RUrged his father to bend to the powerful ministers and was rebuked by himWei 25 §16Wei 25 §17
NKept to his duty and went to his master Cao Shuang; Sima Yi called him a man of righteousnessCh. 107 §6Ch. 107 §27
Xin Chang 辛敞
| Occupation | ROfficial · Administrator of Henei NOfficial · Army Adviser | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Yingchuan Commandery Yangdi County Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R3 |
Profile
Xin Chang was a son of Xin Pi of Wei. When the Director of the Palace Secretariat Liu Fang and the Prefect of the Palace Secretariat Sun Zi held the reins of government under Emperor Ming, he urged his father to bend his will a little and mix with them, but Xin Pi rejected this, saying that a true man could not ruin his lofty integrity in order to become a duke. Records, Wei 25 §16–17
After Xin Pi died he succeeded him, and in the Xianxi era (264–265) he became Administrator of Henei. Records, Wei 25 §22
He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears twice in the biography of his father Xin Pi. In the Romance he appears in only one of its 120 chapters, Chapter 107, and his name is in no chapter title. He appears as Army Adviser to Cao Shuang; when Sima Yi shuts the city gates, he heeds the words of his elder sister Xin Xianying and, together with the Major Lu Zhi, seizes a gate and goes to Cao Shuang, and when the affair is over Sima Yi calls him a man of righteousness and he returns to his former post. Records, Wei 25 §16 · 22Romance, Ch. 107 §5–7 · 27
In the Records
Xin Chang was a son of Xin Pi. Around the time Emperor Ming took the throne and raised Xin Pi's enfeoffment to Marquis of Ying District, the Director of the Palace Secretariat Liu Fang and the Prefect of the Palace Secretariat Sun Zi enjoyed the ruler's trust and decided the affairs of state, and there was no high minister who did not court them; Xin Pi alone had nothing to do with them. Xin Chang remonstrated: 'Now Liu Fang and Sun Zi hold power and everyone clings to them like shadows. You, Father, should also bend your will a little, soften your brilliance and mingle with the dust of the world. Otherwise there will surely be slanderous talk.' Records, Wei 25 §16
Xin Pi, with a stern face, said that although the ruler could not be called brilliant, he was neither dull nor mediocre, and that in establishing himself he had his own principles of what came first and what came last. Even if he was on bad terms with Liu Fang and Sun Zi, he answered, it would at most keep him from becoming one of the Three Excellencies, so what harm could there be? How could a true man ruin his lofty integrity out of a wish to become a duke? Records, Wei 25 §16–17
Later the Supervisor of Attendants Bi Gui submitted a memorial saying that Xin Pi should replace the Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat Wang Si. When Emperor Ming asked Liu Fang and Sun Zi about this, the two replied that Xin Pi was indeed clear-sighted and upright but stubborn and high-handed by nature, and in the end Xin Pi was not employed and left the court to become Minister of the Guards. Records, Wei 25 §17–18
In the 2nd year of Qinglong (234), when Zhuge Liang came out south of the Wei River, Emperor Ming, fearing he could not restrain the General-in-Chief Sima Yi, who was asking to give battle, made Xin Pi Military Adviser to the General-in-Chief and Envoy Holding the Staff of Authority. When Zhuge Liang died, Xin Pi became Minister of the Guards again. When Xin Pi died he received the posthumous title Marquis Su, and his son Xin Chang succeeded him. Xin Chang became Administrator of Henei in the Xianxi era (264–265). Chen Shou's main text does not record what Xin Chang did after that, or his death. Records, Wei 25 §22
In the Romance
In Chapter 107 of the Romance, when Sima Yi raises troops and an upheaval breaks out in the city, Lu Zhi, a Major under Cao Shuang, consults the Army Adviser Xin Chang, and Xin Chang proposes leading their own troops out of the city to go and see the emperor. When Xin Chang rushes into the rear hall, his elder sister Xin Xianying asks what has made him so flustered, and Xin Chang tells her that with the emperor outside the city the Grand Tutor has shut the gates, so he must surely be plotting rebellion. Romance, Ch. 107 §5
Xin Xianying says that Lord Sima is not necessarily plotting rebellion but only means to kill General Cao, and that General Cao is no match for Lord Sima and will surely be defeated. When Xin Chang asks whether he may go, since Major Lu is asking him to go along, she answers that keeping to one's duty is a person's great righteousness, and that for one who has held the whip in another's service to abandon that service, nothing could be more ill-omened. Xin Chang follows her words and, together with Lu Zhi, leads several dozen horsemen to cut through the barrier, seize the gate and get out. Romance, Ch. 107 §6–7
Reaching Cao Shuang, Xin Chang and Lu Zhi tell him that the city is held as tight as an iron bucket and that the Grand Tutor has stationed troops at the floating bridge on the Luo River, so that by the look of things he will not be able to return, and that he should decide on a grand plan early. As they are speaking, the Minister of Agriculture Huan Fan comes galloping up and urges Cao Shuang to ask the emperor to travel to Xudu and to summon troops from outside to attack Sima Yi. Romance, Ch. 107 §14
After Sima Yi has beheaded Cao Shuang, the Grand Commandant Jiang Ji says that Lu Zhi and Xin Chang, who cut through the barrier and seized the gate to get out, and Yang Zong, who seized the seal and would not hand it over, must not be let go, but Sima Yi, saying they are men of righteousness who each served their own master, restores each of them to his former post. Xin Chang sighs, 'Had I not asked my sister, I would nearly have lost my great righteousness!' Sima Yi pardons Xin Chang and the others and puts up a notice that all those who had been in Cao Shuang's service are spared from death and that those holding office are restored to their posts as before. Romance, Ch. 107 §27 · 29
Where the Romance differs
His conduct during the Cao Shuang affair: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Xin Chang consults his elder sister Xin Xianying, seizes a gate together with Lu Zhi and goes to Cao Shuang, and after the affair he is pardoned by Sima Yi. The Biography of Xin Pi and the Biography of Cao Shuang in Chen Shou's main text do not contain this episode, and the Biography of Xin Pi says only that Xin Chang succeeded his father and became Administrator of Henei in the Xianxi era. Romance, Ch. 107 §5–7 · 27Records, Wei 25 §16–22Records, Wei 9 §70–85
Remonstrance with his father: In the Biography of Xin Pi in the Records, Xin Chang urges his father Xin Pi to mix with Liu Fang and Sun Zi, who held power, and is rebuffed. This episode does not appear in the Romance, which also does not say that Xin Chang was Xin Pi's son. Records, Wei 25 §16–17Romance, Ch. 107 §5–29
Offices: In Chapter 107 of the Romance, Xin Chang appears as Army Adviser to Cao Shuang and returns to his former post. Chen Shou's main text does not record the post of Army Adviser and says that after succeeding his father he became Administrator of Henei in the Xianxi era. Romance, Ch. 107 §5 · 27Records, Wei 25 §22
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 total404 / 1000Rank 585 of 996 · Top 59%Romance total453 / 1000Rank 232 of 1,113 · Top 21%
Romance adaptation index+49Romance total − Records total
- LEA3542+7
- STR3148+17
- INT4248+6
- POL4835−13
- CHA3838±0
- VIR3872+34
- ADP5555±0
- SCH4238−4
- DIP4042+2
- DIS3535±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NCut through the barrier, seized the gate and got out of the cityCh. 107 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Army Adviser under Cao ShuangCh. 107 §5
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NLed several dozen horsemen with Lu Zhi and seized a gate to get outCh. 107 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NReported that the city was tightly held and there was no going backCh. 107 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Army Adviser under Cao ShuangCh. 107 §5
RUrged his father to mix with the powerful ministers so as to avoid slanderWei 25 §16
NUnsure whether to go or stay, he followed his sister's advice and kept his great righteousnessCh. 107 §5Ch. 107 §6Ch. 107 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Army Adviser under Cao ShuangCh. 107 §5
RTried to persuade his father but was not heededWei 25 §16Wei 25 §17
NAdvised Cao Shuang to decide on a grand plan earlyCh. 107 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his being Xin Pi's son and his role as Administrator of HeneiWei 25 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Army Adviser under Cao ShuangCh. 107 §5
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
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 25 「敞字泰雍，官至衞尉」
Family
| Parents | Xin Pi Records |
|---|---|
| Siblings | Xin Xianying Novel & History |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.