Du Xi 杜襲 Zixu 子緒

Contents

Biography

Early life and flight to Jing

Du Xi was from Dingling, Yingchuan (in present-day Ye County, Henan). His courtesy name was Zixu.

His great-grandfather Du An was known in youth as a prodigy and served as Administrator of Ba Commandery. His grandfather Du Gen served as Administrator of Jiyin. Both were well known in their time.

At the end of the Eastern Han, Du Xi fled to Jing Province to escape the chaos. He was received as a guest by Liu Biao, Inspector of Jing Province. In the same period he shared goods and lived with Fan Qin and Zhao Yan. Fan Qin repeatedly displayed his talents to Liu Biao and won his favour. Du Xi told him that he had come only to bide his time like a dragon in the deep, waiting to rise like a phoenix, and that Liu Biao was not a lord who could set the realm to rights—so he would not urge Fan Qin to attach himself to Liu Biao. If Fan Qin kept showing off his abilities, he would no longer be Du Xi’s friend and Du Xi would break off their association. Fan Qin agreed to follow his advice. Du Xi then went south to Changsha.

Magistrate of Xi’e and defence against Liu Biao

In 196, Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian and established the capital at Xuchang. Du Xi returned to his homeland. Cao Cao appointed him Magistrate of Xi’e.

Xi’e lay near the southern border and was plagued by bandits. Magistrates had been gathering the people to defend the walls, so farming was neglected, fields lay waste, and the people were poor while granaries stood empty. Du Xi knew that the people needed kindness: he sent the elderly and weak back to their villages to farm and kept only the able-bodied men to guard the city. Officials and people were pleased.

In 202, Liu Biao sent ten thousand infantry and cavalry to attack Xi’e. Du Xi gathered slightly over fifty people who could bear arms, made a covenant with them, and led them in resistance. Some who had wanted to save only themselves were moved to join the fight; the rest of the officials and people, grateful for Du Xi’s kindness, obeyed his orders. They killed several hundred of the enemy in battle, but the defenders were outnumbered and the city fell. Du Xi led the wounded and the people in a breakout, reassembled the survivors at the camp at Mopi, and not one of them defected.

Rise under Cao Cao

The Director of the Imperial Secretariat Zhong Yao recommended Du Xi as Gentleman Consultant participating in military affairs. Xun Yu later recommended him, and he was appointed Army Libationer to the Chancellor.

In 213, when Cao Cao was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei and established the Wei principality, Du Xi was made Palace Attendant together with Wang Can and He Qia. Wang Can had a strong memory and broad learning, so Cao Cao often had him in his carriage on outings, but the respect shown to He Qia and Du Xi was no less. Du Xi was once summoned for a private audience that lasted until midnight. Wang Can, impatient and competitive, rose from his seat and said, “I wonder what the Duke said to Du Xi?” He Qia smiled and replied, “How could anyone know everything under heaven? You may serve the Duke by day; why be troubled that you cannot have it all?”

In 215, Du Xi was transferred to Long History of the Chancellor’s Office and accompanied Cao Cao on the campaign against Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. The following year Cao Cao returned to Ye and left Du Xi as Commandant of the Consort to supervise military affairs in Hanzhong. Du Xi successfully persuaded more than eighty thousand people in the Hanzhong region to migrate to the Luoyang and Ye area.

After Xiahou Yuan’s death

In 219, General Who Conquers the West Xiahou Yuan was killed at Dingjun Mountain. The army was thrown into panic. Du Xi and Guo Huai discussed how to restore order with Zhang He and decided that Zhang He should take Xiahou Yuan’s place. The troops were thus steadied.

When Cao Cao withdrew from Hanzhong, he needed a Long History to remain in charge at the capital. Those responsible for the selection kept choosing unsuitable men. Cao Cao said, “Why rush elsewhere to seek when you can ride the fine steed at hand?” He appointed Du Xi as Long History of the Chancellor’s Office to remain in the Guanzhong region.

Persuading Cao Cao not to attack Xu You

At the time, the Guanzhong general Xu You held troops but would not submit to Cao Cao and spoke of him with contempt. Cao Cao was furious and wanted to attack him first. Many officials advised that Xu You could be recruited to help against stronger enemies. Cao Cao laid his sword across his knees and refused to listen.

Du Xi asked for an audience to remonstrate. Cao Cao cut him off: “My mind is made up. Do not speak further.” Du Xi said, “If your lordship’s decision is right, your servant will help you complete it; if it is wrong, you should change it even though it is fixed. Why not let your servant finish before you silence him?” Cao Cao said, “Xu You has slighted me. How can I leave that unaddressed?” Du Xi said, “What manner of man does your lordship take Xu You to be?” Cao Cao said, “An ordinary man.” Du Xi said, “Only the worthy understand the worthy and only the sage understands the sage. How can an ordinary man understand an extraordinary one? If with wolves in the way you attack the fox first, people will say your lordship avoids the strong and strikes the weak—neither brave in attack nor kind in retreat. I have heard that a thousand-jun bow does not release at a tiny mouse, and a ten-thousand-dan bell does not sound for a blade of grass. For one petty Xu You, why trouble your divine might?” Cao Cao said, “Well said.” He then treated Xu You with favour; Xu You submitted at once.

Service under Cao Pi and Cao Rui

In 220, when Cao Pi succeeded as King of Wei, he granted Du Xi the title Marquis Within the Passes. That same year, when Cao Pi took the imperial title, Du Xi was appointed Supervisor of Army Provisions and enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuping. He later served as Supervisor of Army Provisions and Law and then entered the court as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing.

In 227, when Cao Rui succeeded as Emperor Ming, Du Xi was advanced to Marquis of Pingyang.

In 228, when the Shu Han chancellor Zhuge Liang launched a northern campaign, the Grand General Cao Zhen led the resistance and Du Xi was transferred to Army Adviser to the Grand General. In 231, Cao Zhen died and Sima Yi took his place; Du Xi became Sima Yi’s Army Adviser. Zhuge Liang once wrote to Sima Yi asking Du Xi to convey his regards to Meng Jian. Later Du Xi asked to return to the capital on account of illness and was reassigned as Grand Master of Palace Leisure.

He died in office and was posthumously granted the title of Minister of the Lesser Treasury (少府) and the posthumous name Marquis Ding. His son Du Hui succeeded to his marquis title.

Personality

Du Xi was known for remonstrating gently rather than confronting the ruler. His persuasion of Cao Cao not to attack Xu You—by asking what kind of man Xu You was and then arguing that an ordinary man could not understand an extraordinary one—is a typical example.

He had early on looked down on Xiahou Shang, saying that Shang was “not a beneficial friend.” Cao Pi, who was then close to Xiahou Shang, was unimpressed. Later Xiahou Shang favoured a concubine over his principal wife (a daughter of the Cao house, the Lady of Deyang). Cao Pi was enraged and had the concubine put to death. Xiahou Shang was so grieved that he became distracted and was said to have dug up her grave and embraced the corpse, weeping. Cao Pi said, “So there was reason for Du Xi to despise Xiahou Shang.” He continued to treat Xiahou Shang with favour for the sake of old friendship.

Historical evaluations

Cao Cao compared him to a fine steed that should be used rather than seeking elsewhere: “釋騏驥而不乘，焉皇皇而更索？”
Chen Shou described him as “warm and refined, understanding of principle” (溫粹識統) and grouped him with He Qia, Chang Lin, Yang Jun, Zhao Yan, and Pei Qian as “all fine scholars of their generation,” and with Xin Pi, Chen Qun, and Zhao Yan as “Xin, Chen, Du, Zhao.”
Liu Xianxin noted that He Qia, Du Xi, Zhao Yan, and Pei Qian all returned from Jing Province to join Cao Cao.

References

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 23, Biography of Du Xi
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 9, Biography of Xiahou Shang