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 Theobald ...

Xiaozhang, was a Chinese politician who lived during the late

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...

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-day ...

, 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 inhabitants. ...

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 Jiang ...

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 county, ...

(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 trade ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...

). He recommended Gao Dai () for government service. Around 193, when

Xu Gong Xu Gong () (died 200) was a Chinese politician and minor warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life Xu Gong started his career sometime between 190 and 193 as the Commandant () of Wu Commandery (around present-day Su ...

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 which modern Xuzhou inherited. History Pre-Qin era Xuzhou or Xu Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ...

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 w ...

was conquering the commanderies in the Jiangdong region later in 199,

Cheng Pu Cheng Pu () (died after 210), courtesy name Demou, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He previously served under Sun Quan's predecessors: Sun Jian (Sun ...

suggested attacking Xu Zhao, but Sun Ce, citing Xu Zhao's giving sanctuary to Sheng Xian and

Yan Baihu Yan Baihu () was a bandit leader active in the Wu or Jiangdong region during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life "Baihu" was not Yan's real name, but a nickname given to him due to his physical prowess or skin colour; thus his name ...

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 (China), grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the End of ...

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 es ...

, 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 Sun He (224 – November or December 253), courtesy name Zixiao, was an imperial prince of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the third son of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Wu. In 242, he became the cro ...

(). 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