Sheng Xian ( 190s–200s),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theo ...

Xiaozhang, was a Chinese politician who lived during the late

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

of China. He was from

Kuaiji Commandery Kuaiji Commandery (Chinese: t , s , p ''Kuàijī Jùn''), formerly romanized as K'uai-chi Commandery, was a former commandery of China in the area of Hangzhou Bay. When first established, its capital was at Wu (present- ...

, which is around present-day

Shaoxing Shaoxing (; ) is a prefecture-level city on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in northeastern Zhejiang province, China. It was formerly known as Kuaiji and Shanyin and abbreviated in Chinese as (''Yuè'') from the area's former inhabitant ...

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Ji ...

Life

Sheng Xian served as the administrator of

Wu Commandery Wu Commandery was a commandery of imperial China. It covers parts of the contemporary Northern Zhejiang and Southern Jiangsu. The capital of Wu commandery was Wu (today's Suzhou). Major counties of Wu commandery include Wu (county), Yuhang cou ...

(around present-day

Suzhou Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with it ...

). He recommended Gao Dai () for government service. Around 193, when Xu Gong took over Wu Commandery by force, Gao Dai took Sheng Xian and hid him at the home of a military officer, Xu Zhao (). To dissuade Xu Gong from persecuting Sheng Xian, Gao Dai went to

Xu Province Xuzhou as a historical toponym refers to varied area in different eras. Ordinarily, it was a reference to the one of the Nine Provinces (China), Nine Provinces which modern Xuzhou inherited. History Pre-Qin era Xuzhou or Xu Province was one ...

to seek help from the provincial governor, Tao Qian. After Tao Qian showed nominal support for their cause, Xu Gong did not pursue them any further. When

Sun Ce Sun Ce () () (175–200), courtesy name Bofu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest child of Sun Jian, who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when ...

was conquering the commanderies in the Jiangdong region later in 199, Cheng Pu suggested attacking Xu Zhao, but Sun Ce, citing Xu Zhao's giving sanctuary to Sheng Xian and Yan Baihu as indication of Xu Zhao's faithfulness, did not do so. Nonetheless, Sun Ce saw Sheng Xian's reputation as a threat to his own authority, and Sheng Xian's life was in jeopardy. Around 202, Sheng Xian's close friend

Kong Rong Kong Rong () (153 – 26 September 208), courtesy name Wenju, was a Chinese poet, politician, and minor warlord. who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was a 20th generation descendant of Confucius. As he was once the Chance ...

persuaded

Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...

to give Sheng Xian an official appointment as protection. Cao Cao thus appointed Sheng Xian as a Cavalry Commandant (), but he was killed by Sun Ce's successor,

Sun Quan Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime ...

, before the commission reached him. Two of Sheng Xian's followers, Dai Yuan () and Gui Lan (), took revenge against Sun Quan by killing his brother

Sun Yi Sun Yi (184–204), courtesy name Shubi, was Chinese military general and politician who was a younger brother of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period of China. Life Sun Yi was the third son of ...

and another relative Sun He (). They planned to defect to Cao Cao through Liu Fu. However, Sun Yi's widow devised a plan to trap them and had them killed to avenge her husband. Sheng Xian was survived by a son, Sheng Kuang (), who served under Cao Cao as a military officer.

References

* {{cite book, last=de Crespigny, first=Rafe, author-link=Rafe de Crespigny, title=A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD), publisher=Brill, place=Leiden, year=2007, isbn=978-90-04-15605-0. * Sima, Guang (1084). ''

Zizhi Tongjian ''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...

'', Volume 63. Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 2nd-century Chinese people Han dynasty politicians People from East China Political office-holders in Jiangsu Sun Ce and associates

Life

See also

References