Du Xi 杜襲

Du Xi, courtesy name Zixu, was a man of Dingling County in Yingchuan Commandery. His great-grandfather Du An and grandfather Du Gen had made their names in earlier times. Du Xi fled the disorder to Jing Province, where Liu Biao treated him with the courtesy due a guest. When Fan Qin of the same commandery repeatedly won Liu Biao's esteem, Du Xi admonished him that they had come together only to lie coiled like dragons in a marsh and wait for the time to soar like phoenixes, not to entrust themselves to Governor Liu as a lord who would put an end to the disorder, and that if Fan Qin did not stop displaying his talents he would break off their friendship. When Fan Qin said he would respectfully accept the advice, Du Xi went south to Changsha. According to the biography of Zhao Yan, in Jing Province Zhao Yan shared his property and plans with Du Xi and Fan Qin and lived with them like one family. Records, Wei 23 §34–35 · 47

Early in the Jian'an era, when Cao Cao received the Son of Heaven and made Xu the capital, Du Xi escaped and returned to his home district, and Cao Cao made him Chief of Xi'e County. The county bordered the south and bandits ran rampant; the senior officials had gathered the people to guard the city walls so that they could not farm, leaving the fields waste and the granaries empty. Knowing that he had won the people's gratitude, Du Xi sent the old and weak off to farm and kept the able-bodied and strong to prepare the defence, and officials and people alike were glad. Records, Wei 23 §36

Just then 10,000 infantry and cavalry came from Jing Province to attack the city, and Du Xi called together more than fifty of the county's officials and people who could hold the defence and swore an oath with them, letting anyone whose relatives were outside the city leave freely, but all of them wished to fight to the death. Du Xi took up arrows and stones himself and fought at their head, beheading several hundred, but more than thirty of his men died and the remaining eighteen were all wounded, and the enemy entered the city. Du Xi led the wounded officials and people in breaking through the siege; nearly all were killed or wounded, yet none turned traitor. He gathered the scattered people and moved them to the camp at Mopi, and the officials and people followed him as if going home. Records, Wei 23 §36–37

The Colonel Director of Retainers Zhong Yao petitioned to make him Court Gentleman-Consultant and Army Adviser (canjunshi), and Xun Yu also recommended him, so Cao Cao made him Libationer of the Army to the Chancellor. In the 18th year of Jian'an (213), when Cao Cao became Duke of Wei and the state of Wei was established, Du Xi became Palace Attendant and was employed together with Wang Can and He Qia. Wang Can, with his strong memory and wide learning, often rode in Cao Cao's carriage, but the respect he received did not match that shown to He Qia and Du Xi. When Du Xi once had an audience with Cao Cao alone that lasted until midnight, Wang Can said he wondered what they could be talking about, and He Qia laughed, asking whether, not content with attending by day, he wanted the nights as well. Records, Wei 23 §38–39Records, Wei 1 §120–121

Later Du Xi concurrently held the post of Chief Clerk to the Chancellor, and in the 20th year of Jian'an (215) he followed Cao Cao to Hanzhong to attack Zhang Lu. On his return Cao Cao made Du Xi Commandant of Escort Cavalry and left him behind to supervise military affairs in Hanzhong; Du Xi pacified and guided the people, and more than 80,000 of them willingly moved to Luoyang and Ye. In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), when Xiahou Yuan was killed by Liu Bei and the army lost its commander, Du Xi, together with Zhang He and Guo Huai, took charge of the affairs of the various armies and provisionally made Zhang He overall commander, and the three armies were steadied. Records, Wei 23 §39–40Records, Wei 1 §145–146 · 165–166

When Cao Cao returned east, he ordered a Chief Clerk of the rear headquarters to be chosen to guard Chang'an, but most of those selected by the officials in charge were unsuitable. Cao Cao issued an order saying, 'Why leave a fine steed unridden and go anxiously searching for another?', and made Du Xi Chief Clerk of the rear headquarters, stationed in Guanzhong. Records, Wei 23 §40

At that time the general Xu You held his own private troops, would not submit to Cao Cao and spoke insolently, and Cao Cao, in a rage, wanted to attack him first. His ministers advised winning him over, but Cao Cao laid his sword across his knees and would not listen, and when Du Xi came in he told him that the plan was already settled and he should say nothing. Du Xi said that if the plan was right he would help carry it out, but if it was wrong it should be changed even though settled; when Cao Cao called Xu You an ordinary man, Du Xi asked how an ordinary man could recognize one who was not ordinary. He added that to attack the foxes and wildcats first while jackals and wolves blocked the road would make people say Cao Cao avoided the strong and attacked the weak, and that a crossbow of a thousand jun is not released for a mouse. Cao Cao said, 'Good,' and treated Xu You generously, and Xu You soon returned to submission. Records, Wei 23 §41–43

At that time Xiahou Shang was close to the heir Cao Pi and their friendship was very warm, but Du Xi told Cao Cao that Xiahou Shang was not a beneficial friend and did not deserve special treatment. Cao Pi was at first very displeased, but later came to reflect on those words. The biography of Xiahou Shang records that when Cao Pi heard that Xiahou Shang, after burying his beloved concubine, had dug her up again to look at her, he said, 'Du Xi truly had reason to call Xiahou Shang frivolous.' Chen Shou wrote that Du Xi's way of being gentle without offending his superiors was always like this. Records, Wei 23 §43Records, Wei 9 §97

When Cao Pi became king, Du Xi was granted the title of Marquis Within the Passes, and when Cao Pi took the imperial throne Du Xi became Censor Supervising Army Grain and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuping Village; he then became Law Enforcer Supervising Army Grain, and entered the court as Master of Writing. When Emperor Ming took the throne, he was advanced to Marquis of Pingyang District. When Zhuge Liang came out to Qinchuan and the General-in-Chief Cao Zhen led the various armies to resist him, Du Xi became Military Adviser to the General-in-Chief, and a hundred households were split from his fief to grant his elder brother Du Ji (杜基) the title of Marquis Within the Passes. Records, Wei 23 §44

When Cao Zhen died in the 3rd month of the 5th year of Taihe (231) and Sima Yi replaced him, Du Xi again became Military Adviser and received 300 more households, bringing his fief to 550 households in all. Summoned back because of illness, he was made Grandee of the Palace, and when he died he was posthumously named Minister Steward and given the posthumous title Marquis Ding. His son Du Hui succeeded him. The year of his death is not recorded. Records, Wei 23 §45Records, Wei 3 §21

In his assessment Chen Shou wrote that 'Du Xi was gentle and pure and had a grasp of the larger picture', and said that he, together with He Qia, Chang Lin, Yang Jun, Zhao Yan and Pei Qian, were all fine gentlemen of the age. Records, Wei 23 §75