Biography
Early life
Hua Xin was born in 157 CE in Gaotang, Pingyuan (present-day Yucheng, Shandong).
His courtesy name was Ziyu.
He was famous in Shandong for both virtue and talent.
Early service
In 178 CE, the first year of Guanghe, Hua Xin was recommended as Filial and Incorrupt at the age of twenty-two.
He was appointed Gentleman.
He resigned because of illness.
Service under He Jin
In 189 CE, the sixth year of Zhongping, after Emperor Ling of Han died, Emperor Shao Liu Bian succeeded to the throne.
He Jin, Grand General, assisted in governance.
Zheng Tai, Xun You, and Hua Xin were all summoned.
After Hua Xin arrived at Luoyang, he was appointed Gentleman of the Masters of Writing.
Flight from Dong Zhuo
In 190 CE, the first year of Chuping, when Dong Zhuo moved Emperor Xian west to Chang’an, Hua Xin requested to be appointed Magistrate of Xiagui.
After the appointment was announced, he claimed illness and did not go.
He went from Lantian over the Qinling Mountains to Nanyang.
At that time, Yuan Shu was in Rang County.
He wanted to keep Hua Xin to help him.
Hua Xin advised Yuan Shu to send troops to campaign against Dong Zhuo.
However, Yuan Shu did not adopt this.
Hua Xin decided to abandon Yuan Shu and go elsewhere.
Service under Ma Ridi
In 192 CE, the third year of Chuping, it happened that Emperor Xian sent Grand Tutor Ma Ridi to pacify Guandong.
Ma Ridi therefore summoned Hua Xin as Clerk.
He went east to Xuzhou.
Emperor Xian then issued an edict appointing Hua Xin as Administrator of Yuzhang.
Service as Administrator of Yuzhang
In his position as Administrator, Hua Xin governed with quietness and did not disturb the people.
Therefore, the officials and people were grateful and supportive.
Even after Liu Yao, Inspector of Yang Province, died of illness, his followers wanted to make Hua Xin their leader.
However, Hua Xin believed that as a subject, he was not suitable to arbitrarily occupy the position.
For several months, he insisted on not accepting.
Surrender to Sun Ce
In 199 CE, the fourth year of Jian’an, Sun Ce campaigned west and returned.
He passed through Yuzhang Commandery.
He sent Yu Fan to persuade Hua Xin to surrender.
Hua Xin, appreciating that Sun Ce was good at using troops, welcomed him.
Sun Ce also treated him with the courtesy of a superior guest.
Hua Xin had a good capacity for alcohol.
He could drink more than one dan without becoming disorderly.
People observed that his clothes and cap often remained neat after drinking.
They thought this was unusual.
They called him “Hua Duzuo” (Hua Sitting Alone).
Service under Cao Cao
In 200 CE, the fifth year of Jian’an, Sun Ce was assassinated and died.
Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were fighting at Guandu.
Cao Cao memorialized summoning Hua Xin.
Sun Quan intended not to let him go.
However, Hua Xin persuaded Sun Quan by saying that Sun Quan could establish good relations with Cao Cao.
Sun Quan therefore sent Hua Xin to respond to the summons.
When Hua Xin was leaving, more than one thousand guests and old friends came to see him off.
They gave him several hundred jin of gold.
Before leaving, Hua Xin gathered all the items together.
He said to the guests: “I think of travelling far alone in a single carriage. I will be guilty of carrying jade.”
Everyone then each kept what they had given.
Service in the capital
After Hua Xin arrived at the capital, he was appointed Gentleman Consultant.
He concurrently served as Army Adviser to the Minister over the Masses.
He later successively served as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing, Palace Attendant, and Director of the Imperial Secretariat.
The Fu Shou incident
In 214 CE, the nineteenth year of Jian’an, Fu Shou’s previous plot was exposed.
Cao Cao knew about it and was furious.
He forced the emperor to depose the empress.
He first wrote an edict for the emperor.
He ordered Chi Lü to act with imperial credentials and receive the empress’s seal and ribbon.
He also ordered Hua Xin, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, to lead troops into the palace to capture Fu Shou.
Hua Xin led troops into the palace and searched for Fu Shou.
He found her in a wall cavity.
He personally grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out.
He presented her to Cao Cao, and she was executed.
Service as Palace Attendant Imperial Secretary
In 217 CE, the twenty-second year of Jian’an, in the sixth month, Hua Xin served as Palace Attendant Imperial Secretary of the Wei dukedom.
Service under Cao Pi
In 220 CE, the first year of Yankang, after Cao Cao died, Cao Pi, Crown Prince of Wei, succeeded to the throne.
The Han court ordered Hua Xin to act with imperial credentials and grant Cao Pi the seal of Chancellor and the ribbon of King of Wei.
Cao Pi appointed Hua Xin as Chancellor.
He enfeoffed him as Marquis of Anle.
In the same winter, Hua Xin, together with the Wei dukedom’s dukes and ministers, jointly persuaded Cao Pi to ascend the throne.
Service as Minister over the Masses
After Cao Pi replaced Han and became emperor, Hua Xin was ordered to participate in this.
He later changed to Minister over the Masses.
He did not advance in rank.
Recommending Guan Ning
In 220 CE, the first year of Huangchu, Cao Pi, in the early period of his reign, issued an edict ordering the dukes and ministers to recommend solitary gentlemen.
Hua Xin recommended Guan Ning.
Cao Pi therefore sent a carriage specifically to welcome him.
Service under Cao Rui
In 226 CE, the seventh year of Huangchu, in the fifth month, Cao Pi died.
Cao Rui, Crown Prince, succeeded to the throne.
He enfeoffed Hua Xin as Marquis of Boping.
He increased his fief by five hundred households.
Together with the previous, it was one thousand three hundred households.
In the same year, in the twelfth month, he changed Hua Xin to Grand Commandant.
Hua Xin claimed illness and requested to retire.
He wanted to yield the position of Grand Commandant to Guan Ning.
Cao Rui did not approve.
Remonstrating against campaigning against Shu
In 230 CE, the fourth year of Taihe, Cao Rui sent Cao Zhen from Ziwu Route to campaign against Shu Han.
The emperor’s carriage went east to Xuchang.
Hua Xin had the opportunity to see Cao Rui.
Regarding this, Hua Xin boldly memorialized analyzing the political situation of the realm.
He proposed the idea of cultivating civil virtue.
He said: “Those who govern the state take the people as the foundation. The people take food and clothing as the foundation.”
Therefore, they should pay attention to agricultural production and pacify the people.
If Wei had no worries about hunger and cold, and the people had no intention of leaving their homes, then the realm could be well governed.
If the teachings of sages could be deepened day by day, then people from afar would be moved by virtue.
The people of Wu and Shu would also submit.
Hua Xin believed that first, they should pay attention to the Way of governing the state.
Warfare could only be used when there was no alternative.
At that time, Hua Xin’s words were sincere and deeply moved Cao Rui.
It also happened to be autumn with heavy rain.
Cao Rui finally followed Hua Xin’s suggestion.
He issued an edict ordering Cao Zhen to withdraw his troops.
Death
In 232 CE, the sixth year of Taihe, Hua Xin died of illness in office.
He was seventy-six years old.
He was posthumously titled Marquis Jing.
Posthumous honours
In 243 CE, the fourth year of Zhengshi, Hua Xin, together with Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, Xiahou Shang, Huan Jie, Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, Zhang He, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Yue Jin, Dian Wei, Wang Lang, Cao Hong, Xiahou Yuan, Zhu Ling, Wen Pin, Zang Ba, Li Dian, and Pang De, because of merit, received the honour of being sacrificed to in Cao Cao’s temple by Cao Fang.
Personality
Hua Xin was known for his integrity and loyalty.
He was also known for his frugality.
He was also known for his ability to recognize people.
He was also known for his foresight.
Military achievements
Hua Xin was primarily a civil official and did not have major military achievements.
However, he did serve as Army Adviser during Cao Cao’s campaign against Sun Quan.
Relationships
With Guan Ning
Hua Xin was friends with Guan Ning.
They were known as “one dragon” together with Bing Yuan.
Hua Xin was the “dragon head.”
However, Guan Ning later cut the mat and separated from Hua Xin because Hua Xin was attracted by wealth and fame.
With Wang Lang
Hua Xin was friends with Wang Lang.
They once fled together by boat.
When someone wanted to join them, Hua Xin hesitated, but Wang Lang agreed.
Later, when bandits pursued them, Wang Lang wanted to abandon the person.
However, Hua Xin insisted on not abandoning him.
The world therefore judged Hua and Wang’s superiority and inferiority based on this.
With Cao Cao
Hua Xin served under Cao Cao and participated in capturing Fu Shou.
With Cao Pi
Hua Xin served under Cao Pi and participated in the Han-Wei transition.
With Cao Rui
Hua Xin served under Cao Rui and remonstrated against campaigning against Shu.
Anecdotes
The gold incident
Guan Ning and Hua Xin were originally friends.
At first, the two were hoeing vegetables together in the garden.
They saw a piece of gold on the ground.
Guan Ning continued to hoe, treating it like a tile or stone.
Hua Xin, however, picked it up.
When he saw Guan Ning’s expression, he threw the gold away and left.
The cutting the mat incident
The two also once sat on the same mat reading.
Someone rode a magnificent carriage past the door.
Guan Ning read as usual.
Hua Xin, however, put down his book and went out to watch.
Guan Ning therefore cut the mat.
He sat separately from Hua Xin.
He said to Hua Xin: “You are no longer my friend.”
This is the origin of the idiom “cutting the mat and separating.”
The boat incident
Hua Xin and Wang Lang once fled together by boat.
Someone wanted to join them.
Hua Xin immediately expressed hesitation.
Wang Lang said: “Fortunately, the boat is still spacious. Why not?”
Later, bandits pursued them.
Wang Lang wanted to abandon the person who had joined them.
Hua Xin said: “At first, I hesitated about whether to bring him, precisely because I was considering this situation. Since we have already accepted his request, how can we abandon him because the situation is urgent?”
They therefore continued to bring that person and flee together.
The world therefore judged Hua and Wang’s superiority and inferiority based on this.
The old man incident
Hua Xin, together with Zheng Tai and other colleagues, walked out of Wuguan on a small path.
On the road, they met an old man walking alone.
He wanted to join them in fleeing.
Everyone sympathized with the old man and agreed to let him follow.
Only Hua Xin said: “No. Now we are in danger. Whether it is fortune or disaster, we must all follow righteousness. Now we accept an outsider for no reason. We do not know his character. If we accept him now, if something happens in the future, can we abandon him halfway?”
However, everyone could not bear to refuse the old man.
They therefore brought him along.
Halfway, this old man fell into a well.
Everyone wanted to abandon him.
Only Hua Xin said: “Since we accepted him at the beginning, abandoning him now is not righteous.”
They therefore together rescued the old man.
Regarding this matter, everyone praised Hua Xin’s virtue.
The “Hua Duzuo” nickname
Hua Xin had a good capacity for alcohol.
He could drink more than one dan without becoming disorderly.
People observed that his clothes and cap often remained neat after drinking.
They thought this was unusual.
They called him “Hua Duzuo” (Hua Sitting Alone).
Achievements
- Successfully served as Administrator of Yuzhang and gained the people’s support
- Successfully participated in the Han-Wei transition
- Successfully remonstrated against campaigning against Shu
- Known for integrity and loyalty
- Known for frugality
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Hua Xin’s biography appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, grouped with Zhong Yao and Wang Lang.
The Fu Shou incident
Hua Xin participated in capturing Fu Shou, which is controversial.
Some believe this was fabricated by Wu sources to slander Wei officials.
The cutting the mat story
The story of Guan Ning cutting the mat and separating from Hua Xin is famous.
It shows Guan Ning’s high standards and Hua Xin’s attraction to wealth and fame.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary
Cao Pi said: “Minister over the Masses is a rare elder of the state. His actions conform to the Way of Heaven and Earth. They deeply gain the people’s hearts.”
Cao Zhi said: “Pure and simple, few desires, intelligent and perceptive, outstanding. Preserving ambition in the great void, pacifying the heart in mystery. In peace, he uses harmony to cultivate virtue. When encountering change, he uses decisiveness to follow righteousness. This is Grand Commandant Hua Xin.”
Later historians
Chen Shou wrote: “Zhong Yao was open-minded and had administrative ability. Hua Xin was pure in virtue. Wang Lang was learned and rich. They were all great men of one generation. When Wei first received the Mandate, they ascended to the Three Excellencies. How great!”
Legacy
Hua Xin is remembered as a key official who participated in the Han-Wei transition.
His integrity and loyalty are praised.
However, his participation in capturing Fu Shou is controversial.
Timeline
- 157 CE: Born in Gaotang, Pingyuan
- 178 CE: Recommended as Filial and Incorrupt; appointed Gentleman; resigned because of illness
- 189 CE: Summoned by He Jin; appointed Gentleman of the Masters of Writing
- 190 CE: Requested to be appointed Magistrate of Xiagui; claimed illness and did not go; went to Nanyang; served under Yuan Shu; advised Yuan Shu to campaign against Dong Zhuo; Yuan Shu did not adopt; decided to leave
- 192 CE: Summoned by Ma Ridi as Clerk; went east to Xuzhou; appointed Administrator of Yuzhang
- ?: Governed Yuzhang with quietness; gained people’s support; Liu Yao’s followers wanted to make him leader; refused
- 199 CE: Surrendered to Sun Ce; treated with courtesy of superior guest; called “Hua Duzuo”
- 200 CE: Sun Ce died; Cao Cao summoned; persuaded Sun Quan to let him go; guests gave gold; returned gold; appointed Gentleman Consultant; concurrently Army Adviser to the Minister over the Masses; successively served as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing, Palace Attendant, and Director of the Imperial Secretariat
- 213 CE: Appointed Army Adviser during Cao Cao’s campaign against Sun Quan
- 214 CE: Participated in capturing Fu Shou; found her in wall cavity; dragged her out; presented to Cao Cao; executed
- 217 CE: Appointed Palace Attendant Imperial Secretary of Wei dukedom
- 220 CE: Acted with imperial credentials and granted Cao Pi seal and ribbon; appointed Chancellor; enfeoffed as Marquis of Anle; persuaded Cao Pi to ascend the throne; changed to Minister over the Masses; recommended Guan Ning
- 226 CE: Advanced to Marquis of Boping; fief one thousand three hundred households; changed to Grand Commandant; claimed illness and requested to retire; wanted to yield to Guan Ning; Cao Rui did not approve
- 230 CE: Remonstrated against Cao Zhen’s campaign against Shu; Cao Rui followed; Cao Zhen withdrew
- 232 CE: Died age 76; posthumous Marquis Jing
- 243 CE: Honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple
See also
References
- Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 13, Biography of Zhong, Hua, Wang.
- Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, various chapters.