Xin Xianying was the daughter of Xin Pi

Xin Pi

Xin Pi, style name Zuozhi , was a minister of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He originally served the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period. He had an older brother, Xin Ping. He switched allegiance to Cao Cao after Yuan's defeat and served as a...

, an official of Cao Wei

Cao Wei

Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...

 during the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 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...

. The tribulations of this period caused insecurity and her brother Xin Chang repeatedly asked her for advice.

Xin Xianying's words showed her wisdom and practicality, for which she is famous now. Many times Xin Xianying spoke her mind, even when others couldn't.

Biography

Her hometown was in Longxi County, Gansu. Her father was a high-ranking official as an imperial adviser. As a young girl she became known for her studying. When she was sixteen, she married the aristocratic Yang Dan. During the uncertain times of the three kingdoms, her brother often asked her for advice.

In 234, when Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....

 gave Sima Yi

Sima Yi

Sima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions...

 the lady's dress attempting to stir up Sima's anger. Sima wrote to Cao Rui

Cao Rui

Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...

 and asked for the authority to fight Shu's forces (it was not known in history whether Sima Yi did this because he was angry himself, or just doing it to calm down his generals). Xin Pi thought it was amusing and told it to his daughter at the dinner-table, Xin Xianying replied with a serious tone, "The army determines the fate of a nation, nobody can afford to joke over that. Fighting the enemy because of anger often leads to unexpected losses, it is something we should avoid." Xin Pi thanked his daughter, and replied Cao Rui next day, advising him to enforce Sima Yi to defend his camp and wait for opportunities. Zhuge Liang died of illness the following month.

Xin Xianying often talked to her nephew Yang Hu

Yang Hu

Not to be confused with Yang Hu :zh:阳虎/陽虎, the Spring and Autumn retainer-usurper in the state of Lu.Yang Hu , style name Shuzi , was a military general during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history...

 about Zhong Hui's ambitions to rule, and said that one should avoid having too close personal contacts with Zhong Hui

Zhong Hui

Zhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....

.

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms