Du Xi 杜襲

Du Xi 杜襲, courtesy name Zixu 子緒, was a military leader of the Wei period 曹魏 (220-265).

His native town was Dingling 定陵 in the commandery of Yingchuan 穎川 (today's Yexian 葉縣, Henan), and he served the warlord Liu Biao 劉表 in the last decade of the Eastern Han period 東漢 (25-220 CE), but then joined Cao Cao 曹操, under whose domination he began a career as court gentleman for consulation (yilang 議郎) and military retainer of the Counsellor-in-chief (chengxiang jun jijiu 丞相軍祭酒) and palace attendant (shizhong 侍中).

In 215, he was commandant-escort (fuma duwei 駙馬都尉) during Cao Cao's campaign against the sectarian rebel leader Zhang Lu 張魯 in the region of Hanzhong 漢中. After the war, he was responsible for the military protection of the region, and defended it successfully in 217, when the army of Wei clashed with that of Liu Bei 劉備 who attacked from the Sichuan Basin. During the fights, the highest commander Xiahou Yuan 夏侯淵 died, but Du Xi, Zhang He 張郃 and Guo Huai 郭淮 took over the command, held, and retreated safely. Back to the capital, Du Xi was appointed metropolitan military commander (liufu changshi 留府長史) of the region of Guanzhong 關中 around Chang'an 長安 (today Xi'an 西安, Shanxi).

Emperor Wen 魏文帝 (r. 220-226) gave him the title of Neighbourhood Marquis of Wuping 武平亭侯 and entrusted to him the supply of the imperial army. Later on he was appointed chief steward for writing (shangshu 尚書) and his title of nobility was raised to that of Township Marquis of Pingyang 平陽鄉侯. When Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮, counsellor of the state of Shu, launched a large attack on the Wei empire, Cao Zhen 曹真 took over the command of a defense army. Du Xi also participated in this campaign, but fell ill. His posthumous title is Marquis Ding 定侯.