Xi Gu 郤縠 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

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Zhou Dynasty

Nov 6, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald

Xi Gu 郤縠 (died 632) was a nobleman from the house of Xi 郤 in the state of Jin 晉 during the Spring and Autumn period 春秋 (770-5th cent. BCE).

He served Duke Wen 晉文公 (r. 637-628) as general of the Central Army (zhongjun 中軍), his relative Xi Zhen 郤溱 (also written 郤臻) being assistant commander. He had been recommended by Zhao Shuai 趙衰 (Zhao Chengzi 趙成子) because of his expertise in the rituals, ceremonial music and the classic writings of antiquity, based upon which he exerted command and leadership.

The Three Armies (sanjun 三軍) were a new creation by Duke Wen established in 633.The position of marshal of the Central Army corresponded to chief minister. He died during a campaign against the states of Cao 曹 and Wei 衛.

Sources:

Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1991). Shiji cidian 史記辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 242.

Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed. (1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 399.

Zhang Huizhi 張撝之, Shen Qiwei 沈起煒, Liu Dezhong 劉德重, ed. (1999). Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian 中國歷代人名大辭典 (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1757.

Zhang Ke 張克, Huang Kangbo 黃康白, Huang Fangdong 黃方東, ed. (1991). Shiji renwu cidian 史記人物辭典 (Nanning: Guangxi renmin chubanshe), 82.