Bao Xin 鮑信

The biography of his son Bao Xun records that Bao Xun was a ninth-generation descendant of Bao Xuan, Colonel-Director of Retainers under the Han, and that one of Bao Xuan's descendants had moved from Shangdang to Taishan and settled there. Bao Xin was Chief Commandant of Cavalry under Emperor Ling, and the General-in-Chief He Jin sent him east to raise troops. Records, Wei 12 §66

According to the account of Dong Zhuo in Records of Wei 6, after He Jin's downfall Dong Zhuo seized military control of the capital. Before this, He Jin had sent Bao Xin of Taishan, Chief Commandant of Cavalry, to raise troops wherever he could, and Bao Xin, who had just returned, said to Yuan Shao: 'Dong Zhuo holds a strong army and harbors other ambitions; if we do not deal with him quickly now, we will be controlled by him. If we attack him while he has just arrived and is weary, he can be captured.' Yuan Shao feared Dong Zhuo and did not dare to act, and Bao Xin finally went back to his home district. Records, Wei 6 §6–7

According to the Annals of Emperor Wu, in the 1st month, in spring, of the 1st year of Chuping (190), Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei, raised troops at the same time as Yuan Shu, General of the Rear; Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province; Kong Zhou, Inspector of Yu Province; Liu Dai, Inspector of Yan Province; Wang Kuang, Administrator of Henei; Yuan Shao, Administrator of Bohai; Zhang Miao, Administrator of Chenliu; Qiao Mao, Administrator of Dong Commandery; and Yuan Yi, Administrator of Shanyang. Each had tens of thousands of men, and they chose Yuan Shao as their alliance leader. The Biography of Yu Jin records that when the Yellow Turbans rose, Bao Xin gathered a following, and Yu Jin, also a man of Taishan Commandery, joined him. Records, Wei 1 §7Records, Wei 17 §27

In the 3rd year of Chuping (192), a million Yellow Turbans of Qing Province entered Yan Province, killed Zheng Sui, Chancellor of Rencheng, and turned toward Dongping. When Liu Dai wanted to attack them, Bao Xin remonstrated: 'The rebels now number a million, the common people are all terrified, and our soldiers have no will to fight, so they cannot be resisted. The rebels have no baggage train and live solely by plunder; for now it would be better to build up the strength of our troops and first hold firm. If they want to fight but cannot, and want to attack but are unable to, their force will surely scatter; then if we pick out our best troops, seize the key points and strike, they can be defeated.' Records, Wei 1 §20 · 22

Liu Dai did not follow his advice, fought, and was indeed killed. Bao Xin then came to Dong Commandery with Wan Qian and other officials of the province and welcomed Taizu to take charge as Governor of Yan Province. When Taizu advanced his troops and attacked the Yellow Turbans east of Shouzhang, Bao Xin fought hard and was killed in battle, and the rebels were defeated only with difficulty. A reward was offered for Bao Xin's body but it could not be found, so the people carved wood into Bao Xin's likeness, offered sacrifices to it and wept. Records, Wei 1 §23

The Biography of Bao Xun records that Bao Xin later became Chancellor of Jibei and made plans together with Taizu, but was himself killed. In the 17th year of Jian'an (212), Taizu, recalling Bao Xin's merit, submitted a memorial enfeoffing Bao Xun's elder brother Bao Shao as Marquis of Xindu Village. Records, Wei 12 §66

Later, when Emperor Wen was about to put Bao Xun to death, Zhong Yao, Hua Xin, Chen Qun, Xin Pi, Wei Zhen, Gao Rou and others jointly submitted a memorial saying, 'Bao Xun's father Bao Xin rendered merit to Taizu,' and asked that Bao Xun's offense be pardoned. Emperor Wen did not permit it and put Bao Xun to death. Records, Wei 12 §75–76

Chen Shou's main text does not record Bao Xin's courtesy name or age. The assessment at the end of the Annals of Emperor Wu speaks only of Yuan Shao and Taizu, not of Bao Xin, and the assessment in Records of Wei 12 likewise deals only with his son Bao Xun. Records, Wei 1 §173Records, Wei 12 §99