Qiao Xuan
Encyclopedia
Qiao Xuan style name
Gongzu (公祖), was an official who lived during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
.
, Henan
). He came from a gentry, scholarly background. In his youth, he served as an Officer of Merit (功曹) in Liang. When Zhou Jing (周景), the Inspector of Yu Province, passed by Liang, Qiao reported to him the crimes of Yang Chang (羊昌), Chancellor of Chen. Zhou ordered Qiao to conduct an investigation and Qiao thoroughly listed Yang's crimes. However, as Yang was closely related to Commander-in-Chief Liang Ji
, Liang sent an urgent letter, asked Zhou to release Yang. Zhou was afraid of Liang Ji so he called off Qiao. However, Qiao returned the letter, locked up Yang and had him sent to the capital city Luoyang
in a prison cart. He became famous because of that incident.
Qiao was later appointed as a minor official in Luoyang. Qiao's superior, Liang Buyi (梁不疑), was Liang Ji's brother, and he often humiliated Qiao. Qiao eventually resigned.
Qiao was appointed Chancellor of Qi (present-day Shandong
) later. Once, he committed an offense and was stripped off his post and sent to perform hard labour. After finishing serving his sentence, he was appointed Administrator of Shanggu (上谷) and later Administrator of Hanyang (漢陽). Qiao executed Huangfu Zhen (皇甫禎), the corrupt Prefect of Shanggui (上邽).
In 170, Qiao was appointed Excellency of Works (司空) and became Minister over the Masses
a year later.
Qiao was generous and supportive of Cao Cao
, when the latter was in his youth. For that, Cao remembered Qiao even when he reached the pinnacle of his achievements.
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
, Qiao was the father of the two Qiao sisters
, and was referred to as "Qiao Guolao" (喬國老; literally: "State Elder Qiao"). He appears in chapter 54 in the events leading to the marriage between Liu Bei
and Sun Shangxiang
.
The marriage between Liu Bei and Lady Sun took place in the 12th lunar month of 209, so Qiao Xuan's role in the events leading to the marriage is purely fiction as he was already dead for 26 years then.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Gongzu (公祖), was an official who lived during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
.
Biography
Qiao was a native of Suiyang, Liang (south of present-day ShangqiuShangqiu
Shangqiu is a city in eastern Henan province, Central China. It borders Kaifeng to the northwest, Zhoukou to the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Anhui to the northeast and southeast respectively. An ancient city with a rich history, Shangqiu was also the first capital of the Shang...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). He came from a gentry, scholarly background. In his youth, he served as an Officer of Merit (功曹) in Liang. When Zhou Jing (周景), the Inspector of Yu Province, passed by Liang, Qiao reported to him the crimes of Yang Chang (羊昌), Chancellor of Chen. Zhou ordered Qiao to conduct an investigation and Qiao thoroughly listed Yang's crimes. However, as Yang was closely related to Commander-in-Chief Liang Ji
Liang Ji
Liang Ji , courtesy name Bozhuo , was a politician and military commander of Han Dynasty China. He dominated government in the 150s together with his sister, Empress Liang Na. After his sister's death, Liang Ji was overthrown in a coup d'etat by Emperor Huan, with the support of the eunuch...
, Liang sent an urgent letter, asked Zhou to release Yang. Zhou was afraid of Liang Ji so he called off Qiao. However, Qiao returned the letter, locked up Yang and had him sent to the capital city Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
in a prison cart. He became famous because of that incident.
Qiao was later appointed as a minor official in Luoyang. Qiao's superior, Liang Buyi (梁不疑), was Liang Ji's brother, and he often humiliated Qiao. Qiao eventually resigned.
Qiao was appointed Chancellor of Qi (present-day Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) later. Once, he committed an offense and was stripped off his post and sent to perform hard labour. After finishing serving his sentence, he was appointed Administrator of Shanggu (上谷) and later Administrator of Hanyang (漢陽). Qiao executed Huangfu Zhen (皇甫禎), the corrupt Prefect of Shanggui (上邽).
In 170, Qiao was appointed Excellency of Works (司空) and became Minister over the Masses
Minister over the Masses
Minister over the Masses was one of the three most important official posts during the Han Dynasty, called the Three Excellencies. The nominal salary attached was 20,000 dàn of grain. The position and title had existed since the Warring States, but was only standardised during the Qin Dynasty....
a year later.
Qiao was generous and supportive of Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
, when the latter was in his youth. For that, Cao remembered Qiao even when he reached the pinnacle of his achievements.
In fiction
In Luo GuanzhongLuo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, Qiao was the father of the two Qiao sisters
Two Qiaos
The Two Qiaos refer to two sisters who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Their names were not recorded, so in later times they are referred to simply as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao . They were from Wan County, Lujiang Commandery...
, and was referred to as "Qiao Guolao" (喬國老; literally: "State Elder Qiao"). He appears in chapter 54 in the events leading to the marriage between Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
and Sun Shangxiang
Lady Sun
Lady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of...
.
Historical inaccuracy
Qiao Xuan died in 183 while the Qiao sisters married Sun Ce and Zhou Yu in 200, so Qiao Xuan could not have possibly been present at the time of the marriages. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the Qiao sisters were the daughters of Qiao Xuan. Besides, if the Qiao sisters were indeed the daughters of Qiao Xuan, the Chinese character for "Qiao" in their names should be "橋" instead of "喬".The marriage between Liu Bei and Lady Sun took place in the 12th lunar month of 209, so Qiao Xuan's role in the events leading to the marriage is purely fiction as he was already dead for 26 years then.
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms