Zhuge Xuan


Zhuge Xuan was a government official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known for briefly serving as the Administrator of Yuzhang Commandery in the mid-190s. He was also a cousin-uncle of Zhuge Liang, a prominent statesman of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period.

Life

Zhuge Xuan was from Yangdu County, Langya Commandery, which is located in present-day Yinan County or Yishui County, Shandong. His ancestor, Zhuge Feng, was a Western Han dynasty official who served as Colonel-Director of Retainers under Emperor Yuan. One of his cousins, Zhuge Gui, served as an assistant official in Taishan Commandery during the late Eastern Han dynasty under Emperor Ling.
As Zhuge Gui and his wife died early, Zhuge Xuan raised their two younger sons, Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun. Sometime in the mid-190s, the warlord Yuan Shu appointed Zhuge Xuan as the Administrator of Yuzhang Commandery. Zhuge Xuan brought Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun with him to Yuzhang Commandery and wanted to appoint them as his subordinates. Around 195, However, he soon left Yuzhang Commandery when the Han central government officially designated Zhu Hao as the new Administrator. Zhuge Xuan then brought Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun to Jing Province to live with his friend Liu Biao, who was also Jing Province's governor. After Zhuge Xuan's death, Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun moved to Longzhong, an area about 20 li west of Xiangyang, the capital of Jing Province.
The Xiandi Chunqiu by Yuan Wei recorded a completely different account about Zhuge Xuan. It mentioned that Liu Biao – instead of Yuan Shu – appointed Zhuge Xuan as the Administrator of Yuzhang Commandery to replace the previous Administrator, Zhou Shu, who died in office. However, the Han central government, upon receiving news of Zhou Shu's death, appointed Zhu Hao as the new Administrator. As Zhuge Xuan was reluctant to transfer power to Zhu Hao, the latter allied with Liu Yao, the Inspector of Yang Province, to attack him. Zhuge Xuan retreated to Xicheng County after he lost Yuzhang Commandery's capital, Nanchang. In February 197, the people in Xicheng County rebelled against Zhuge Xuan, killed him and sent his head to Liu Yao.
The Zizhi Tongjian by Sima Guang endorsed the Xiandi Chunqiu account up to the point where Zhu Hao allied with Liu Yao to force Zhuge Xuan out of Yuzhang Commandery. It does not confirm that Zhuge Xuan died in Xicheng County in February 197.