knowledge Xin Ping was an adviser on the Yuan side at the end of the Eastern Han. Wikidata's Chinese label and the Chinese Wikipedia article title are both Xin Ping, and the article says his courtesy name was Zhongzhi, that he came from Yangdi in Yingchuan, and that he was the elder brother of the Cao Wei minister Xin Pi. The heading therefore stays the personal name. This entry records his death in 204, his birth only to the second century, and a birthplace in the Yuzhou area.[1][2]
From Han Fu to Yuan Shao
According to the Chinese Wikipedia article, Xin Ping was first a subordinate of Han Fu. In 191 he, Xun Chen and Guo Tu together persuaded Han Fu to give up the governorship of Ji province to Yuan Shao, and Xin Ping was then invited to serve under Yuan Shao. After Guandu, two sons of Shen Pei were captured, and when someone slandered Shen Pei to Yuan Shao, Guo Tu and Xin Ping agreed with the charge, and Yuan Shao had Meng Dai take over Shen Pei's guard of Ye.[2]
Supporting Yuan Tan
Yuan Shao died in anger and worry in 202. He had wanted to name Yuan Shang, who was handsome and loved by his later wife Lady Liu, but had not said so formally. Many wished to make the eldest son Yuan Tan heir. The party of Feng Ji and Shen Pei was at odds with the party of Xin Ping, Guo Tu and Yuan Tan, and Feng Ji and his allies, fearing harm from Yuan Tan once he took power, secretly altered Yuan Shao's last wishes to put Yuan Shang in his place. Yuan Tan could not succeed, called himself general of chariots and cavalry, and camped at Liyang.[2]
Death of his clan
The article says that Xin Ping and Guo Tu urged Yuan Tan to attack Yuan Shang, were defeated and fell back to Nanpi. His generals deserted, Yuan Shang attacked in force, and Yuan Tan withdrew to Pingyuan. While Yuan Shang besieged the city, Yuan Tan sent Xin Pi to ask Cao Cao for help, but Xin Pi instead advised Cao Cao to use the chance to take over Hebei, and Cao Cao sent a large army against Yuan Shang, who hurried back to Ye. Xin Pi urged Xin Ping to surrender to Cao Cao. He refused, yet Yuan Tan came to distrust him because his brother had gone over to Cao Cao. Shen Pei, angry at Xin Pi's betrayal, sent troops to kill the Xin clan in Ye. After the gates opened, Xin Pi ran straight to the prison to look for Xin Ping's family and found them all dead. The article adds that the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms invents a scene in which Xin Ping, distrusted by Yuan Tan and stung by his words, dies of anger, to Yuan Tan's regret.[2]