Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Scholar, astrologer, physician, official, and conspirator

Kong Xixian 孔熙先

Kǒng Xīxiān

Attested c. AD 416 - AD 445

Passages: 43
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Kong Xixian was a scholar, astrologer, physician, official, and conspirator.

Life and dates

Age

Amount 30 · Unit years · Relation Nearly · Event service as an Attendant Cavalier
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 270

Attested activity

AD 445 元嘉二十二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 71, passage 55
c. AD 416 to c. AD 445 年將三十
Derived from the source · Book of Song 69, passage 270

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Kong Mozhi (孔默之)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 131
Sibling of Kong Xiuxian (孔休先)
second younger brother 第二弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passages 189, 272, 340
Parent of Kong Guifu (孔桂甫)
son of Kong Xixian 熙先子
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 340
Sibling of Kong Jingxian (孔景先)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 340
Sibling of Kong Sixian (孔思先)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 340

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Supernumerary Gentleman Attendant at the Scattered Cavalry 員外散騎侍郎
Served as
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 130
Confessed and executed
Cause Conspiracy to enthrone Liu Yikang
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passages 243, 268, 340

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liu-song · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 71, passage 55
At Lu 魯國
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 129

Learning and skills

Skill astronomy and omen interpretation 天文
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 157
Skill medicine and pulse diagnosis 治病、診脈
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 171

Works and attributed material

Prison memorial · Author · Mode direct-attribution Speaker Kong Xixian (孔熙先)
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passages 271-283

Events and relationships

Assigned projected offices and maintained a death list for opponents
Political · Conspirator
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passages 185-188
Poisoned Caizao to prevent disclosure of the conspiracy
Criminal · Killer · With Caizao (採藻)
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passage 179
Recruited Fan Ye and others into the plan to enthrone Liu Yikang
Political · Organizer · With Fan Ye (范曄), Prince Yikang of Pengcheng (彭城王義康), Xie Zong (謝綜)
Directly stated · Book of Song 69, passages 132-140

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Song 71, passage 55

References in the histories

Search passages

History

43 passages

Book of Song, Chapter 69Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye · 39 passages

初，魯國孔熙先博學有縱橫才志，文史星筭，無不兼善。 Earlier, Kong Xixian of Lu was broadly learned and had the talent and ambition of a political strategist; he excelled alike in literature, history, astronomy, and mathematics.

初熙先父默之為廣州刺史，以贓貨得罪下廷尉，大將軍彭城王義康保持之，故得免。 Xixian's father Mozhi had earlier served as Governor of Guang Province; convicted of bribery and sent to the Minister of Justice, he was spared through the protection of Grand General Prince of Pengcheng Yikang.

及義康被黜，熙先密懷報效，欲要朝廷大臣，未知誰可動者，以曄意志不滿，欲引之。 After Yikang was demoted, Xixian secretly resolved to repay his family's debt of gratitude; he wished to win over court ministers but did not know whom he could sway. Seeing that Ye was discontent, he hoped to draw him into the plot.

而熙先素不為曄所重，無因進說。 But Xixian had never been esteemed by Ye and had no opportunity to approach him.

曄外甥謝綜，雅為曄所知，熙先嘗經相識，乃傾身事綜，與之結厚。 Ye's nephew Xie Zong, his sister's son, was highly regarded by him. Xixian had met Zong before and therefore devoted himself to Zong and formed a close bond with him.

熙先藉嶺南遺財，家甚富足，始與綜諸弟共博，故為拙行，以物輸之。 Xixian, wealthy from his family's Lingnan fortune, began gambling with Zong and his younger brothers, deliberately playing poorly and losing goods to them.

綜乃引熙先與曄為數，曄又與戲，熙先故為不敵，前後輸曄物甚多。 Zong then introduced Xixian to gamble with Ye; Ye joined in as well, and Xixian deliberately lost, giving Ye a great many goods over time.

熙先素有詞辯，盡心事之，曄遂相與異常，申莫逆之好。 Xixian was eloquent and devoted himself entirely to Ye; Ye then formed an extraordinary bond with him and declared their friendship without estrangement.

始以微言動曄，曄不回，熙先乃極辭譬說。 At first he probed Ye with subtle hints; when Ye did not respond, Xixian pressed his case with full eloquence and argument.

熙先因以此激之曰：「丈人若謂朝廷相待厚者，何故不與丈人婚，為是門戶不得邪？ Xixian used this to provoke him, saying, "If you believe the court treats you generously, why will it not marry into your house—is your lineage deemed unworthy?

熙先素善天文，云：「太祖必以非道晏駕，當由骨肉相殘。 Xixian, skilled in astronomy, said, "Taizu is sure to die an unnatural death, brought about by mutual slaughter among kin.

綜父述亦為義康所遇，綜弟約又是義康女夫，故太祖使綜隨從南上，既為熙先所獎說，亦有酬報之心。 Xie Zong's father Xie Shu had also been favored by Yikang, and Zong's younger brother Xie Yue was Yikang's son-in-law; Taizu therefore sent Zong south with Yikang. Having been won over by Xixian, Zong too harbored a wish to repay old kindness.

廣州人周靈甫有家兵部曲，熙先以六十萬錢與之，使於廣州合兵。 Zhou Lingfu of Guang Province had household troops; Xixian gave him six hundred thousand cash and ordered him to raise forces in Guang Province.

聞熙先有誠，密相結納。 Learning of Xixian's earnest commitment, Chengzu secretly allied himself with Xixian.

又有王國寺法靜尼亦出入義康家內，皆感激舊恩，規相拯拔，並與熙先往來。 and the nun Fajing of Wangguo Temple also frequented Yikang's household. All were grateful for past kindness and plotted to rescue Yikang, maintaining contact with Xixian.

熙先善於治病，兼能診脈。 Xixian was skilled at healing and could also read pulses.

嘗有病，因法靜尼就熙先乞治，為合湯一劑，耀疾即損。 When Yao once fell ill, he asked Fajing to seek treatment from Xixian; Xixian prepared a dose of medicine and Yao's illness quickly improved.

耀自往酬謝，因成周旋。 Yao went in person to thank Xixian and thus entered into association with Xixian.

熙先以耀膽幹可施，深相待結，因告逆謀，耀許為內應。 Xixian, seeing that Yao's courage could be put to use, drew him into a close bond and disclosed the plot; Yao agreed to serve as an inside collaborator.

法靜尼南上，熙先遣婢採藻隨之，付以箋書，陳說圖讖。 When Fajing went south, Xixian sent the maid Caizao with her, bearing letters that set forth charts and prophecies.

法靜還，義康餉熙先銅匕、銅鑷、袍段、棊奩等物。 When Fajing returned, Yikang sent Xixian gifts of a bronze spoon, bronze tweezers, lengths of robe cloth, a chess case, and other items.

熙先慮事泄，鴆採藻殺之。 Fearing the plot would leak, Xixian poisoned Caizao to death.

熙先左衛將軍，其餘皆有選擬。 Xixian as General of the Left Guard—the rest likewise had posts chosen for them.

熙先使弟休先先為檄文曰： Xixian had his younger brother Kong Xiuxian draft a proclamation that read:

湛之、曄與行中領軍蕭思話、行護軍將軍臧質、行左衛將軍孔熙先、建威將軍孔休先，忠貫白日，誠著幽顯，義痛其心，事傷其目，投命奮戈，萬殞莫顧，即日斬伯符首，及其黨與。 Zhanzhi, Ye, Acting General of the Center Army Xiao Sihua, Acting General Who Protects the Army Zang Zhi, Acting General of the Left Guard Kong Xixian, and General Who Establishes Might Kong Xiuxian, Xixian's younger brother—loyalty shining like the sun, sincerity manifest in hidden and open realms—were pained in heart and wounded in spirit; they risked their lives and brandished weapons, heedless of ten thousand deaths, and on that day cut off Bofu's head and his faction.

熙先以既為大事，宜須義康意旨，曄乃作義康與湛之書，宣示同黨曰： Xixian held that so great an undertaking required Yikang's endorsement; Ye therefore forged a letter from Yikang to Zhanzhi and showed it to the conspirators, which read:

近員外散騎侍郎孔熙先忽令大將軍府吏仲承祖騰曄及謝綜等意，欲收合不逞，規有所建。 Recently the Supernumerary Attendant Cavalier Kong Xixian suddenly sent the Grand General's office clerk Zhong Chengzu to convey the intentions of Ye and Xie Zong—they wished to gather the unruly and plot some undertaking.

先已於外收綜及熙先兄弟，竝皆款服。 The authorities had already arrested Xie Zong and Kong Xixian's brothers outside—all had fully confessed.

上重遣問曰：「卿與謝綜、徐湛之、孔熙先謀逆，竝已答款，猶尚未死，徵據見存，何不依實。」 The Emperor sent again to ask: "You plotted rebellion with Xie Zong, Xu Zhanzhi, and Kong Xixian—all have confessed, are not yet dead, and documentary evidence still exists. Why not speak according to the facts?"

上復遣問曰：「熙先近在華林門外，寧欲面辨之乎？」 The Emperor sent again to ask: "Xixian is presently just outside the Hualin gate—would you care to confront him face to face?"

曄辭窮，乃曰：「熙先苟誣引臣，臣當如何！」 Ye, his arguments exhausted, said: "If Xixian falsely implicates me, what am I to do!"

熙先聞曄不服，笑謂殿中將軍沈邵之曰：「凡諸處分，符檄書疏，皆范曄所造及治定。 Xixian, hearing that Ye would not admit guilt, laughed and said to the Palace Guard general Shen Shaozhi: "Every plan, dispatch, proclamation, letter, and memorial was drafted and finalized by Fan Ye.

謀遂之事，聞孔熙先說此，輕其小兒，不以經意。 When the plot was being discussed, I heard Kong Xixian speak of this. I thought lightly of the boy and did not take it to heart.

熙先望風吐款，辭氣不橈，上奇其才，遣人慰勞之曰：「以卿之才，而滯於集書省，理應有異志。 Xixian, sensing which way the wind blew, confessed fully; his words and bearing did not bend. The Emperor marveled at his talent and sent someone to comfort him: "With your talents, yet stagnant in the Secretariat—naturally you would harbor different ambitions.

又詰責前吏部尚書何尚之曰：「使孔熙先年將三十作散騎郎，那不作賊！」 He also sternly rebuked the former Minister of Personnel He Shangzhi: "You left Kong Xixian, nearly thirty years old, serving only as an Attendant Cavalier. How could he not become a rebel!"

熙先於獄中上書曰：「囚小人猖狂，識無遠概，徒徇意氣之小感，不料逆順之大方。 Xixian submitted a memorial from prison: "Your prisoner, a petty man, wildly arrogant, insight lacking far-reaching scope—merely yielding to petty impulses of spirit, not calculating the broad pattern of loyalty and rebellion.

曄在獄，與綜及熙先異處，乃稱疾求移考堂，欲近綜等。 Ye in prison was separately confined from Xie Zong and Kong Xixian; he feigned illness and requested transfer to the examination hall, wishing to be near Zong and the others.

曄聞之驚喜，綜、熙先笑之曰：「詹事嘗共疇昔事時，無不攘袂瞋目。 Hearing this, Ye was startled and delighted. Xie Zong and Kong Xixian laughed and said: "When Fan Ye, the Chamberlain, was with us plotting those earlier affairs, never did he fail to roll up his sleeves and glare.

曄及子藹、遙、叔蔞、孔熙先及弟休先、景先、思先、熙先子桂甫、桂甫子白民、謝綜及弟約、仲承祖、許耀，諸所連及，並伏誅。 Fan Ye and his sons Fan Ai, Fan Yao, and Fan Shulou; Kong Xixian and his younger brothers Kong Xiuxian, Kong Jingxian, and Kong Sixian; Xixian's son Kong Guifu and Guifu's son Kong Baimin; Xie Zong and his younger brother Xie Yue; Zhong Chengzu; and Xu Yao—all those implicated were put to death.

Book of Song, Chapter 71Volume 71 Biographies 31: Xu Zhan, Jiang Zhan, Wang Sengchao · 4 passages

賊臣范曄、孔熙先等，連結謀逆，法靜尼宣分往還，與大將軍臣義康共相脣齒，備于鞠對。 The traitors Fan Ye, Kong Xixian, and their confederates plotted rebellion; the nun Fajing and Xuanfen carried messages between them; they were bound to Grand General Yikang like lip and teeth—the record of interrogation sets this forth in full.

伏尋仲承祖始達熙先等意，便極言奸狀。 When Zhong Chengzu first relayed Xixian's designs, he spoke at once in full detail of their treachery.

末雲熙先縣指必同，以誑於曄，或以智勇見稱，或以愚懦為目。 Finally they said Xixian, pointing at me, declared we would surely act together—to deceive Fan Ye; sometimes I was praised as wise and brave, sometimes dismissed as foolish and timid.

至於法靜所傳，及熙先等謀，知實不早，見關之日，便即以聞。 As for Fajing's messages and the plots of Xixian and his confederates, I did not learn the truth early; on the day I was implicated I reported at once.