RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NThough gravely wounded, risked his life to report the emergency to Jiang WeiCh. 107 §45Ch. 107 §46
Li Xin 李歆
| Occupation | RGeneral · General of the Standard | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Li Xin was a general of Shu. He has no separate biography in the Records and appears once, in the account of Chen Tai in the Biographies of Huan, the Two Chens, Xu, Wei and Lu (Records of Wei 22). When Jiang Wei led his host to build two forts backed against Mount Qu, Li Xin held those forts together with the General of the Standard Gou An and others. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his origin, his later career or his death. Records, Wei 22 §39
In the Romance he appears in Chapter 107 as 'the Shu general Li Xin', who builds two forts in front of Mount Qu together with Gou An and holds the western fort. He appears in only this one chapter of the 120, and no chapter title bears his name. The Romance depicts him leading a few dozen horsemen out of a fort whose water has been cut off, breaking through the encirclement and reporting the emergency to Jiang Wei. Romance, Ch. 107 §42 · 45–46
In the Records
At the beginning of Jiaping, Chen Tai replaced Guo Huai as Inspector of Yong Province. At this time Jiang Wei of Shu led his host to build two forts backed against Mount Qu, had the Generals of the Standard Gou An, Li Xin and others hold them, and gathered Qiang and Hu hostages and others to raid and press upon the commanderies. When Guo Huai, General Who Conquers the West, discussed how to resist them, Chen Tai said that although the Qu forts were strong, they were far from Shu and the road was steep, so grain would have to be carried to them, and that the Qiang and other peoples, suffering under Jiang Wei's labor levies, would not be willing to follow him, so if they surrounded and took the forts they could capture them without staining their blades with blood. Records, Wei 22 §38–39
Guo Huai followed Chen Tai's plan and had Chen Tai lead Xu Zhi, Protector of the Army for the Campaign against Shu, Deng Ai, Administrator of Nan'an, and others forward to surround the forts. The Wei army cut off their supply route and the flowing water outside the forts, and did not respond when Gou An and the others offered battle. The officers and men inside the forts, reduced to dire straits, shared out their grain and gathered snow to get through the days. Records, Wei 22 §40
When Jiang Wei, as expected, came to the rescue, emerging from Mount Niutou to face Chen Tai, Chen Tai said that if Mount Niutou were cut off Jiang Wei would have no road back, ordered the armies to hold their ramparts firmly and not to fight, and sent word to Guo Huai proposing that he go to Mount Niutou and cut off the line of retreat. When Guo Huai encamped on the Tao River, Jiang Wei took fright and fled, and Gou An and the others, left isolated, in the end all surrendered. The Biography of Guo Huai records the surrender of the Shu General of the Standard Gou An and others at Chishang as an event of the 1st year of Jiaping (249). Records, Wei 22 §40–41Records, Wei 26 §77
The Biography of the Later Sovereign records that in the autumn of the 12th year of Yanxi (249) the General of the Guards Jiang Wei attacked Yong Province but returned without success, and that the generals Gou An and Li Shao (李韶) surrendered to Wei. In Chen Shou's main text, Li Xin's name appears in only one place, the account of Chen Tai, and his courtesy name, origin, later career and death are not recorded. Records, Shu 3 §29Records, Wei 22 §39
In the Romance
In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Jiang Wei brings Xiahou Ba, who has come over from Wei, to an audience with the Later Sovereign, then reaches Hanzhong with Xiahou Ba and proposes first building two forts below Mount Qu and having troops hold them, so as to form a pincer position. In the 8th month of autumn that year the Shu generals Gou An and Li Xin together lead 15,000 troops and build two forts one after the other in front of Mount Qu, Gou An holding the eastern fort and Li Xin the western. Romance, Ch. 107 §38 · 40–42
Guo Huai, Inspector of Yong Province, receiving a spy's report, sends his lieutenant Chen Tai with 50,000 troops, and Gou An and Li Xin each lead out a contingent to meet them, but having too few troops they withdraw into the forts. When Chen Tai surrounds them on all four sides and cuts the grain route from Hanzhong, the forts run out of grain, and Guo Huai, coming in person to survey the terrain, judges that since the forts stand on a high hill they must be short of water, and has his men dig earth and build a dam to cut off the upper stream. Romance, Ch. 107 §42–43
With no water in his fort, Li Xin leads his troops out to draw water, but he is surrounded by the Yong Province troops and, though he fights to the death, cannot get through and withdraws into the fort. Gou An's fort is likewise without water, so the two come out of their forts, join forces in one place and fight a great battle for a long while, but are defeated again. When Gou An says he does not know why Commander-in-Chief Jiang's troops have not come, Li Xin says he will risk his life to break out and ask for relief. Romance, Ch. 107 §44–45
Li Xin, leading a few dozen horsemen, opens the gate and fights his way out, charging left and right until he barely gets free, but he alone survives, gravely wounded, and all the rest perish in the confused fighting. That night heavy snow falls, and the Shu troops in the forts share out their grain and melt snow to eat. After travelling for two days by a narrow path through the western hills, Li Xin meets Jiang Wei's forces, dismounts, prostrates himself on the ground and reports that the two forts are surrounded and their water cut off. Jiang Wei says he is late because the Qiang troops he was gathering have not arrived, and has him escorted back to Shu to recover. Romance, Ch. 107 §45–46
Seeing that Li Xin has broken out of the fort, Chen Tai reckons that once Li Xin reports the emergency to Jiang Wei, Jiang Wei will surely circle round by Mount Niutou to strike their rear, so he has Guo Huai take the Tao River and goes to Mount Niutou himself. When Guo Huai seizes the Tao River and cuts the grain route, Jiang Wei withdraws, losing more than half his troops, and flees toward Yangping Pass; in Chapter 108 the Shu general Gou An in the fort at Mount Qu, receiving no relief, opens the gates and surrenders to Wei. The Romance does not bring Li Xin on stage again after this. Romance, Ch. 107 §49–53Romance, Ch. 108 §2
Where the Romance differs
Office: Chapter 107 of the Romance calls Li Xin only 'a Shu general'. In the Records, the account of Chen Tai records him, together with Gou An, as a General of the Standard. Romance, Ch. 107 §42Records, Wei 22 §39
Disposition of the forts and troops: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Gou An takes the eastern fort and Li Xin the western, with 15,000 troops. The Biography of Chen Tai in the Records says only that Jiang Wei built two forts backed against Mount Qu and had the Generals of the Standard Gou An, Li Xin and others hold them, and does not state how the forts were assigned or how many troops there were. Romance, Ch. 107 §42Records, Wei 22 §39
The plan to cut off the water: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Guo Huai surveys the terrain in person and, judging that the forts stand on a high hill and must be short of water, has the upper stream cut off. In the Records, Guo Huai followed Chen Tai's plan of surrounding and taking the forts, and Chen Tai, leading Xu Zhi, Deng Ai and others, cut off their supply route and the flowing water outside the forts. Romance, Ch. 107 §43Records, Wei 22 §39–40
Breaking the encirclement: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Li Xin breaks through the encirclement with a few dozen horsemen, reports the emergency to Jiang Wei, and, gravely wounded, is sent back to Shu. The Biography of Chen Tai in the Records has no such episode and says only that Jiang Wei, as expected, came to the rescue and emerged from Mount Niutou. Romance, Ch. 107 §45–46Records, Wei 22 §40
Mount Niutou: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Chen Tai, seeing that Li Xin has broken out of the fort, reckons that Jiang Wei will circle round by Mount Niutou to strike their rear. In the Records, after Jiang Wei emerged from Mount Niutou and faced Chen Tai, Chen Tai sent word to Guo Huai proposing to cut off Mount Niutou and block his road back. Romance, Ch. 107 §49Records, Wei 22 §40–41
The outcome: In Chapters 107–108 of the Romance, Li Xin is sent back to Shu to recover, and Gou An in the fort at Mount Qu opens the gates and surrenders to Wei. The Biography of Chen Tai in the Records says that Gou An and the others, left isolated, all surrendered, and the Biography of the Later Sovereign names the generals who surrendered to Wei as Gou An and Li Shao (李韶). There is no record that Li Xin escaped the encirclement. Romance, Ch. 107 §46Romance, Ch. 108 §2Records, Wei 22 §41Records, Shu 3 §29
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
Records total378 / 1000Rank 742 of 996 · Top 75%Romance total427 / 1000Rank 337 of 1,113 · Top 31%
Romance adaptation index+49Romance total − Records total
- LEA4545±0
- STR4258+16
- INT3838±0
- POL3331−2
- CHA3838±0
- VIR4568+23
- ADP4050+10
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3335+2
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NCharged left and right with a few dozen horsemen and broke through the encirclementCh. 107 §44Ch. 107 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NWhen the water was cut off, broke out of the siege himself to seek reliefCh. 107 §45
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RHeld a fort at Mount Qu as General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NHeld the western fort with his own troops but, too few, withdrew insideCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu General of the StandardWei 22 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Shu generalCh. 107 §42
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Romance · Romance ch. 107 「是年秋八月，先差蜀将句安、李歆同引一万五千兵，往麴山前连筑二城：句安守东城，李歆守西城」 · Q124622900
Related events (3)
- Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions 240~262 · Command
- Jiang Wei Defeated at Mount Niutou 249 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Battle of Qucheng 249 · Command
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).