Zhou Xin (simplified: 周昕, traditional: 周昕, pinyin: Zhōu Xīn) was a native of Kuaiji Commandery who served as Administrator of Danyang Commandery (丹陽太守) during the late Eastern Han. He is recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms as having, together with Chen Wen (陳溫), the Inspector of Yang Province, provided Cao Cao with over 4,000 troops during Cao Cao’s early recruitment efforts following his flight from Dong Zhuo. Zhou Xin was an ally of Wang Lang (王朗) and was killed by Sun Ce during Sun Ce’s conquest of the Jiangdong region. He is sometimes confused with Zhou Shang (周尚), who was Zhou Yu’s actual uncle.
Biography
Administrator of Danyang
Zhou Xin was a native of Kuaiji Commandery (會稽郡, in present-day Zhejiang Province). He rose to the position of Administrator of Danyang Commandery (丹陽太守). Danyang was known for producing excellent soldiers, and Zhou Xin commanded significant military resources in the region.
Providing troops to Cao Cao
After Cao Cao fled Luoyang following his failed attempt to assassinate Dong Zhuo, he raised an army in Chenliu Commandery and joined the coalition against Dong Zhuo in 190 CE. Following a defeat at the hands of Xu Rong at the Battle of Xingyang, Cao Cao’s forces were decimated. He travelled to Yang Province with Xiahou Dun to recruit new soldiers.
Chen Wen, the Inspector of Yang Province (揚州刺史), and Zhou Xin, the Administrator of Danyang Commandery, between them provided Cao Cao with over 4,000 troops. This was a significant contribution at a time when Cao Cao was essentially starting from scratch. However, on the return journey, many of these newly recruited soldiers mutinied at Longkang County (龍亢縣), setting fire to Cao Cao’s tent during the night. Cao Cao barely escaped with his life. After quelling the mutiny and regrouping, he had only about 1,000 soldiers remaining by the time he reached Zhixian and Jianping counties.
Alliance with Wang Lang and death
Zhou Xin later allied himself with Wang Lang, who served as Administrator of Kuaiji Commandery. When Sun Ce began his conquest of the Jiangdong region around 194–196 CE, Zhou Xin resisted Sun Ce’s advance. Sun Ce defeated Zhou Xin’s forces and killed him.
Zhou Xin was known to have disliked Yuan Shu’s tyrannical behaviour and refused to cooperate with him. He had previously sent troops to support Cao Cao’s campaign against Dong Zhuo.
Confusion with Zhou Shang
Zhou Xin is sometimes confused with Zhou Shang (周尚), who was Zhou Yu’s uncle (more precisely, his father’s younger brother). Zhou Shang also served as Administrator of Danyang Commandery, and the two men held the same office in the same commandery during overlapping periods, which has led to confusion in some sources. However, they were different people: Zhou Shang was from Shu Commandery (廬江郡舒縣) and was Zhou Yu’s relative, while Zhou Xin was from Kuaiji and had no known connection to Zhou Yu’s family.
The existing stub for this article incorrectly describes Zhou Xin as Zhou Yu’s uncle. The correct uncle of Zhou Yu who served as Administrator of Danyang was Zhou Shang, not Zhou Xin.
Historical sources
Zhou Xin is mentioned in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (SGZ), in the biography of Cao Cao (volume 1, Book of Wei), where his provision of troops to Cao Cao is noted. He is also mentioned in connection with Sun Ce’s conquest of Jiangdong in the Book of Wu.
See also
- Zhou Shang
- Zhou Yu
- Cao Cao
- Sun Ce
- Wang Lang
- Han Dynasty