ChinaKnowledge.de - An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art
About [Location: HOME > History > Han > Xin Qingji < Persons of the Han period < Persons]


Persons in Chinese History - Xin Qingji 辛慶忌

Periods of Chinese History
Xin Qingji 辛慶忌 (died 11 BCE), courtesy name Xin Zizhen 辛子真, was a high general of the late Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE). He came from Didao 狄道 (modern Lintao 臨洮, Gansu) and was a son of general Xin Wuxian 辛武賢, under which he served as right aid of commander (youxiaocheng 右校丞). During the military campaigns against the Wusun 烏孫 he freed his contingent from a trap and defeated the enemy. For his bravery he was appointed attendant gentleman (shilang 侍郎), later commandant (xiaowei 校尉). Xin Qingji commanded the troops establishing the military colonies around the city of Yanqi 焉耆 in the Western Territoires 西域. During the reign of Emperor Yuan 漢元帝 (r. 49-33 BCE) he was promoted to gentleman of the interior (langzhong 郎中) and General of Chariots and Cavalry (cheju jiangjun 車騎將軍). He later was appointed governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery Zhangyi 張掖, then of Jiuquan 九泉, both prefectures in the corridor leading to the Western Territories. Emperor Cheng 漢成帝 (r. 33-7 BCE) promoted him to Chamberlain for the Imperial Insignia (zhijinwu 執金吾), but because his son killed someone, Xin Qingji was demoted and sent back to Jiuquan. Only when General-in-chief (da jiangjun 大將軍) Wang Feng 王鳳 intervened in favour of him, the emperor had him called back to the court, as Grand Master of Splendid Happiness (guanglu dafu 光祿大夫) and Chamberlain for the Insignia. In 25 BCE he was again demoted because of an offence and made governor of Yunzhong 雲中. In 21 BCE he became again guangluxun. Historians praised him for his intelligence, his reliable, brave and upright character.

Source: Cang Xiuliang 倉修良 (ed. 1996), Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), p. 323.

January 24, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald · Mail
Important Chinese of the...