Bao Xun 鮑勳

Bao Xun 鮑勳 (or 鮑勛, died 226 CE), courtesy name Shuye 叔業, was a high official of the warlord Cao Cao 曹操 during the late Eastern Han period 東漢 (25-220 CE).

He came from Pingyang 平阳 in the commandery of Taishan 泰山 and was a son of Bao Xin 鮑信. He was appointed administrator of the Counsellor-in-chief (chengxiang yuan 丞相掾), then palace cadet (zhongshuzi 中庶子), Director of the Chancellery (huangmen shilang 黃門侍郎), then commandant (duwei 都尉) of the commandery of Weijun 魏郡.

Under Cao Pi 曹丕 (the eventual Emperor Wen of Wei 魏文帝, r. 220-226) he was dismissed, but soon made attendant censor (shiyushi 侍御史). In 220 he was appointed commandant-escort (fuma duwei 駙馬都尉), and concurrently palace attendant (shizhong 侍中). He criticized Emperor Wei for his many expensive hunting tours, but was nevertheless promoted to right leader of the court gentlemen (you zhonglangjiang 右中郎將).

In 223 he rose to the office of palace aide to the Censor-in-chief (yushi zhongcheng 御史中丞). Two years later he suggested not to undertake the planned military campaign against the empire of Wu 吳 (222-280) in the southeast. Enraged, the emperor demoted him to the function of *secretarial censor (zhishu zhifa 治書執法). Shortly later Bao Xun was executed.