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Xun Xian
Xun Xian
荀羨
Inspector of Xuzhou (徐州刺史)
	In office; 350–359
Monarch	Emperor Mu of Jin
Personal details
Born	322
Died	359
Relations	Xun Guan (sister) ; Xun Rui (brother) ; Xun Yu (ancestor)
Children	Xun Yi
Parent	Xun Song (father);
Occupation	Military general
Courtesy name	Lingze (令則)

Xun Xian (322–359), courtesy name Lingze, was a Chinese military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420).

Life

Early life and career

Xun Xian was the son of Xun Song and the brother of the heroine, Xun Guan. At the age of seven, he was living in Jiankang when the Jin rebel, Su Jun captured the capital along with Emperor Cheng in 328. When Su Jun fell back to Shitou, Xun Song followed, bringing along Xun Xian. Su Jun took a liking for Xun Xian and usually allowed him to sit on his lap. This feeling was not mutual, however, as one time, Xun Xian said to his mother, "A knife should be enough to kill this thief." His mother panicked and quickly closed his mouth, telling him not speak such things aloud.^[1]

At the age of 15, he was chosen to marry Princess Xunyang (尋陽公主), the daughter of the late Emperor Yuan of Jin. However, Xun Xian was not interested and ran far away to avoid the marriage. The officials that monitored him caught up to him and brought him back to be forced to wed with the princess. As he reached adulthood, he was as famous as the calligrapher Wang Qia, and even befriended the likes of Liu Tan, Wang Meng and Yin Hao.^[2]

Xun Xian went on to serve in the Court of the Palace Library, and held the offices of Prefect of Yixing and Chu Pou's Chief Clerk. In 348, his friend Yin Hao became Inspector of Yangzhou, competing with his court rival Huan Wen. Yin Hao was quick to recruit Xun Xian as his General Who Establishes Might and Interior Minister of Wu together with Wang Xizhi. When Chu Pou died in 349, Xun Xian, through the help of Yin Hao, succeeded his rule as Inspector of Xuzhou, becoming the youngest person to hold the office of inspector in Eastern Jin at the age of 28 (by East Asian age reckoning).^[3]

In 350, Xun Xian was involved in an affair between the Jin court and the prominent minister, Cai Mo. Cai Mo had repeatedly avoided his position of Minister Over the Masses and even feigned illness to do so. A petition to punished him drew him out to court, where Yin Hao was advocating for his execution. Coincidentally, Xun Xian arrived at court just as the issue was going on, so Yin Hao asked for his opinion. Xun Xian believed that by pushing for his execution and putting his life in danger, Cai Mo may rebel and cause a bigger issue due to his influence. Thus, Yin Hao decided to stop calling for his death, although he was reduced to a commoner in the end.^[4]

Northern expeditions

Xun Xian accompanied Yin Hao in his northern expedition in 352 together with Xie Shang. The warlord Zhang Yu (張遇) had originally surrendered Xuchang to Jin, but as Xie Shang failed to win him over, so Zhang Yu seized back the city and also took Luoyang. Yin Hao withdrew and had Xun Xian defend Huaiyin. Following this campaign, Xun Xian became Chief of military affairs in Qingzhou and acting Inspector of Yanzhou.^[5]

In 356, the Duan Kan's state of Qi was on the verge of collapse by Former Yan forces. Duan Kan called Jin for aid, so the court sent Xun Xian to rescue him. Xun Xian camped at Langye, where he refused to advance as he feared the Yan forces' strength. He attacked the Yan general, Wang Teng at (王騰) Yangdu (陽都, in present-day Linyi, Shandong), where he captured and executed him. After Duan Kan had been defeated, Xun Xian withdrew back to Xiapi, leaving behind his generals to defend the borders. When Yan general Murong Lan (慕容蘭) camped at Biancheng (汴城, in modern Kaifeng, Henan), Xun Xian routed and killed him.^[6]

In 358, Xun Xian grew ill, so he had Chi Tan (郗曇) to serve as his director of the Army. The same year, Yan once again provoked him by camping Jia Jian at Shanshi (山茌, in modern Changqing District, Shandong). Xun Xian immediately led out his troops to fight and, Jia Jian found himself greatly outnumbering him. In spite of this, Jia charged out with all 700 of his men to attack rather than defend, killing many of Xun's soldiers. Xun Xian was only able to get the upper hand after surrounding his entire city, and later managed to seize him following days of intense battle. Xun Xian offered him to go back to Jin, but Jia Jian refused. After persuading him numerous time, Jia Jian insulted him, thus angering Xun Xian. Xun Xian had him tied up and exposed to the rain. Days later, Jia Jian died. Xun Xian did not hold Shanshi for long, as Yue Ming (悅明) defeated him and retook the city for Yan.^[7]

Death

After failing to secure Shanshi, Xun Xian's illness grew worse. The court recalled him and had his positions given to Chi Tan. Xun Xian died the following year at the young age of 38. He was posthumously appointed General of Agile Cavalry and his death and that of Wang Qia were lamented by Emperor Mu of Jin.^[8]

References

^ (羨字令則。清和有准。才年七歲，遇蘇峻難，隨父在石頭，峻甚愛之，恆置膝上。羨陰白其母，曰：「得一利刀子，足以殺賊。」母掩其口，曰：「無妄言！」) Book of Jin, Volume 75
^ (年十五，將尚尋陽公主，羨不欲連婚帝室，仍遠遁去。監司追，不獲已，乃出尚公主，拜駙馬都尉。弱冠，與琅邪王洽齊名，沛國劉惔、太原王濛、陳郡殷浩並與交好。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
^ (尋遷建威將軍、吳國內史。除北中郎將、徐州刺史、監徐兗二州揚州之晉陵諸軍事、假節。殷浩以羨在事有能名，故居以重任。時年二十八，中興方伯，未有如羨之少者。) Book of Jin, Volume 75
^ (會徐州刺史荀羨入朝，浩以問羨，羨曰：「蔡公今日事危，明日必有桓、文之舉。」浩乃止。下詔免謨爲庶人。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 98
^ (二月，鎮西將軍張遇反于許昌，使其黨上官恩據洛陽。樂弘攻督護戴施於倉垣。三月，使北中郎荀羨鎮淮陰。) Book of Jin, Volume 8
^ (荀羨聞段龕已敗，退還下邳，留將軍諸葛攸、高平太守劉莊將三千人守琅邪。參軍譙國戴遂等將二千人守泰山。燕將慕容蘭屯汴城，羨擊斬之。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 100
^ (燕泰山太守賈堅屯山茌，荀羨引兵擊之；堅所將才七百餘人，羨兵十倍於堅。堅將出戰，諸將皆曰：「眾少，不如固守。」堅曰：「固守亦不能免，不如戰也。」遂出戰，身先士卒，殺羨兵千餘人，復還入城。羨進攻之，堅歎曰：「吾自結髮，志立功名，而每值窮厄，豈非命乎！與其屈辱而生，不若守節而死。」乃謂將士曰：「今危困，計無所設，卿等可去，吾將止死。」將士皆泣曰：「府君不出，眾亦俱死耳。」乃扶堅上馬。堅曰：「我如欲逃，必不相遣。今當為卿曹決鬥，若勢不能支，卿等可趣去，勿復顧我也！」乃開門直出。羨兵四集，堅立馬橋上，左右射之，皆應弦而倒。羨兵眾多，從塹下斫橋，堅人馬俱陷，生擒之，遂拔山茌。羨謂堅曰：「君父、祖世為晉臣，奈何背本不降？」堅曰：「晉自棄中華，非吾叛也。民既無主，強則托命。既已事人，安可改節！吾束脩自立，涉趙歷燕，未嘗易志，君何匆匆相謂降乎！」羨復責之，堅怒曰：「豎子，兒女御乃公！」羨怒，執置雨中，數日，堅憤惋而卒。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 100
^ (荀羨疾篤，征還，以郗曇為北中郎將、都督徐、兗、青、冀、幽五州諸軍事、徐、兗二州刺史，鎮下邳。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 100