Xi Jian, courtesy name Daohui, was a Chinese military general of the Jin dynasty.
30 Facts About Xi Jian
1.
2.
Xi Jian was from Gaoping County and was very poor in his youth.
3.
Xi Jian's great-grandfather was Xi Lu, an official under the Han dynasty warlord Cao Cao.
4.
Xi Jian was determined to better his livelihood, so he began reading the scriptures and whenever he farmed, he would chant what he had learnt.
5.
When Sima Lun usurped the throne in 301, Xi Jian refused to return to his service despite offers of lofty titles.
6.
Xi Jian refused both of them, sensing that the two men will soon be turning on one another.
7.
Chen Wu wanted to employ Xi Jian and make him their leader, but Xi managed to escape his grasp.
8.
Xi Jian thus became a refugee leader and led his followers fled to Mount Yi in 313, where they defended themselves from enemies.
9.
Xi Jian remained at Mount Yi, surviving constant attacks from Shi Le and Xu Kan.
10.
However, Wang Dun saw through this and instead petitioned to have Xi Jian made Prefect of the Masters of Writing instead.
11.
Xi Jian defended Yue Guang, saying that he had been a loyal man who tried to protect the Crown Prince Sima Yu while Man Fen betrayed him to Sima Lun.
12.
Wang Dun responded to him that Man Fen only did so under pressure, and Xi Jian replied that a real man remains true to himself in both life and death.
13.
Xi Jian eventually released him to continue his way to Jiankang, despite his advisors' urge to kill him.
14.
When Xi Jian reached Jiankang, he began plotting with Emperor Ming against Wang Dun.
15.
Xi Jian told Emperor Ming that Wang Dun's remains should be given back to his family members to display himself as righteous.
16.
Later, Xi Jian called for Emperor Ming to execute Wang Dun's partisans on two occasions, but both times he found his suggestions rejected.
17.
Xi Jian was succeeded by his child heir, Emperor Cheng of Jin, guided by his brother-in-law Yu Liang.
18.
Xi Jian offered to send reinforcements from Xuzhou to the capital, but Yu Liang turned him down.
19.
Xi Jian got Xi Jian to join them, making him Minister of Works.
20.
Xi Jian told him that the loyalists should occupy strategic locations around the area and fortify them while scorching the fields.
21.
Xi Jian led the eastern army over to Daye, Qu'a, and Chengting where they set up barricades to weaken Su Jun's assaults.
22.
Xi Jian's generals were alarmed, and his advisor Cao Na told him that they should fall back to Guangling.
23.
Xi Jian wanted to hold on to his defences and scolded Cao Na for recommending him to retreat.
24.
Xi Jian provided the final blow to the rebellion as he sent his general Li Hong to destroy Han Huang and the remaining rebels at Mount Pingling.
25.
Xi Jian lived for another decade, serving the Jin dynasty diligently.
26.
Between 338 and 339, Xi Jian found himself as an opposition to Yu Liang's attempts at drastic measures.
27.
Yu Liang invited Xi Jian to join him, but he soundly rejected it, so Yu Liang called off his plans.
28.
The next year, Yu Liang wanted to campaign against Later Zhao, even getting the approval of Wang Dao and Emperor Cheng at first, but Xi Jian convinced the Prime Minister and Emperor that Jin should be conserving their resources to strike at the right time.
29.
Xi Jian wrote a memorial of resignation to Liu Xia, demanding that Cai Mo be the one to succeed his offices.
30.
Xi Jian soon died and was posthumously named as "Wencheng ".