Cui Yan 崔琰 Jigui 季珪

Contents

Biography

Early life and studies

Cui Yan was from Dongwucheng, Qinghe (in present-day Gucheng, Hebei). His courtesy name was Jigui. He was a cousin of Cui Lin, who later became Minister over the Masses.

At twenty-nine he became friends with Gongsun Fang and others and studied under Zheng Xuan. Before a year had passed, the Yellow Turbans of Xu Province attacked Beihai (194); Zheng Xuan took his disciples to Mount Buqi and, with grain scarce, dismissed them. Cui Yan was sent away; the roads west were blocked by bandits, so he travelled through the countryside of Qing, Xu, Yan, and Yu provinces, east to Shouchun and south toward the Yangtze and Dongting. He returned home after four years and passed the time with the zither and books.

Under Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao heard of his reputation and recruited him. Yuan Shao’s troops were violent and dug up graves. Cui Yan remonstrated, citing Xunzi on the need to train soldiers and urging that the commanderies bury exposed bones to show compassion and emulate King Wen. Yuan Shao appointed him Commandant of Cavalry.

When Yuan Shao led troops to Liyang and guarded Yanjin, Cui Yan said that the Son of Heaven was in Xuchang and the people hoped to support the court—they should guard their territory and report to the throne rather than march. Yuan Shao did not listen and was defeated at Guandu. After Yuan Shao’s death his sons contended for Cui Yan’s allegiance; he pleaded illness and refused, was imprisoned, and was only saved by Yin Kui and Chen Lin.

Under Cao Cao

After Yuan Tan was defeated, Cao Cao became Governor of Jizhou and recruited Cui Yan as Biejia. At a banquet Cao Cao said that the recent census had shown three hundred thousand households, so Jizhou could be called a great province. Cui Yan replied that with the realm divided and the two Yuans at war, the people of Jizhou lay dead in the wilds—no one had heard the royal army put kindness first or ask after customs and relieve the people, yet the first concern was counting troops; was that what the province expected of the Lord? Cao Cao straightened his expression and apologized; the guests were alarmed.

In 206, when Cao Cao campaigned in Bing Province, he left Cui Yan in Ye to assist Cao Pi. Cao Pi went out hunting in disguise. Cui Yan wrote to remonstrate, citing the Documents and Spring and Autumn on the dangers of excess and the example of the Yuan family’s collapse through indulgence. He asked the heir to burn his gear and give up the hunt. Cao Pi agreed and said he would welcome further guidance.

In 208, when Cao Cao became Chancellor, Cui Yan served as Officer for Deliberation in the Eastern and Western Sections. On his appointment to the Eastern Section the edict said he had “the manner of Bo Yi and the straightforwardness of Shi Yu” and that the greedy would be made clean and the brave encouraged by his name—so he was given the Eastern Section. He and Mao Jie oversaw selection; they promoted the upright and rejected the flashy, and even powerful favourites did not dare show off in dress or carriages.

In 213, when the Wei principality was established, Cui Yan was made Gentleman of the Masters of Writing. The heir was still undecided; Cao Cao sent a sealed letter for outside opinion. Only Cui Yan replied with an unsealed board: he knew the Spring and Autumn principle of establishing the eldest, and the General of the Five Offices (Cao Pi) was benevolent, filial, and wise and should inherit—Cui Yan would hold to this with his life. Cao Zhi was his nephew by marriage (his brother Cui Ba’s daughter had married Cao Zhi), so Cao Cao praised Cui Yan’s fairness and promoted him to Commandant of the Capital.

Cui Yan was tall, loud-voiced, with clear brows and eyes and a four-foot beard; he had great dignity. He was admired at court and even Cao Cao was somewhat in awe. He recommended the Julu man Yang Xun as pure and devoted to the Way; Cao Cao recruited Yang Xun.

Death

When Cao Cao became King of Wei, Yang Xun submitted a memorial praising Cao Cao’s merit and virtue. Some mocked Yang Xun as a flatterer and said Cui Yan had recommended the wrong man. Cui Yan asked Yang Xun for the draft and wrote to him: “I have read the memorial—the matter is well put. Ah, the times—they will change.” He meant to criticise those who blamed others without seeking reason. Someone reported that the letter showed arrogance and resentment. Cao Cao said that “ear” (耳) in the proverb “only a daughter, ear” was a bad word and “there will be a time of change” was disrespectful. Cui Yan was sentenced to penal servitude and put under surveillance; he did not submit. An order then said that although punished he still received guests, his gate was like a market, and when greeting guests he “curled his beard and stared straight, as if resentful.” He was ordered to commit suicide.

Wei Lüe gives a different version: someone used a letter of Cui Yan’s to wrap a basket and was seen in the street. An enemy of Cui Yan reported him. Cao Cao had him shaved and sent to labour. The same man reported that Cui Yan, though a convict, “curled his beard and stared straight, as if resentful.” Cui Yan was told “your case will be decided in three days”; he did not understand. When the officer later reported that Cui Yan was still alive, Cao Cao said, “Must I use the blade on Cui Yan?” The officer told Cui Yan, who said, “I did wrong—I did not expect the Lord meant that,” and took his own life. Fuzi states that Ding Yi’s slander brought about Cui Yan’s death. Cui Yan’s execution was long lamented. After his death Mao Jie was deeply unhappy.

Personality and judgement

Cui Yan was plain in speech and slow of words; he liked the sword and martial arts. He was close to the Sima brothers and told Sima Lang that Sima Yi was “clear and fair, firm and decisive” and that few could match him. He said of his cousin Cui Lin that he was a late bloomer who would surely go far (Cui Lin, Sun Li, and Lu Yu all reached the highest offices). He raised the orphaned children of his friends Gongsun Fang and Song Jie as his own.

”Bedside sword-bearer” anecdote

The Shishuo xinyu records that when the Xiongnu sent an envoy, Cao Cao thought his own appearance too plain and had the imposing Cui Yan sit as the “King of Wei” to receive the envoy while he himself stood by the couch with a blade. When the envoy was asked his impression, he said the “King” had fine bearing but the man holding the blade by the couch was the true hero. Cao Cao had the envoy pursued and killed.

Historical evaluations

Cao Cao’s appointment edict praised his “manner of Bo Yi” and “straightforwardness of Shi Yu.”
Chen Shou wrote that “Cui Yan had the loftiest integrity” but that he and Bao Xun “did not escape with their lives—alas.”
The Xianxian xingzhuang described him as “pure, loyal, bright, and far-sighted,” presiding over selection for over ten years so that “the court looked up to him and the realm called it fair.”
Cui Lin later said of him that he was the foremost man of Jizhou; when Chen Qun called him “wisdom that did not preserve his person,” Cui Lin said a man met with fortune by chance—were the likes of Chen Qun so precious?

References

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 12, Biography of Cui Yan
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 24, Biography of Cui Lin