Xu Xuan

Historical Record

Xu Xuan, styled Baojian, was a man of Haixi in Guangling. Amid the great upheaval of the realm, he took refuge in Jiangdong, yet declined Sun Ce's summons and resolutely returned to his home commandery. In his hometown, he and Chen Jiao both served as administrative heads; the two were equally renowned, but their private relations were not harmonious. Despite this, both were highly esteemed by the Administrator Chen Deng, and together with Chen Deng they served Cao Cao with utter loyalty ^c:1952.

When a popular revolt broke out in the two counties of Haixi and Huaipu, the Commandant Wei Mi and the County Magistrate Liang Xi fled by night to Xu Xuan's home, and Xu Xuan secretly sent them off, sparing them from disaster. Cao Cao dispatched the Army Supervisor Hu Zhi to put down the rebellion, but Hu Zhi, his troops being too few, hesitated and would not advance. Xu Xuan privately reproached Hu Zhi and analyzed the situation for him, whereupon Hu Zhi advanced his troops and finally pacified the rebellion ^c:1952.

Cao Cao recruited Xu Xuan as a subordinate official of the Minister of Works, then appointed him Magistrate of the two counties of Dongmin and Fagan, then promoted him to Administrator of Qi Commandery, brought him into court as Supervisor of the Gate, and had him accompany Cao Cao to Shouchun. When Ma Chao rose in revolt and Cao Cao's great army marched west, Cao Cao said to his officials: "Now we are to campaign afar, while this region is not yet settled; I fear it may become a future calamity, and we must obtain a man of pure integrity and lofty virtue to garrison it." He thereupon appointed Xu Xuan as Left Protector of the Army, to remain behind and command the various troops ^c:1952.

After Cao Cao returned with his army, Xu Xuan was appointed Eastern Bureau Subordinate of the Chancellor, then went out to serve as Administrator of Wei Commandery. When Cao Cao died at Luoyang and the assembled officials entered the hall to mourn, someone proposed that the garrison commanders of the various cities might be replaced, employing men of Qiao and Pei. Xu Xuan sternly rebuked him: "Now far and near are united, and every man cherishes the wish to repay his service. Why must it be men of Qiao and Pei, thus wounding the loyal hearts of those who keep the watch!" When Cao Pi heard these words, he praised him: "This is a minister of the altars of state!" ^c:1952

After Cao Pi took the throne, he appointed Xu Xuan as Imperial Counsellor-in-Chief and granted him the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, then transferred him to be Colonel of the City Gates, and within a month promoted him to Colonel-Director of the Retainers, then transferred him to be Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary. When he accompanied Cao Pi on a progress to Guangling, the Six Armies took to boats and suddenly met fierce winds and great waves, so that even Cao Pi's vessel capsized. Xu Xuan, though ill at the time, still braved the wind and waves to press forward, and among the officials none arrived ahead of him. Cao Pi therefore admired his conduct and promoted him to Master of Writing ^c:1952.

Cao Pi later appointed Xu Xuan as Vice Director of the Left, then added the offices of Palace Attendant and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. When Cao Pi's carriage went to Xuchang, Xu Xuan had overall charge of the resident affairs. After Cao Pi returned to the palace, the responsible officials presented documents. Cao Pi issued an edict saying: "Is there any difference between the documents I have reviewed and those reviewed by the Vice Director?"—and so he no longer attended to them in person. When the Prefect of the Imperial Workshops was interrogated and convicted over a trivial matter, Xu Xuan submitted a memorial arguing that the punishment was too heavy, and further remonstrated that the construction of palaces was consuming the people's strength too greatly; Cao Pi in each case personally issued an edict commending and adopting his counsel. Xu Xuan once said: "At seventy there is the rite of hanging up one's carriage to retire; I am now sixty-eight, and may resign my office." He thereupon firmly pleaded illness to resign, but Cao Pi never granted it ^c:5446.

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives no independent literary portrayal of Xu Xuan; his deeds and image are not depicted in detail in the novel. Therefore, for the "In the Novel" portion of Xu Xuan, no unique plot or characterization corresponding to the biographical materials can be provided. The novel mentions him very little—indeed his presence in the novel may be regarded as negligible—forming a sharp contrast with the important contributions and standing recorded in the histories. The novel records neither the disharmony in his private relations with Chen Jiao, nor his declining of Sun Ce, his pacifying of the popular revolt, his garrisoning of the rear, or his frank remonstrance with Cao Pi and the whole series of important deeds. His character of being "loyal, sincere, upright, and bright, firm and hard to move" is likewise not displayed through any specific plot in the novel ^c:1952.

Key Relationships

* Chen Jiao (rival_of): Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao both served as administrative heads of Guangling; the two were equally renowned, but their private relations were not harmonious ^c:1952. Despite this, both were esteemed by the Administrator Chen Deng.
* Chen Deng (serves): Xu Xuan was close to Chen Deng, deeply esteemed by him, and together with Chen Deng served Cao Cao with utter loyalty ^c:1952.
* Cao Wei (serves): Throughout his life Xu Xuan was loyal to Cao Cao and Cao Pi. He was first recruited by Cao Cao, held many important posts, and was entrusted with heavy responsibility to garrison the rear during Cao Cao's western campaign. After Cao Cao's death, he remonstrated frankly and upheld the order of the court. After Cao Pi took the throne, he was entrusted with even heavier responsibility, rising to Vice Director of the Left, Palace Attendant, and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, and Cao Pi adopted many of his proposals ^c:1952, ^c:5446.
* Sun Ce (rival_of): Xu Xuan once took refuge in Jiangdong, but declined Sun Ce's summons and chose to return to his home commandery, showing his stance of being unwilling to serve Sun Ce ^c:1952.

Signature Scenes

* Declining Sun Ce and returning to his home commandery: Xu Xuan took refuge in Jiangdong, yet was able to resolutely decline Sun Ce's summons and return to his home commandery. This act not only embodied his attachment to his hometown, but further demonstrated his firm stance and his character of not drifting with the current ^c:1952.
* Wisely aiding Hu Zhi to pacify the popular revolt: During the revolt in the two counties of Haixi and Huaipu, the Army Supervisor Hu Zhi, his troops being few, dared not advance. Xu Xuan privately reproached him and analyzed the situation, prompting Hu Zhi to finally pacify the rebellion, displaying his stratagem and his accurate judgment of the situation ^c:1952.
* Cao Cao's western campaign, garrisoning the rear: When Cao Cao's great army campaigned west against Ma Chao, he appointed Xu Xuan as Left Protector of the Army to remain behind and command the various troops. This shows Cao Cao's trust in and esteem for Xu Xuan, regarding him as a man of "pure integrity and great virtue" able to "garrison and command" a region ^c:1952.
* Frank remonstrance at Luoyang, a minister of the altars of state: After Cao Cao died, someone proposed replacing the city garrisons; Xu Xuan sternly rebuked him and upheld the stability of the court. Hearing his words, Cao Pi praised him as "a minister of the altars of state." This act fully embodies Xu Xuan's loyal, sincere, upright, bright, and unshakable character, and his responsibility as a great minister of state ^c:1952.
* Rescuing the emperor at Guangling, pressing forward through the waves: When Cao Pi made a progress to Guangling, the vessels met wind and waves and capsized. Though ill, Xu Xuan was able to brave the wind and waves to arrive first and rescue the emperor in time. This scene displays his loyalty to his sovereign and his composure in the face of danger, which moved Cao Pi and led him to promote Xu Xuan to Master of Writing ^c:1952.
* Firmly seeking retirement, the emperor never permitting it: Approaching seventy, Xu Xuan repeatedly requested to resign his office on the grounds of old age and frailty, but Cao Pi never granted it. This not only embodies Cao Pi's reliance on and esteem for Xu Xuan, but also reflects from another angle Xu Xuan's important and indispensable standing at court ^c:5446.