Li Xin (Han)

Biography & Historical Record

Li Xin (李歆, Lý Hâm) was a Shu Han (蜀汉, Thục Hán) field officer of the late 240s, not a born Cao Wei (曹魏, Tào Ngụy) general. The import stub that listed him as Wei confused his end — he and Ju An (句安, Câu An) surrendered after the Qushan (麴山, Khúc Sơn) siege — with his service. In Luo Guanzhong’s novel he is the man Jiang Wei (姜维, Khương Duy) sends to hold the western of two new ramparts under the Qushan hills, who then cuts his way out wounded to beg for relief. Chen Shou’s Sanguozhi is colder: when Jiang Wei’s Yanxi 12 (249) strike on Yongzhou failed, Li Xin and Ju An laid down their arms to Guo Huai (郭淮, Quách Hoài) and Chen Tai (陈泰, Trần Thái).

This page is that officer — 李歆 of Shu, Chapter 107 — not the Sixteen Kingdoms ruler of Western Liang who lived two centuries later, and not a homonymous Wei clerk. Birth, courtesy name, and native commandery are not preserved. What the sources do preserve is a single campaign: two cities meant as horns against Yongzhou, a dry siege, a breakout, and a surrender the novel prefers to hide behind a wounded courier sent home to Chengdu.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 107 (The Ruler of Wei Hands Over the Power to Sima Yi; Jiang Wei Is Defeated at Ox Head Hills): After Xiahou Ba (夏侯霸, Hạ Hầu Bá) flees Sima Yi’s coup and Jiang Wei wins leave from Liu Shan (刘禅, Lưu Thiện) over the caution of Fei Yi (费祎, Phí Y), Jiang Wei orders a Qiang alliance and two cities under Qushan as a horned base. In the eighth month he sends Ju An and Li Xin (李歆, Lý Hâm) with fifteen thousand men: Ju An holds the eastern city, Li Xin the western. Guo Huai (郭淮, Quách Hoài) of Yongzhou dispatches Chen Tai with fifty thousand. The Shu pair come out, are driven in, and lose the Hanzhong road. Wei troops divert the streams; the garrison drinks melted snow. Li Xin tries to seize the water-heads, fails, then rides out with a handful of horsemen, fights through, and — alone and badly wounded — meets Jiang Wei after two days on the western hill paths. He weeps that both cities are dying. Jiang Wei sends him into Yi to recover and, on Xiahou Ba’s advice, marches for Ox Head Hills to threaten Yongzhou’s rear. Chen Tai has already guessed that move: he splits to the Tao River and the hills, and Jiang Wei must break off. The novel never brings Li Xin back on stage; the historical surrender of the two city commandants is left off the page.

Li Xin (李歆) — Historical & Literary Timeline

For the Shu officer’s campaign setting, see Jiang Wei’s Northern Expeditions.

Key Relationships

Family

• No father, mother, spouse, or children are named in the novel or in Chen Shou’s short notice. The Qushan garrison is a command pairing, not a household.

Friends

• Jiang Wei (姜维, Khương Duy): The general who posted him at Qushan and received his breakout report. Novel: patron who sends him home wounded. History: the commander whose failed Yongzhou strike left Li Xin no choice but surrender.
• Ju An (句安, Câu An): Co-commandant of the eastern Qushan city; historically surrendered with Li Xin. Novel keeps him inside the siege while Li Xin rides for help.
• Xiahou Ba (夏侯霸, Hạ Hầu Bá): Jiang Wei’s new Wei-defector guide; his Ox Head Hills advice is the plan taken after Li Xin arrives.

Enemies

• Guo Huai (郭淮, Quách Hoài) and Chen Tai (陈泰, Trần Thái): Yongzhou command. They besiege Qushan, cut water and grain, and — in history — take Li Xin’s surrender. Chen Tai also reads Jiang Wei’s intended rear march.

Other

• Fei Yi (费祎, Phí Y) and Liu Shan (刘禅, Lưu Thiện): The court debate that authorizes the campaign Li Xin then has to hold. Fei Yi argues delay; the emperor lets Jiang Wei go.
• Catalog error: the import listed allegiance as Cao Wei because of the historical surrender. This article treats him as Shu first, Wei only after Qushan fell.