53 Facts About Xun Xu

Xun Xu served as an official in the state of Cao Wei in the late Three Kingdoms era before serving under the Jin dynasty.

Xun Xu was born in the eminent Xun family, whose ancestral home was in Yingyin County, Yingchuan Commandery, which is in present-day Xuchang, Henan.

Zhong Yao once remarked that Xun Xu would grow up to become like his great-grandfather Xun Shuang.

Xun Xu Yue was an official, historian and Confucian scholar of the late Eastern Han dynasty.

Xun Xu was interested in government and politics so he started his career as an assistant to Cao Shuang, a general serving as regent to Cao Fang, the third emperor of Wei.

Xun Xu was reassigned to be a communications secretary in the palace secretariat.

Xun Xu stepped up, held a funeral for Cao Shuang, and inspired others to follow him.

Xun Xu later became the Magistrate of Anyang County and an assistant to the General of Agile Cavalry.

Xun Xu was held the following appointments: Judge under the Minister of Justice, military adviser to the regent Sima Zhao, third regent of Sima clan, official in the Hall of Records.

However, Xun Xu advised him against it by pointing out that it would be unfair and unjust to punish Sun You's family as well.

Xun Xu advised Sima Zhao against using assassination because he believed that defeating Shu forces in battle was a better way of convincing the people of Shu to surrender and for Sima Zhao to gain greater prestige.

Previously, when Sima Zhao ordered Zhong Hui to lead Wei forces to conquer Shu, Xun Xu had nominated Wei Guan to supervise the campaign.

Sima Zhao remarked that Xun Xu's letter had the power equivalent to that of an army of 100,000.

Xun Xu was appointed as a Palace Attendant, and enfeoffed as the Marquis of Anyang and given 1,000 taxable households for his marquisate.

However, Xun Xu declined the enfeoffment after seeing that Yang Hu declined his.

Xun Xu was then concurrently appointed as Supervisor of the Palace Writers, Palace Attendant, and zhuzuo.

When Emperor Wu sought his opinion, Xun Xu disapproved because he believed that since the nobles held gubernatorial appointments, they might neglect their original jurisdictions once they return to their respective fiefs.

Xun Xu pointed out the possible complications such as having to subdivide the fiefs into commanderies and counties, as well as the risk of making people unhappy since the subdividing would require relocating residents from one area to another.

Xun Xu further pointed out that they would need to reassign troops from the borders and place them under decentralised command in the various fiefs.

When Emperor Wu asked Xun Xu to reconsider his views, Xun Xu explained further that the best course of action was to maintain the status quo, since the redrawing of boundaries between the fiefs might lead to resentment and potential unrest if it was not carefully managed.

Xun Xu pointed out that there were far more important issues that required immediate attention, so they should focus on those first.

Emperor Wu thought that Xun Xu's advice was appropriate and heeded it.

Xun Xu cited examples from the Han dynasty and gave a long explanation on why he believed that the best solution was to reduce the layers of bureaucracy in the administration.

Xun Xu pointed out how doing so could help to discourage officials from corrupt behaviour, improve administrative efficiency, and build up greater social trust among the masses.

Xun Xu often applied such critical analysis in assessing the costs and benefits of government policies.

Xun Xu wrote a memorial to Emperor Wu, nominating Yang Yao to be the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, and either Wei Guan or Shan Tao to be the new Minister over the Masses.

Xun Xu wrote a memorial to Emperor Wu and suggested that he create the office of a dushui shizhe to deal with floods in the future.

When Emperor Wu asked him why he did so, Xun Xu explained the importance of delegating responsibilities to subordinates.

Xun Xu pointed out why he believed it was redundant to have officials focusing on drafting legislation only since their duties overlap with those of other officials, so it was better to delegate such additional responsibilities to the latter group.

However, Xun Xu refused to listen to them and he warned his sons against forming their own political clouts and forgetting their place as subjects of the emperor.

Later, Emperor Wu promoted Xun Xu to be the Prefect of the Masters of Writing.

Xun Xu served as the Supervisor of the Palace Writers for a long time and had access to state secrets.

When Emperor Wu wanted to reassign Jia Chong to guard the Guanzhong region, Xun Xu told his colleague Feng Dan that their status in the imperial court depended on Jia Chong's presence so they should try to stop the emperor from sending Jia Chong out of the imperial capital, Luoyang.

Xun Xu thought of persuading Emperor Wu to arrange a marriage between Sima Zhong, the crown prince, and Jia Chong's daughter, Jia Nanfeng.

Many officials were disgusted by Xun Xu's fawning behaviour and called him a sycophant.

Xun Xu praised Sima Zhong for being a virtuous crown prince, while He Jiao said that Sima Zhong was the same as before.

Xun Xu Jiao became respected for being honest about Sima Zhong, whereas Xun Xu was derided for lying in order to please the emperor.

Xun Xu once heard the sound of a cowbell ringing and thought of using cowbells as an instrument to fine tune musical pieces.

When Xun Xu was serving as mishujian, Emperor Wu tasked him and Zhang Hua with arranging the imperial library's collection into a catalogue like Liu Xiang's Bielu.

When old bamboo scrolls were discovered in an ancient tomb in Ji Commandery in 279, Emperor Wu tasked Xun Xu with copying, organising and compiling them.

Xun Xu did so and created a book, Zhongjing, which was then added to the imperial library's collection.

Xun Xu set up a school for students to learn calligraphy in the styles of Zhong Yao and Hu Wujing.

In one instance, Xun Xu was dining beside Emperor Wu when he told everyone that the food they were eating was cooked with fire created from wood that has undergone much "hardship".

Xun Xu died in late 289 during the Taikang era of Emperor Wu's reign.

Xun Xu sent an Imperial Secretary as his personal representative to attend Xun Xu's funeral.

Xun Xu served in the privy council and was in charge of state secrets for a long time.

Xun Xu was not only a talented writer, but a deep thinker who understood very well his place as a subject of his lord.

Xun Xu knew what his lord expected of him and adapted his behaviour accordingly to please his lord.

Xun Xu Ji inherited his father's marquis title and served in the Jin government, with his highest appointment being Minister of the Guards.

Xun Xu was honoured with the posthumous title "Marquis Jian" after his death.

Xun Xu Ji had another son, Xun Xu Chuo, whose courtesy name was Yanshu.

Xun Xu Chuo was famous for his literary talent and wrote 15 chapters of the Later Book of Jin.

Xun Xu was captured by Shi Le when the latter rebelled against the Jin dynasty and became Shi Le's military adviser.