ^c:5197, ^c:5198, ^c:5199 (novel only).
* Lü Bu (betrayed_by): Song Xian finally, together with Wei Xu and Hou Cheng, betrayed Lü Bu, capturing him and handing him over to Cao Cao ^c:1486, ^c:10205 (novel only). He charged that Lü Bu's "listening to the words of his wife and concubines and refusing to heed the counsel of his generals" was one of the reasons for the betrayal ^c:10205 (novel only).
* Wei Xu (comrade): In the novel Song Xian almost always appears together with Wei Xu, carrying out tasks together and conspiring together to betray Lü Bu ^c:5196, ^c:10202, ^c:5197, ^c:5198, ^c:5199, ^c:10203, ^c:1486 (novel only).
* Hou Cheng (comrade): Song Xian, Wei Xu, and Hou Cheng were the three central figures of the Baimen Tower betrayal ^c:10203 (novel only).
* Cao Wei (serves): After Lü Bu was captured, Song Xian surrendered to Cao Cao and became a general under Cao Cao ^c:5200 (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Escorting Lü Bu's daughter: Song Xian, together with Wei Xu, escorted Lü Bu's daughter to Shouchun, taking part in the marriage alliance between Lü Bu and Yuan Shu ^c:5196 (novel only).
* Reporting the lost horses: Song Xian and Wei Xu reported to Lü Bu that the horses had been seized by Zhang Fei, directly setting off the conflict between Lü Bu and Liu Bei ^c:10202 (novel only).
* Capturing Lü Bu at Baimen Tower: In the final stage of the Battle of Xiapi, Song Xian, Wei Xu, and Hou Cheng conspired, and taking advantage of Lü Bu's deep sleep, stole his Sky Piercer halberd, bound and captured him, and finally handed him over to Cao Cao ^c:1486, ^c:10205 (novel only). This is the most decisive and best-known scene of Song Xian in the novel, one that utterly changed Lü Bu's fate.
* Fighting Yan Liang and being slain: After surrendering to Cao Cao, Song Xian was ordered on the eve of the Battle of Guandu to fight Yan Liang, but was slain by Yan Liang ^c:5200 (novel only).