Introduction
Xu Jing (simplified: 许靖, traditional: 許靖, pinyin: Xǔ Jìng), courtesy name Wenxiu (文休), was a Shu Han Minister over the Masses (司徒) and famous scholar who was known for his reputation and character evaluation skills. Originally from Runan Commandery, Xu Jing was the cousin of the famous character evaluator Xu Shao (许劭). He served multiple lords during the chaotic late Eastern Han period, including Dong Zhuo, Kong Zhou, Wang Lang, and Liu Zhang, before finally joining Liu Bei. Despite being criticised by Fa Zheng for having “reputation without substance,” Xu Jing was appointed to high positions by Liu Bei for his fame and reputation, serving as Grand Tutor and later Minister over the Masses.
Biography
Early life
Xu Jing was born in Pingyu (平舆), Runan Commandery (汝南郡), in present-day Pingyu County, Henan. From a young age, he became famous together with his cousin Xu Shao (许劭), and both were known for their skill in evaluating character. However, the two had a poor personal relationship.
When Xu Shao served as Registrar (功曹) in Runan, he excluded Xu Jing and prevented him from being employed, so Xu Jing had to work as a horse driver and grain grinder to support himself. Later, when Liu Yi (刘翊) from Yingchuan became Administrator of Runan, he recommended Xu Jing as a Clerk (計吏) and Filial and Incorrupt candidate (孝廉), and Xu Jing was appointed Gentleman of the Masters of Writing (尚書郎), in charge of selecting officials.
Service under Dong Zhuo
In 189, after Emperor Ling died, Dong Zhuo seized power and appointed Zhou Bi (周毖) as Director of the Masters of Writing (吏部尚書). Dong Zhuo had Xu Jing work together with Zhou Bi to discuss and evaluate officials throughout the empire, eliminating corrupt and incompetent officials and promoting talented scholars who had been overlooked.
Xu Jing promoted and appointed Xun Shuang (荀爽), Han Rong (韩融), and Chen Ji (陈纪) as dukes and administrators, and appointed Han Fu (韩馥) as Governor of Ji Province, Liu Dai (刘岱) as Inspector of Yan Province, Zhang Zi (张咨) as Administrator of Nanyang, Kong Zhou (孔伷) as Inspector of Yu Province, and Zhang Miao (张邈) as Administrator of Chenliu. Xu Jing himself was promoted to Administrator of Ba Commandery (巴郡太守), but he did not take up the post and was instead appointed Palace Aide to the Censor-in-Chief (御史中丞).
Flight and service under various lords
In 190, when Han Fu and others took up their posts, they raised troops to rebel against Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo was furious and killed Zhou Bi. Xu Jing’s cousin Xu Yang (许玚) was Chancellor of Chen State and had plotted with Kong Zhou to attack Dong Zhuo, so Xu Jing feared that Dong Zhuo would kill him and fled to Kong Zhou.
After Kong Zhou died, Xu Jing fled to Yang Province and served under Inspector Chen Yi (陈祎). After Chen Yi died, Xu Gong (许贡), Commandant of Wu Commandery, and Wang Lang (王朗), Administrator of Kuaiji, who had long been friends with Xu Jing, protected him.
Xu Jing showed kindness and compassion to his relatives and neighbours, often taking care of and helping them. In 195, when Sun Ce crossed the Yangtze River to the east, people fled to Jiao Province to avoid the chaos. Xu Jing sat on the riverbank and let his attendants board the boats first, waiting until all his relatives and family members had left before following them. Those who saw this scene all praised him.
Service in Jiao Province
Xu Jing arrived in Jiao Province and was treated with great respect and hospitality by Shi Xie (士燮), Administrator of Jiaozhi Commandery.
Yuan Hui (袁徽) from Chen State, who was also in Jiao Province, wrote to Xun Yu (荀彧), Director of the Masters of Writing, saying: “Xu Wenxiu is an outstanding scholar with great talent. His wisdom and strategy are sufficient to participate in state affairs. Since he came to Jiao Province, he has lived with the people, and whenever there were worries and dangers, he always put others before himself and shared hunger and cold with his relatives and family. His treatment of people according to human relationships and his kindness and compassion have all been effective, but I cannot list them all.”
Zhang Xiang (张翔) from Julu was sent on a mission to Jiao Province and wanted to recruit Xu Jing using his authority, trying to make an agreement with him. However, Xu Jing refused. Xu Jing also wrote to Cao Cao, hoping that he could bring peace to the state and benefit the people, and made some suggestions. Zhang Xiang resented Xu Jing for not serving him and searched for the letters Xu Jing had sent to Cao Cao and threw them all into the water.
Service under Liu Zhang
Later, Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, sent an envoy to recruit Xu Jing. Xu Jing entered Yi Province and was appointed Administrator of Ba Commandery and then Administrator of Guanghan Commandery.
Song Zhong (宋忠) in Jing Province wrote to Wang Shang (王商), Administrator of Shu Commandery, saying: “Xu Wenxiu is outstanding and extraordinary, with the talent of his generation. You should take him as your guide.”
In 211, Xu Jing succeeded Wang Shang as Administrator of Shu Commandery.
In 212, when Emperor Xian’s four sons were enfeoffed as kings, Xu Jing, who was in Ba Commandery, heard about it and said: “If you want to contract something, you must first expand it; if you want to take something, you must first give it. This is what Mengde [Cao Cao] is doing!”
Attempted defection and service under Liu Bei
In 214, when Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Xu Jing attempted to climb over the city wall to surrender, but the plan was exposed and he was unsuccessful. Liu Zhang, because Yi Province was about to fall, did not execute Xu Jing.
After Liu Zhang surrendered, Liu Bei looked down on Xu Jing because of his attempt to defect and did not employ him. However, Fa Zheng (法正) advised Liu Bei: “In the world, there are those who gain empty reputation without real talent and virtue, and Xu Jing is one of them. However, today you are starting to create a great enterprise, and it is impossible to go door to door explaining to everyone in the world. Xu Jing’s reputation has spread throughout the world. If you do not treat him with respect, people in the world will say that you are treating talented scholars lightly. Therefore, you should treat Xu Jing with respect to show people far and near that you are following the example of King Zhao of Yan treating Guo Wei generously.”
Liu Bei then treated Xu Jing generously and employed him, appointing him as Long History of the Left General (左將軍長史), a position without real power.
Service as Grand Tutor and Minister over the Masses
In 219, when Liu Bei declared himself King of Hanzhong, Xu Jing was appointed Grand Tutor (太傅).
In 221, Xu Jing, together with Mi Zhu, Zhuge Liang, and others, submitted memorials urging Liu Bei to declare himself emperor. In April 221, when Liu Bei ascended the throne and established Shu Han, he appointed Xu Jing as Minister over the Masses (司徒), one of the Three Excellencies, ranking second only to Zhuge Liang as Chancellor but without real power.
Liu Bei’s edict said: “I have been able to inherit the imperial enterprise and rule over the world. Day and night I am anxious and uneasy, fearing that I cannot pacify the four seas. The people have not yet become close, and the five virtues are not manifest. You, as Minister over the Masses, should carefully spread the five constant virtues and make them flourish. You should encourage yourself! Persevere in spreading benevolence and virtue to satisfy my wishes.”
In June 221, Liu Bei had Xu Jing draft the edicts enfeoffing Liu Yong as King of Lu and Liu Li as King of Liang.
Although Xu Jing was over seventy years old, he still loved talented people and encouraged and promoted younger scholars, tirelessly evaluating and discussing them. Even Zhuge Liang bowed to him.
Death
Xu Jing died in 222, the second year of Liu Bei’s Zhangwu era. He was over seventy years old at the time of his death.
Personality and traits
Virtues and abilities
Xu Jing was known for his reputation and his skill in evaluating character. He was generous and kind, often putting others before himself and helping his relatives and family members. He was also known for his ability to recognise and promote talented people, as demonstrated during his service under Dong Zhuo when he promoted many capable officials.
Temperament
Xu Jing was known for his generosity and kindness. He showed compassion to his relatives and neighbours, often taking care of and helping them. However, he was also criticised by Fa Zheng for having “reputation without substance,” suggesting that his actual abilities did not match his fame.
Political achievements
Character evaluation and talent selection
Xu Jing’s most significant contribution was his skill in evaluating character and selecting talented people. During his service under Dong Zhuo, he promoted many capable officials, including Xun Shuang, Han Rong, and Chen Ji. However, many of these officials later rebelled against Dong Zhuo, leading to Zhou Bi’s execution.
Administrative record
Xu Jing served as Administrator of Ba Commandery, Guanghan Commandery, and Shu Commandery under Liu Zhang. However, his attempt to defect to Liu Bei during the siege of Chengdu showed a lack of loyalty, which led Liu Bei to initially look down on him.
Relationships
Family
Xu Jing was the cousin of Xu Shao (许劭), the famous character evaluator who created the Monthly Evaluations (月旦评). However, the two had a poor personal relationship, and Xu Shao excluded Xu Jing from employment when he served as Registrar in Runan.
Xu Jing’s cousin Xu Yang (许玚) served as Chancellor of Chen State and plotted with Kong Zhou to attack Dong Zhuo.
Xu Jing’s son Xu Qin (许钦) died before Xu Jing. His grandson Xu You (许游) served as Master of Writing (尚書) during the Jingyao era (258-263).
Lord and vassals
Xu Jing served multiple lords throughout his career: Liu Yi, Dong Zhuo, Kong Zhou, Chen Yi, Xu Gong, Wang Lang, Shi Xie, Liu Zhang, and finally Liu Bei. His relationship with Liu Bei was complex—Liu Bei initially looked down on him for his attempt to defect, but Fa Zheng advised Liu Bei to employ him for his reputation. Xu Jing was given high positions but without real power, serving as Grand Tutor and Minister over the Masses.
Xu Jing had good relationships with many scholars and officials, including Chen Ji, Yuan Hui, Han Rong, and Wang Lang. He also maintained correspondence with Hua Xin (华歆), Wang Lang, and Chen Qun (陈群), who served as Three Excellencies in Cao Wei, showing their continued friendship.
Allies and rivals
Xu Jing’s relationship with his cousin Xu Shao was poor, and Xu Shao excluded him from employment. However, Xu Jing maintained good relationships with many other scholars and officials throughout his career.
Anecdotes and allusions
Character evaluation with Xu Shao
Xu Jing became famous together with his cousin Xu Shao for their skill in evaluating character. However, the two had a poor personal relationship, and Xu Shao excluded Xu Jing from employment when he served as Registrar in Runan. This demonstrates the complex relationship between the two famous character evaluators.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Flight from Dong Zhuo
When Dong Zhuo killed Zhou Bi after the officials Xu Jing had promoted rebelled, Xu Jing feared for his life and fled to Kong Zhou. This began his long period of flight and service under various lords.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Escape to Jiao Province
In 195, when Sun Ce crossed the Yangtze River, Xu Jing sat on the riverbank and let his attendants board the boats first, waiting until all his relatives and family members had left before following them. Those who saw this scene all praised him for putting others before himself.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Attempted defection
In 214, when Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Xu Jing attempted to climb over the city wall to surrender, but the plan was exposed. Liu Zhang did not execute him because Yi Province was about to fall. After Liu Zhang surrendered, Liu Bei initially looked down on Xu Jing for this act, but Fa Zheng advised Liu Bei to employ him for his reputation.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Achievements
Xu Jing’s major accomplishments include:
- Becoming famous for his skill in evaluating character together with his cousin Xu Shao
- Promoting many capable officials during his service under Dong Zhuo
- Serving as Administrator of Ba Commandery, Guanghan Commandery, and Shu Commandery under Liu Zhang
- Being appointed Grand Tutor and Minister over the Masses by Liu Bei, ranking second only to Zhuge Liang
- Maintaining correspondence with many famous scholars and officials throughout his career
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Xu Jing is documented in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) by Chen Shou, specifically in the “Biography of Xu Jing, Mi Zhu, Sun Qian, Jian Yong, Yi Ji, and Qin Mi” (許糜孫簡伊秦傳). Additional information comes from Pei Songzhi’s annotations and sources such as the Wanji Lun (万机论) by Jiang Ji.
Historical vs literary portrayal
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xu Jing’s portrayal is similar to the historical record. He is depicted as a famous scholar who served Liu Zhang and later Liu Bei, known for his reputation and character evaluation skills.
Scholarly debates
There is significant debate about Xu Jing’s actual abilities versus his reputation. Fa Zheng criticised him for having “reputation without substance,” while others praised him for his character evaluation skills and generosity. Some scholars argue that Xu Jing’s high positions were primarily due to his reputation rather than his actual abilities, while others point to his successful promotion of talented officials as evidence of his skills.
Personality analysis
Modern scholars have noted the contradiction between Xu Jing’s reputation and his actions. His attempt to defect to Liu Bei during the siege of Chengdu showed a lack of loyalty, yet he was still appointed to high positions due to his fame. His generosity and kindness are recognised, but his actual administrative and military abilities are questioned.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary assessments
Yuan Hui: “Xu Wenxiu is an outstanding scholar with great talent. His wisdom and strategy are sufficient to participate in state affairs. Since he came to Jiao Province, he has lived with the people, and whenever there were worries and dangers, he always put others before himself and shared hunger and cold with his relatives and family.”
Song Zhong: “Xu Wenxiu is outstanding and extraordinary, with the talent of his generation. You should take him as your guide.”
Zhuge Liang: “Xu Jing has a reputation among the people and cannot be lost. We should use his name to inspire the world.”
Fa Zheng: “In the world, there are those who gain empty reputation without real talent and virtue, and Xu Jing is one of them.”
Jiang Ji: “Xu Wenxiu is generally a court official, but Xu Zijiang [Xu Shao] belittled him. If he is not actually valuable, then Xu Zijiang was not clear-sighted; if he is actually valuable, then he is a good person.”
Chen Shou: “Xu Jing had long had a reputation. He was known for being generous and kind, and he also paid attention to evaluating people. Although his actions and behaviour were not always appropriate, Jiang Ji considered him ‘generally a court official.’”
Chen Shou’s evaluation
Chen Shou wrote: “Xu Jing had long had a reputation. He was known for being generous and kind, and he also paid attention to evaluating people. Although his actions and behaviour were not always appropriate, Jiang Ji considered him ‘generally a court official.’”
Pei Songzhi’s commentary
Pei Songzhi’s annotations provide additional context about Xu Jing’s reputation and his relationship with various lords. Pei Songzhi noted that Xu Jing’s reputation was well-established and that not treating him with respect would cause confusion among people far and near.
Later dynasty evaluations
Later historians have generally recognised Xu Jing’s reputation while noting the contradiction between his fame and his actions. His attempt to defect is seen as demonstrating a lack of loyalty, while his high positions are seen as primarily due to his reputation rather than his actual abilities.
Modern scholarship
Modern scholars have emphasised the importance of reputation in ancient Chinese politics. Xu Jing’s case demonstrates how reputation could be more important than actual abilities in securing high positions, particularly during times of political transition. His relationship with his cousin Xu Shao and his complex career serving multiple lords are subjects of scholarly analysis.
Legacy
Cultural significance
Xu Jing is remembered as a famous scholar who was known for his reputation and character evaluation skills. His case demonstrates the importance of reputation in ancient Chinese politics and the complex relationship between reputation and actual abilities.
Symbolism and folklore
Xu Jing is sometimes used as an example of someone who gained high positions primarily through reputation rather than actual abilities. His relationship with his cousin Xu Shao, another famous character evaluator, is also of interest.
See also
- Liu Bei
- Fa Zheng
- Zhuge Liang
- Xu Shao — cousin; character evaluator; Monthly Evaluations
- Liu Zhang
- Dong Zhuo
- Wang Lang