1. Jia Xu, courtesy name Wenhe, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the early Three Kingdoms period of China.
58 Facts About Jia Xu
1. 2.
Jia Xu started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty as a minor official.
3.
Jia Xu attempted to prevent internal conflict between Li Jue and Guo Si, but with limited success.
4.
In 200, during the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and his rival Yuan Shao, Jia Xu urged Zhang Xiu to reject Yuan Shao's offer to form an alliance and instead surrender to Cao Cao.
5.
Thirdly, in the 210s, when Cao Cao's sons Cao Pi and Cao Zhi were fighting to be their father's successor, Jia Xu indirectly helped Cao Pi by giving him advice and hinting to Cao Cao that he should choose the older son to be his heir apparent.
6.
Between 220 and 223, Jia Xu advised Cao Pi against attacking Cao Wei's rival states, Eastern Wu and Shu Han, and focus on internal development.
7.
Jia Xu was from Guzang County, Wuwei Commandery, which is in present-day Wuwei, Gansu.
8.
However, Yan Zhong, an official from Hanyang Commandery, felt that Jia Xu was extraordinary and even remarked that Jia had the brilliance of Zhang Liang and Chen Ping, two famous strategists of the early Western Han dynasty.
9.
Jia Xu was nominated as a xiaolian to serve in the Eastern Han government as a Gentleman Cadet.
10.
Jia Xu knew that the Di rebels were afraid of Duan Jiong, so he pretended to be Duan Jiong's maternal grandson.
11.
Jia Xu was then serving as the Commandant of Pingjin and an assistant official in the Grand Commandant's office.
12.
Jia Xu was promoted to Colonel Who Attacks Barbarians and assigned to the unit led by Dong Zhuo's son-in-law, Niu Fu.
13.
Jia Xu argued that Dong Zhuo's death marked the end of his tyranny and a possible revival of the declining Eastern Han dynasty.
14.
The candidates Jia Xu chose tend to be officials who formerly served in the previous administration.
15.
Jia Xu was praised for this mode of selecting government officials by retaining some continuity in appointments.
16.
When his mother died, Jia Xu resigned and went home for filial mourning.
17.
Jia Xu was given the honorary position of a Household Counsellor by the imperial court.
18.
Jia Xu even promised to give palace women as concubines to the tribal chiefs.
19.
Jia Xu secretly hosted a banquet for the tribal chiefs, gave them some expensive material gifts, and succeeded in making them leave.
20.
Jia Xu played an important role in resolving the conflict between Li Jue and Guo Si, and in ensuring Emperor Xian's safety during the time.
21.
Jia Xu hated certain officials such as Zhao Wen, Wang Wei, Zhou Zhong and Rong Shao, and wanted to execute them.
22.
Jia Xu heard that the general Duan Wei, who was from the same commandery as him, was stationed at Huayin County, so he went to Huayin County to join Duan Wei.
23.
Jia Xu was well known among Duan Wei's men, so Duan Wei was fearful that Jia Xu would seize the position of leadership from him.
24.
Jia Xu pretended to treat Jia Xu respectfully while secretly keeping a close watch on him.
25.
Jia Xu knew that Duan Wei was suspicious of him, and he felt very uneasy.
26.
Jia Xu secretly contacted Zhang Xiu and conveyed his intention to join him; Zhang Xiu agreed and sent his men to receive Jia Xu.
27.
Jia Xu left Duan Wei and headed to Nanyang Commandery, where Zhang Xiu welcomed him and treated him like a family elder.
29.
Zhang Xiu wanted to seize the opportunity to launch a counterattack, but Jia Xu warned him not to and predicted that he would be lose the battle.
30.
When Zhang Xiu came back after his defeat, Jia Xu told him to attack again and predicted that he would win this time.
31.
Jia Xu was later promoted to the position of Governor of Ji Province.
32.
When Cao Cao was appointed as the Governor of Ji Province after pacifying northern China, Jia Xu was reassigned to be a Palace Counsellor instead.
33.
Jia Xu lost the decisive Battle of Red Cliffs against the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei later that year.
34.
Jia Xu pointed out that during the Battle of Jiangling in 208, Cao Cao's general Cao Ren still lost Jiangling Commandery to Sun Quan and Liu Bei's forces despite his best efforts at defending it.
35.
Pei Songzhi thus concluded that it was impossible for Cao Cao to focus on economic development in Jing Province, given how unstable the region was, therefore Jia Xu's advice was inappropriate.
36.
Jia Xu argued that Cao Cao made a right choice to attack Jiangdong at the right time, when he had resources for naval warfare acquired from his recent annexation of Jing Province.
37.
Jia Xu mentioned that Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs was not due to miscalculation or poor planning, but because of uncontrollable factors such as the plague which affected his troops and the winds which fanned the fire that destroyed his naval fleet.
38.
Jia Xu suggested that Cao Cao pretend to agree to their terms, and then try to sow discord among them.
39.
Cao Pi sent a messenger to meet Jia Xu and seek his advice on how to consolidate his position.
40.
Cao Cao faced a dilemma on choosing between his two sons so he consulted Jia Xu, who refused to give an answer.
41.
Jia Xu was aware that he had not served under Cao Cao for as long as many of his colleagues.
42.
Jia Xu foresaw that he might incur the jealousy and suspicions of others, hence he maintained a very low profile and distanced himself from his colleagues outside of the workplace.
43.
Jia Xu ensured that his children did not marry people from influential families.
44.
Jia Xu earned the respect and admiration of many strategists and advisers.
45.
Jia Xu then established the state of Wei with himself as its first emperor.
46.
Jia Xu's promotion was allegedly an expression of gratitude from Cao Pi, who wanted to thank him for helping him seize the succession years ago.
47.
Jia Xu consulted Jia Xu on which of the two he should attack first.
48.
Jia Xu was given the posthumous title "Marquis Su".
49.
Jia Xu's ancestor was Gongming, the youngest son of Shuyu.
50.
Gongming was enfeoffed by King Kang of Zhou as the Count of Jia Xu and given the lands around Linfen as his fief, which was named "Jia Xu".
51.
Jia Xu's eldest son, Jia Mu, was a Chief Commandant of Escorting Cavalry.
52.
Jia Xu served as the Administrator of various commanderies.
53.
When Jia Xu Mu died, his marquis title was passed on to his son, Jia Xu Mo.
54.
Jia Xu annotated the military treatise Wuzi and wrote another military text called Wu Sun Zi Sanshi'er Lei Jing.
55.
Jia Xu believed that biographies should be categorised in the same volume on the basis of similarities.
56.
Jia Xu argued that Jia Xu's biography should be in the same volume as the biographies of Cheng Yu and Guo Jia rather than in the same volume as the biographies of Xun Yu and Xun You.
57.
In Pei Songzhi's opinion, Jia Xu was more similar to the former two than to the latter two.
58.
Jia Xu was first introduced as a playable character in the seventh instalment of Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series.