Xun You

The authoritative historical source on Xun You's life is his official biography in book 10 of the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), which was written by Chen Shou in the third century.

In the fifth century, Pei Songzhi annotated the Sanguozhi by incorporating information from other sources to Chen Shou's original work and adding his personal commentary. Some alternative texts used in the annotations to the Sanguozhi include: the Wei Shu (魏書; Book of Wei), by Wang Shen (王沈), Xun Yi (荀顗) and Ruan Ji; the Xun Shi Jia Zhuan (荀氏家傳; Xun Family Genealogy); the Han Ji (漢紀; Annals of Han), by Zhang Fan (張璠); the Fu Zi (傅子), by Fu Xuan.

Xun You was born in the influential Xun family, whose ancestral home was in Yingyin County (潁陰縣), Yingchuan Commandery (穎川郡), which is in present-day Xuchang, Henan.^{[Sanguozhi 2]} His grandfather, Xun Tan (荀曇), whose courtesy name was Yuanzhi (元智), served as the Administrator (太守) of Guangling Commandery (廣陵郡; around present-day Huai'an, Jiangsu).^{[Sanguozhi 3]} Xun You's father, Xun Yi (荀彝), served as a commandery-level Assistant Officer (從事). Xun Yi was a second cousin of Xun Yu, hence Xun You was Xun Yu's second cousin-nephew^{[Sanguozhi zhu 2]} even though he was six years older than Xun Yu.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 3]}

Xun You was orphaned at a young age. He was probably raised by his uncle Xun Qu (荀衢) and his grandfather Xun Tan. When his grandfather died, a minor administrative assistant, Zhang Quan (張權), offered to be the tomb keeper. Xun You, who was 12 years old then, sensed that something was wrong. He told his uncle Xun Qu, "This man looks suspicious. I believe he's up to something." Upon investigation, it was revealed that Zhang Quan was actually a murderer on the run. Because of this incident, the young Xun You was seen as an extraordinary boy.^{[Sanguozhi 4]} When Xun You was six or seven, Xun Qu once accidentally injured him while he was drunk. Since then, every time Xun You left or entered his home, he would do so at times to deliberately avoid meeting his uncle. Xun Qu was very surprised by his nephew's intelligence when he heard about it.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 4]}

When He Jin rose to power in 189 and became regent to his nephew, the young Emperor Shao, he recruited over 20 notable members of scholar-gentry background to join him including Xun You, who had been noted by the famed judge of talent Yin Xiu (陰脩).^{[Sanguozhi zhu 5]} He was appointed as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (黃門侍郎), allowing him to act as a liaison to the palace,^[5] in the imperial capital, Luoyang and would be the person fellow recruit Zheng Tai would complain to . However, within the same year, He Jin was assassinated by the eunuch faction he had sought to destroy. The warlord Dong Zhuo took advantage of the ensuing political turmoil to hijack and control the central government. Between 190 and 191, several regional warlords formed a coalition and launched a campaign against Dong Zhuo in the name of saving the emperor, in response Dong Zhuo ordered Luoyang to be burnt down and relocated the capital to Chang'an. In Chang'an, Xun You secretly plotted with Zheng Tai (鄭泰), He Yong, Chong Ji (种輯) and Wu Qiong (伍瓊) to assassinate Dong Zhuo, who was notorious for his cruelty and tyranny. However, they were discovered and Xun You was arrested and imprisoned. While he was incarcerated, Xun You spoke and behaved normally as though nothing had happened. He was only released after Dong Zhuo was killed in 192.^{[Sanguozhi 5]} However, the Wei Shu mentioned that Xun You was released after he sent someone to persuade and convince Dong Zhuo to free him.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 6]}

Xun You then resigned amidst the chaos resulting from Dong Zhuo's assassination and fled home. Appointed to be the Chancellor (相) of Rencheng State (任城; southwest of present-day Zoucheng, Shandong), he rejected this appointment and asked to be the Administrator (太守) of Shu Commandery (蜀郡; around present-day Chengdu, Sichuan) because he heard that Shu Commandery was prosperous and situated in a geographically strategic location. However, he was unable to travel to Shu Commandery as the routes to Shu had been cut off in the chaos, choosing instead to stay in the relative stability of Jing Province.^{[Sanguozhi 6]}

In 196,^[6] the warlord Cao Cao took control of Emperor Xian and brought him to Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan), establishing the new capital there. He wrote to Xun You: "The Empire is in chaos. It is time for intelligent people to do something. Do you not think you have spent too much time observing the changes in the Shu region?" Xun You was then appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Runan Commandery (汝南郡; around present-day Gushi County, Henan) and later, probably in 198,^{[Sanguozhi 7]} summoned to the capital to serve as a Master of Writing (尚書). Cao Cao had long heard of Xun You and was overjoyed when they finally met. He told Xun Yu and Zhong Yao: "Gongda is no ordinary person. Now that I have him to advise me, why should I worry about not being able to pacify the Empire?" He also appointed Xun You as Master of the Army (軍師),^{[Sanguozhi 8]} always accompanying Cao Cao on campaign^{[Sanguozhi 9]} with Rafe De Crespigny identifying the rank as a chief of staff role,^[7] becoming one of Cao Cao's chief advisers.^[8] He would become close to Zhong Yao^[9] and seems to have worked closely with the young Guo Jia, another chief adviser.^[10] At some unknown point he helped compile a collection of administrative and penal codes for Cao Cao called the "Wei guan yi".^[11]

In 198, when Cao Cao wanted to launch another attack on a rival warlord, Zhang Xiu, Xun You advised against it, saying, "Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao share borders. Zhang Xiu and his wandering army rely on Liu Biao for supplies. Liu Biao is unable to provide for them so they will eventually fall out. Why not wait and try to induce Zhang Xiu to surrender to you? When Zhang Xiu ends up in a desperate situation, Liu Biao will definitely support him." Cao Cao ignored Xun You's advice and attacked Zhang Xiu at Rang County (穰縣; present-day Dengzhou, Henan). Just as Xun You predicted, Liu Biao sent reinforcements to help Zhang Xiu, threatening Cao Cao's rear so putting Cao Cao's attacking forces in a disadvantageous position. Cao Cao told Xun You that he regretted not listening to his advice and was forced to retreat with mixed results against his pursuers.^{[Sanguozhi 10]}

Despite the setback Cao Cao wanted to move to attack another rival warlord, the warrior Lü Bu in Xu Province to the east. Some warned against moving east as Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao might attack after their recent victory. However, Xun You had a different opinion: he believed that Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao had yet to recover from a heavy defeat when pursuing Cao Cao and would not make any further moves. He warned Lü Bu was a formidable warrior and had support from the claimant emperor Yuan Shu, if left unchecked he could become a considerable threat and many would support him but right now, Lü Bu's allied forces were not yet organized so could be defeated if they moved now. Lü Bu defeated Liu Bei and received help from Zang Ba but his uncoordinated army would struggle against Cao Cao.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 7][12]}

During the Battle of Xiapi, Cao Cao defeated Lü Bu in the initial stages and forced him to retreat back to Xiapi Commandery (下邳郡; south of present-day Pizhou, Jiangsu). Cao Cao then laid siege to Xiapi and launched several attacks but was unable to breach the city walls. As his troops grew weary, Cao Cao considered withdrawing. However, Xun You and Guo Jia advised him, "Lü Bu is brave but foolhardy. His forces' morale is very low after suffering consecutive defeats. An army's morale depends on its commander's will to fight on. Chen Gong is intelligent but slow. Since Lü Bu's army's morale hasn't recovered yet and Chen Gong hasn't finalised his plans yet, you can eventually defeat Lü Bu if you continue attacking him." Cao Cao then ordered his troops to dig ditches and redirect the waters of the Yi and Si rivers to flood Xiapi, flooding the city from three directions.^[13] The defenders became demoralized, there would be a mutiny with the city gates opened, Lü Bu surrendered and was executed.^{[Sanguozhi 11]}

In 200 CE,^[14] war broke out between Cao Cao and his former ally, the northern warlord Yuan Shao. At the Battle of Boma, Xun You suggested that Cao Cao use a diversionary tactic to eliminate Yuan Shao's general Yan Liang; faking to march across Yan Crossing at the Yellow River as if to attack Yuan Shao's rear then lead lightly armoured troops to Boma. Yuan Shao fell for the ruse and Yan Liang was caught by surprise by Cao Cao's arrival, the battle ended with victory for Cao Cao and Yan Liang's death at the hands of Guan Yu. After the victory at Boma, Cao Cao evacuated Boma with their baggage train along the south banks of the Yellow River, Cao Cao prepared an ambush with troops hidden behind the dykes. Cao Cao's subordinates were worried when Yuan Shao's cavalry, under Wen Chou and Liu Bei arrived and some of Cao Cao's officers suggested gathering the troops to defend the camp. Xun You said, "This is an opportunity to capture the enemy! Why should we retreat?" Cao Cao looked at Xun You and laughed. At the Battle of Yan Ford, when Yuan Shao's soldiers were scrambling for the baggage, Cao Cao sent his infantry and cavalry forces to attack them and scored a major victory; Yuan Shao's general Wen Chou was killed in action with two of Yuan Shao's most famous officers dead in the early skirmishes of the war. Cao Cao then retreated to Guandu (官渡; northeast of present-day Zhongmu County, Henan); Yuan Shao laid siege to Guandu.^{[Sanguozhi 12]}

As both sides reached a stalemate at Guandu and Cao Cao's forces struggled for supplies, Xun You advised Cao Cao, "Yuan Shao's supplies will be reaching in one day. Han Xun (韓𦳣),^[a] the officer leading the convoy, tends to underestimate the enemy. He can be easily defeated."^{[Sanguozhi 13]} Xun You also recommended Cao Cao's general Xu Huang to lead the attack on Han Xun. Cao Cao sent Xu Huang and Shi Huan (史渙) to raid Han Xun's depot at Gushi and they burnt the supplies, granting Cao Cao's forces an important morale boost.^[15] Later, Yuan Shao's adviser Xu You defected to Cao Cao's side and urged Cao to attack Yuan's supply depot at Wuchao (烏巢; southeast of present-day Yanjin County, Henan), which was guarded by Chunyu Qiong. While Cao Cao's other subordinates were suspicious about Xu You, only Xun You and Jia Xu advised Cao to heed Xu You's suggestion. Cao Cao then ordered Xun You and Cao Hong to remain behind to guard his main camp, while he personally led his forces to attack Wuchao and succeeded in destroying Yuan Shao's supplies. During the battle, Yuan Shao sent Zhang He and Gao Lan (高覽) to attack Cao Cao's main camp at Guandu but Xu You and Cao Hong managed to hold. Seeing the tide had turned, Zhang He and Gao Lan, destroyed their own camps and sought to surrender. Cao Hong felt suspicious and was reluctant to accept their surrender but Xun You told Cao Hong, "Zhang He was angry that Yuan Shao did not listen to him so he decided to defect.^[b] Sir, what's there to suspect about him?" Cao Hong then accepted their surrender.^{[Sanguozhi 14]}

After Yuan Shao's death in June 202, Cao Cao launched a campaign against Yuan's sons Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang and fought them at the Battle of Liyang but soon the Yuan brothers were at war with each other. In the following year, Cao Cao had marched to attack Liu Biao when he received Yuan Tan's adviser Xin Pi to convey to Cao Cao his wish to surrender and seek aid from Cao in countering his brother. Cao Cao considered accepting Yuan Tan's surrender and sending troops to aid him, and then consulted his advisers. Most of them thought that Liu Biao was more powerful and that Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang posed no threat, so they urged Cao Cao to attack Liu Biao first. Xun You had a different opinion from them. He said, "The Empire has experienced so much turmoil, yet Liu Biao has holed up in the Jiang and Han regions. This shows that he has no intention of expanding his territory. The Yuans occupy four provinces and have 100,000 troops. Yuan Shao had treated his subordinates generously and hoped that his sons would cooperate harmoniously to safeguard his territories; that was why turmoil in the Empire never seemed to end. As of now, relations between the brothers have deteriorated and they seek to destroy each other. If one of them defeats and absorbs the other, he will become more powerful and more difficult to defeat. If you take advantage of their internal conflict to defeat them, you will restore stability in the Empire. You shouldn't miss this great opportunity." Cao Cao agreed, accepted Yuan Tan's surrender and led his forces to Ji and began the campaign that would destroy the Yuan brothers with Yuan Tan defeated and killed at the Battle of Nanpi in 205.^{[Sanguozhi 15]}

After pacifying Ji Province, Cao Cao wrote a memorial to Emperor Xian to recommend him to award Xun You a marquis title to honour him for his contributions, noting "Master of the Army Xún Yōu from the beginning was a great assistant and minister. No campaigns were unsuccessful and from beginning to end all enemies were conquered, all because of Yōu’s plan".^{[Sanguozhi 16]} Xun You was thus enfeoffed as the Marquis of Lingshu Village (陵樹亭侯). In 207, while assessing his subordinates' contributions and recommending Emperor Xian to give out rewards accordingly, Cao Cao credited Xun Yu and Xun You for developing grand strategic plans for him with Xun You second only to Xun Yu. Xun You received an additional 400 taxable households in his marquisate, making it 700 households in total. He was also reassigned to serve as Central Military Adviser (中軍師).^{[Sanguozhi 17]} The Wei Shu recorded that Cao Cao visited Xun You's residence when he returned from Liucheng (柳城; southwest of present-day Chaoyang, Liaoning) after a campaign. He told Xun You, "Now that the Empire has basically been pacified, it's time for me to share the rewards with virtuous scholar-officials like you. In the past, Emperor Gaozu allowed Zhang Zifang to choose 30,000 taxable households to form his own marquisate. Today, I intend to suggest to the Emperor to let you do the same."^{[Sanguozhi zhu 9]}

In 213,^[16] Xun You was the lead name in the memorial to Emperor Xian calling for the enfeoffing of Cao Cao as the Duke of Wei (魏公), a promotion Xun Yu had opposed before his death. This was granted with Cao Cao granted a dukedom covering parts of present-day Hebei and Henan after Xun You and others opposed plans to only grant a dukedom covering Wei prefecture.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 10]} Xun You was appointed as the Prefect of the Masters of Writing (尚書令), replacing the recently deceased Xun Yu who had opposed the dukedom.^{[Sanguozhi 18][17]} In 214,^[18] Xun You accompanied Cao Cao on a campaign against the southern warlord Sun Quan but died of illness along the way. He was 58 (by East Asian age reckoning) when he died.^[1] Cao Cao shed tears when he heard of Xun You's death.^{[Sanguozhi 19]}

On 6 January 245,^[19] the child Emperor Cao Fang and his regents ordered sacrifices for Xun You at Cao Cao's temple while Xun You was posthumously honoured as "Marquis Jing" (敬侯; "respected marquis"), the lateness of these rewards for such an important servant puzzling Pei Songzhi.^{[Sanguozhi 20][Sanguozhi 21][c]}

Xun You was known for being a highly profound and insightful thinker who hid secrets very well. Since he started accompanying Cao Cao on his military campaigns, he had often helped Cao Cao devise and develop strategic plans. Many people, including his family members and relatives, hardly knew what was on his mind or what he had said.^{[Sanguozhi 22]} The Wei Shu recorded that Xin Tao (辛韜), a maternal cousin of Xun You, once asked Xun You why he urged Cao Cao to attack Ji Province. Xun You replied, "Since Zuozhi has come on behalf of Yuan Tan to surrender, it's expected that the Imperial Army will go there to pacify the area. How would I know why?" Xin Tao and others did not dare to ask Xun You again about state and military affairs after that.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 11]}

Cao Cao often praised Xun You and once said, "Gongda is intelligent but appears foolish; he is courageous but appears cowardly; he is resilient but appears weak. He neither flaunts his talents nor brags about his achievements. You may be as intelligent as him, but you can't pretend to be foolish as well as he does. Even Master Yan and Ning Wu cannot be compared to him." When Cao Pi was still Cao Cao's heir apparent, his father told him, "Xun Gongda is a role model for people. You should treat him courteously and respectfully." When Xun You was ill, Cao Pi visited him and knelt down beside his bed; such was Cao Pi's level of respect for Xun You. Zhong Yao also once said, "Every time I plan something, I'll carefully think through it again and again until I'm certain that I can't make any more changes. However, after consulting Gongda, he always has new insights to offer." Xun You created 12 strategies for Zhong Yao. Zhong Yao died before he managed to finish writing a book about the 12 strategies, hence some of them were lost.^{[Sanguozhi 23]} The historian Pei Songzhi thought it was a huge pity that Xun You's strategies were lost because Zhong Yao died at the age of 79 – some 16 years after Xun You's death – so he probably should have had ample time to finish writing the book.^{[Sanguozhi zhu 12]}

The Wei Shu recorded that Cao Cao once said, "I have travelled with Xun Gongda for over 20 years. I can't find any fault with him." He also said, "Xun Gongda is truly a virtuous man; he fits the saying '(he is) benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant and thus he gets what he desires.'^[d] He is exactly the man described in this quote by Confucius: 'Yan Ping Zhong knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first.'"^{[e][Sanguozhi zhu 13]}

The Xun Yu Biezhuan (荀彧別傳; Unofficial Biography of Xun Yu) recorded that Cao Cao once commended Xun Yu and Xun You for their excellent judgments about people's talents "The two directors Xun grew ever more reliable in their judgement of men. As long as I live I shall never forget them."^{[20][Sanguozhi zhu 14]}

The Fu Zi mentioned that someone, who lived around the same time as Xun You, once asked if there were any virtuous junzis in their time. He received an answer as follows: "The benevolence of Lord Prefect Xun (Yu) and the intelligence of Military Adviser Xun (You) make them worthy of being called virtuous junzis of our time. Lord Prefect Xun is benevolent and virtuous, he displays wisdom in recommending talents, his personal conduct is flawless, and he is capable of adapting his strategies to suit changes. Meng Ke once said, 'It is a rule that a true royal sovereign should arise in the course of five hundred years, and that during that time there should be men illustrious in their generation.'^[f] Lord Prefect Xun is one of such men. As Taizu once said, 'Lord Prefect Xun provides advice and doesn't stop providing advice; Military Adviser Xun eliminates evil and doesn't stop eliminating evil.'"^{[Sanguozhi zhu 15]} It would be a comparison that would later be used to praise Xun Xu.^[21][22]

Xun Yu's philosopher son Xun Can considered Xun You superior to his father as someone “unconcerned with externals – a completely cautious and secluded man”.^{[Sanguozhi 24]} Howard Goodman explains this was partly to provoke his brothers on factional lines, with Can married into the Cao family and other members of the Xun clan leaning towards the Sima family, and partly a philosophical position where Xun You seemed like a good mode for a mystery adapt, above the norms of society and politics.^[23]

Chen Shou, who wrote Xun You's biography in the Sanguozhi, appraised him as follows: “Xun You and Jia Xu were very detailed in their strategising and had never miscalculated before. However, in terms of adaptability and flexibility, they were second to (Zhang) Liang and (Chen) Ping.”.^{[Sanguozhi 25]} Chen Shou in another grouping of Cao Cao's advisers compared them as planners but felt they were of lesser character.^{[Sanguozhi 26]} On the other hand, Pei Songzhi felt Xun You's moral character was far superior to Jia Xu and so they should not have been placed together by Chen Shou. ^{[Sanguozhi zhu 16]}

Xun You had at least three sons.^[g] The eldest, Xun Ji (荀緝), resembled his father in character but died early. The second, Xun Shi (荀適), inherited his father's title "Marquis of Lingshu Village" (陵樹亭侯) and had no son to succeed him when he died. In the early Huangchu era (220-226) of Cao Pi's reign, Xun You's grandson, Xun Biao (荀彪), inherited the title "Marquis of Lingshu Village" and received 300 taxable households to form his marquisate. His title was later changed to "Marquis of Qiuyang Village" (丘陽亭侯).^{[Sanguozhi 27]}

In the classic 14th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, Xun You joins Cao Cao earlier than in history, when Cao Cao took over Yan province in 192. He is the nephew of Xun Yu, and they join at the same time as Cao Cao begins recruiting advisers but with Xun Yu more prominent. The novel uses Xun You's historical advice but adds some more.

Xun You suggests Kong Rong as a diplomat to Liu Biao which leads to Kong Rong recommending Mi Heng. When Cao Cao falls out with Mi Heng, Cao Cao lists Xun You as a hero of the time, but Mi Heng dismisses Xun You as someone fit only to watch graves, likely a nod to the Zhang Quan incident of his youth. After the burning of Wuchao, proposes spreading rumours that Cao Cao was marching on key areas to force Yuan Shao to split his forces and then attack Yuan Shao's main force. In the wars against the Yuan sons, recommends using recently surrendered Lü Kuang (呂曠) and Lü Xiang (呂翔) to fake surrender to Gao Gan after initial struggles in 206, leading to Gao Gan's destruction.

Helps Cao Cao discover a bronze board and sees it as a good omen for a war southwards but persuades Cao Cao to rest his troops rather than immediately attack Liu Biao. When Jing collapses to Cao Cao in 208 after the delay, Xun You is not happy with the surrendered Cai Mao and Zhang Yun (張允) getting such high ranks, urges Cao Cao to seize Jiangling before Liu Bei can take it. In the build up to the Battle of Red Cliffs, recommends proposing to Sun Quan that they hunt Liu Bei and that Sun Quan would be too scared to oppose, Sun Quan refused. During the campaign itself, suggests sending the relatives of the recently Cai Mao as spies via a false defection, but the Sun commander Zhou Yu sees through this and uses them to feed Cao Cao false information. Agrees with Cheng Yu that fire is a risk but persuaded by Cao Cao the weather would mean a fire-attack is impossible on his fleet. The fleet would be burnt via the false defection of Huang Gai and the incorrect information provided by Xun You's recommended spies.

In 211 as the Liang warlords led by Ma Chao fight to avenge Ma Teng's assassination by Cao Cao, Xun You tries to hastily construct a fort to secure Cao Cao's position using soil, but it keeps collapsing. In 214, he opposes the idea of Cao Cao becoming King of Wei as no further promotion from Duke is justifiable. An angry Cao Cao notes the comparison with Xun Yu's objection and death; an angry Xun You then falls ill and dies soon after. He is buried with full honours, while Cao Cao drops the idea of being King for a short time. Xun You does not get a poem as many major characters do in the novel.

• Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms