Xun Xu ( – 289), courtesy name Gongzeng, was a Chinese musician, painter, politician, and writer who lived during the late Three Kingdoms period and early Jin dynasty of China. Born in the influential Xun family, he was a great-grandson of Xun Shuang and a distant maternal relative of Zhong Yao's family (and Zhong Yao's grandnephew). He served as an official in the state of Cao Wei in the late Three Kingdoms era before serving under the Jin dynasty.([太康十年]十一月，丙辰，尚書令濟北成侯荀勗卒。) Zizhi Tongjian vol. 82.
Family background and early life Xun Xu was born in the eminent Xun family, whose ancestral home was in Yingyin County (潁陰縣), Yingchuan Commandery (穎川郡), which is in present-day Xuchang, Henan. His great-grandfather, Xun Shuang, served as the Minister of Works during the Eastern Han dynasty. His grandfather, Xun Fei (荀棐), served as Colonel of Trainee Archers (射聲校尉).(荀勖，字公曾，潁川潁陰人，漢司空爽曾孫也。祖棐，射聲校尉。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Xun Xu's father, Xun Xi (荀肸), died early, so Xun Xu was raised by his maternal granduncle Zhong Yao and the Zhong family. Zhong Yao served as the Grand Tutor (太傅) in the imperial court of the state of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period after the end of the Eastern Han dynasty. As a child, Xun Xu was a fast learner and could already write essays when he was only 10. Zhong Yao once remarked that Xun Xu would grow up to become like his great-grandfather Xun Shuang.(父肸，早亡。勖依於舅氏。岐嶷夙成，年十餘歲能屬文。從外祖魏太傅鐘繇曰：「此兒當及其曾祖。」) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Among Xun Xu's relatives, the more notable ones were Xun Yu, Xun Yue and Xun You. Xun Yu and Xun Yue were Xun Xu's first cousins twice removed, while Xun You was Xun Xu's third cousin once removed. Xun Yu and Xun You were influential statesmen of the late Eastern Han dynasty and advisers to the warlord Cao Cao, who laid the foundation for the state of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. Xun Yue was an official, historian and Confucian scholar of the late Eastern Han dynasty.
Service under the Cao Wei state By the time Xun Xu reached adulthood, he was already a learned and knowledgeable young man. He was interested in government and politics so he started his career as an assistant to Cao Shuang, a general serving as regent to Cao Fang, the third emperor of Wei. He was subsequently reassigned to be a communications secretary in the palace secretariat. In February 249, Cao Shuang was executed after losing power in a coup launched by his co-regent, Sima Yi. None of Cao Shuang's former aides dared to collect his remains and arrange a funeral for him because they were afraid of being implicated. Xun Xu stepped up, held a funeral for Cao Shuang, and inspired others to follow him.(既長，遂博學，達於從政。仕魏，辟大將軍曹爽掾，遷中書通事郎。爽誅，門生故吏無敢往者，勖獨臨赴，眾乃從之。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Xun Xu later became the Magistrate of Anyang County (安陽縣) and an assistant to the General of Agile Cavalry. During his tenure in Anyang County, Xun Xu gained so much respect and love from the local residents that they even built a shrine to honour him. He was subsequently held the following appointments: Judge under the Minister of Justice (廷尉正), military adviser to the regent Sima Zhao, third regent from the Sima clan, official in the Hall of Records (記室). He was also ennobled as a Secondary Marquis (關內侯).(為安陽令，轉驃騎從事中郎。勖有遺愛，安陽生為立祠。遷廷尉正，參文帝大將軍軍事，賜爵關內侯，轉從事中郎，領記室。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
In June 260, the fourth Wei emperor, Cao Mao, attempted a coup to seize back power from the regent, Sima Zhao, who had been monopolising state power since 255. Sima Zhao's younger brother, Sima Gan, heard of the coup and tried to enter the palace to help his brother. However, he was denied entry by Sun You (孫佑), an officer guarding the main gate, so he had to enter the palace through another gate. When Sima Zhao found out why Sima Gan showed up late, he wanted to execute Sun You and his family. However, Xun Xu advised him against it by pointing out that it would be unfair and unjust to punish Sun You's family as well, given that Cheng Cui's (成倅; brother of Cao Mao's killer Cheng Ji) family was spared. Sima Zhao heeded Xun Xu's advice and punished only Sun You, by demoting him to the status of a commoner.(高貴鄉公欲為變時，大將軍掾孫佑等守閶闔門。帝弟安陽侯幹聞難欲入，佑謂幹曰：「未有入者，可從東掖門。」及幹至，帝遲之，幹以狀白，帝欲族誅佑。勖諫曰：「孫佑不納安陽，誠宜深責。然事有逆順，用刑不可以喜怒為輕重。今成倅刑止其身，佑乃族誅，恐義士私議。」乃免佑為庶人。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Around the same time, Lu Yi (路遺), a cavalry officer, requested permission from Sima Zhao to infiltrate Wei's southwestern rival state, Shu Han, and assassinate Shu's leaders. Xun Xu advised Sima Zhao against using assassination because he believed that defeating Shu forces in battle was a better way of convincing the people of Shu to surrender and for Sima Zhao to gain greater prestige. Sima Zhao praised Xun Xu for his sound advice.(時官騎路遺求為刺客入蜀，勖言於帝曰：「明公以至公宰天下，宜杖正義以伐違貳。而名以刺客除賊，非所謂刑於四海，以德服遠也。」帝稱善。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
In 264, the Wei general Zhong Hui started a rebellion against Sima Zhao after leading Wei forces to conquer Shu. At the time, Sima Zhao only heard rumours about the rebellion and had no concrete evidence yet. As he had all along treated Zhong Hui well, he was reluctant to believe that Zhong would rebel against him. After Xun Xu cautioned him against trusting Zhong Hui, Sima Zhao led his forces to garrison at Chang'an as a precautionary measure. Guo Yi (郭奕; nephew of Guo Huai) and Wang Shen (王深; son of Wang Chang) urged Sima Zhao to banish Xun Xu because they feared that he would side with Zhong Hui, given that he was a relative of and was raised by the Zhong family. However, Sima Zhao ignored them and continued to treat Xun Xu as he did before, and even allowed Xun Xu to ride in the same carriage as him. Previously, when Sima Zhao ordered Zhong Hui to lead Wei forces to conquer Shu, Xun Xu had nominated Wei Guan to supervise the campaign. Later, Wei Guan played a huge role in suppressing Zhong Hui's rebellion. After Shu region had been pacified, Xun Xu followed Sima Zhao back to the Wei capital, Luoyang, where he, Pei Xiu and Yang Hu were put in charge of the privy council.(及鐘會謀反，審問未至，而外人先告之。帝待會素厚，未之信也。勖曰：「會雖受恩，然其性未可許以見得思義，不可不速為之備。」帝即出鎮長安，主簿郭奕、參軍王深以勖是會從甥，少長舅氏，勸帝斥出之。帝不納，而使勖陪乘，待之如初。先是，勖啟「伐蜀，宜以衛瓘為監軍」。及蜀中亂，賴瓘以濟。會平，還洛，與裴秀、羊祜共管機密。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
After eliminating Shu Han, Sima Zhao planned to conquer Wei's other rival state, Eastern Wu, so he sent an emissary to pass a letter to the Wu emperor, Sun Hao. Sima Zhao had previously ordered his subordinates to draft the letter to Sun Hao. Among the numerous drafts he read, he eventually chose the one written by Xun Xu. Sun Hao agreed to make peace with Wei after reading the letter. Sima Zhao remarked that Xun Xu's letter had the power equivalent to that of an army of 100,000. In mid 264, the fifth Wei emperor, Cao Huan, conferred Sima Zhao the title of a vassal king, "King of Jin" (晉王). Xun Xu was appointed as a Palace Attendant (侍中), and enfeoffed as the Marquis of Anyang (安陽侯) and given 1,000 taxable households for his marquisate.(時將發使聘吳，並遣當時文士作書與孫皓，帝用勖所作。皓既報命和親，帝謂勖曰：「君前作書，使吳思順，勝十萬之眾也。」帝即晉王位，以勖為侍中，封安陽子，邑千戶。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Overview of service under the Jin dynasty Following Sima Zhao's death in September 265, in February 266 the Wei emperor Cao Huan abdicated his throne to Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan, who established the Jin dynasty to replace Wei. After Sima Yan was enthroned and became historically known as Emperor Wu, he enfeoffed Xun Xu as the Duke of Jibei Commandery (濟北郡公). However, Xun Xu declined the enfeoffment after seeing that Yang Hu also declined his. However, he still remained as a marquis under the new title "Marquis of Jibei" (濟北侯). Xun Xu was then concurrently appointed as Supervisor of the Palace Writers (中書監), Palace Attendant (侍中), and zhuzuo (著作; senior writer). The emperor also tasked him and Jia Chong with drafting the laws of the Jin dynasty.(武帝受禪，改封濟北郡公。勖以羊祜讓，乃固辭為侯。拜中書監，加侍中，領著作，與賈充共定律令。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
In the early Xianning era (275–280), Emperor Wu named Xun Xu, Shi Bao and others as the pioneers of the Jin dynasty and included them among those honoured in the Jin dynasty's ancestral temple. Around 280, when Wang Jun requested permission to lead an army to conquer Eastern Wu (the last of the Three Kingdoms), Xun Xu and Jia Chong strongly objected but Emperor Wu ignored them and ordered Wang Jun and others to lead Jin forces on an invasion of Wu. The invasion turned out successful and led to the reunification of China under the Jin dynasty. When Emperor Wu assessed Xun Xu's contributions in helping him draft imperial edicts, he rewarded Xun Xu by enfeoffing one of his sons as a village marquis with 1,000 taxable households in his marquisate and awarding him 1,000 rolls of silk.(咸甯初，與石苞等並為佐命功臣，列於銘饗。及王浚表請伐吳，勖與賈充固諫不可，帝不從，而吳果滅。以專典詔命，論功封子一人為亭侯，邑一千戶，賜絹千匹。) Jin Shu vol. 39. The emperor also enfeoffed Xun Xu's grandson, Xun Xian (荀顯), as the Marquis of Yingyang Village (潁陽亭侯).(又封孫顯為潁陽亭侯。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Around the time, there was much discussion in the imperial court over the issue of restoring the nobles to their fiefs and allowing them to govern from their respective fiefs. When Emperor Wu sought his opinion, Xun Xu disapproved because he believed that since the nobles also held gubernatorial appointments, they might neglect their original jurisdictions once they return to their respective fiefs. He also pointed out the possible complications such as having to subdivide the fiefs into commanderies and counties, as well as the risk of making people unhappy since the subdividing would require relocating residents from one area to another. He further pointed out that they would need to reassign troops from the borders and place them under decentralised command in the various fiefs. When Emperor Wu asked Xun Xu to reconsider his views, Xun Xu explained further that the best course of action was to maintain the status quo, since the redrawing of boundaries between the fiefs might lead to resentment and potential unrest if it was not carefully managed. He also pointed out that there were far more important issues that required immediate attention, so they should focus on those first. Emperor Wu thought that Xun Xu's advice was appropriate and heeded it.(時議遣王公之國，帝以問勖，勖對曰：「諸王公已為都督，而使之國，則廢方任。又分割郡縣，人心戀本，必用嗷嗷。國皆置軍，官兵還當給國，而闕邊守。」帝重使勖思之，勖又陳曰：「如詔准古方伯選才，使軍國各隨方面為都督，誠如明旨。至於割正封疆。使親疏不同誠為佳矣。然分裂舊土，猶懼多所搖動，必使人心聰擾，思惟竊宜如前。若於事不得不時有所轉封，而不至分割土域，有所損奪者，可隨宜節度。其五等體國經遠，實不成制度。然但虛名，其於實事，略與舊郡縣鄉亭無異。若造次改奪，恐不能不以為恨。今方了其大者，以為五等可須後裁度。凡事雖有久而益善者，若臨時或有不解，亦不可忽。」帝以勖言為允，多從其意。) Jin Shu vol. 39.
Around the time, the imperial court was discussing a proposal to retrench about half the number of officials in commanderies and counties to free up labour for agricultural works. Xun Xu cited examples from the Han dynasty and gave a long explanation on why he believed that the best solution was to reduce the layers of bureaucracy in the administration. He pointed out how doing so could help to discourage officials from corrupt behaviour, improve administrative efficiency, and build up greater social trust among the masses. He often applied such critical analysis in assessing the costs and benefits of government policies.(時又議省州郡縣半吏以赴農功，勖議以為：「省吏不如省官，省官不如省事，省事不如清心。 ... 如其不爾，恐適惑人聽，比前行所省，皆須臾輒復，或激而滋繁，亦不可不重。」勖論議損益多此類。) Jin Shu vol. 39.