Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Cao Wei statesman remembered for his composure at execution

Xiahou Xuan 夏侯玄

Attested AD 209 - AD 254

Passages: 3
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

Xiahou Xuan was a Cao Wei statesman remembered for his composure at execution.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 209 to AD 254 夏侯色
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 69, passage 296
AD 240 to AD 254 臣松之以為
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 256

Key source chapters

Book of Song, Chapter 69 Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye 2 passages
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 39 Volume 39: Book of Shu 9: Biographies of Dong, Liu, Ma, Chen, Dong, and Lü 1 passage

Places and affiliations

Polity Cao Wei 曹魏 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 256

Assessments and attributes

Assessment brilliance of a young prodigy · Mode commentator-judgment Source Person Id Pei Songzhi (裴松之)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 39, passage 256
Assessment remembered for composure in the face of execution · Mode historical-allusion
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 69, passages 296, 326

References in the histories

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 39Volume 39: Book of Shu 9: Biographies of Dong, Liu, Ma, Chen, Dong, and Lü · 1 passage

夏侯玄、陳表並有騂角之美，而亦如泰者，《魏書》總名此卷云《諸夏侯曹傳》，故不復稍加品藻。 Both Xiahou Xuan and Chen Biao had the brilliance of young prodigies, and cases like Tai's—the Wei shu titles this whole scroll "Biographies of the Xiahous, Cao clan, and others," so no further comment is added.

Book of Song, Chapter 69Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye · 2 passages

雖無嵇生琴，庶同夏侯色。 Though lacking Ji Kang's qin, I hope to match Xiahou's composure.

妹及妓妾來別，曄悲涕流漣，綜曰：「舅殊不同夏侯色。」 His sisters and concubines came to say farewell. Ye wept with tears streaming down. Zong said: "Uncle, you are nothing like Xiahou's composure."