Han Xizai () (902 – August 31, 970), courtesy name Shuyan (叔言), was an official of the Yang Wu and Southern Tang dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China, known for his skill in writing and calligraphy.
Background
Han Xizai was born in 902, late in the Tang dynasty. He was said to be from Beihai (北海, in modern Weifang, Shandong) (and, based on subsequent events, appeared to have been born there). In his youth, he lived as a hermit on Mount Song. Later, during the Tongguang era (923-926) of the reign of Li Cunxu (Emperor Zhuangzong), the founding emperor of the succeeding Later Tang dynasty, he passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class.
During the early Later Tang, Han Xizai's father Han Shusi () served as an assistant to military governor (Jiedushi) of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang), Fu Xi (). In 926, when many mutinies rose against Li Cunxu's rule and one of the most major was centered at Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan, Hebei), Fu led his troops toward Yedu, preparing to combat the Yedu mutineers under the overall command of the major general Li Siyuan, an adoptive brother of Li Cunxu's. However, on the way, news arrived at Fu's camp that Li Siyuan's own army had forced him into joining the mutiny, so he tried to retreat back to Pinglu's capital Qing Prefecture (). When he reached Zi Prefecture (淄州, in modern Zibo, Shandong), however, the eunuch monitor of the Pinglu army, Yang Xiwang (), whom he had left in charge of the circuit in his absence, turned against him and tried to resist him from returning, so he took the army and fled west. The commander of the army left at Qing, Wang Gongyan (), then killed Yang and took over the city. Han Shusi was said to be a participant in Wang's plans.
Meanwhile, Li Cunxu was killed in another mutiny at then-capital Luoyang itself. Li Siyuan then arrived at Luoyang and claimed imperial title. Wang, wanting to be made military governor, claimed that Fu was harsh to his army such that the army did not want his return. When Fu nevertheless approached Qing and got to Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Jinan, Shandong), Wang resisted him, and Fu did not dare to approach further. Li Siyuan, however, was unwilling to allow Wang to retain Pinglu, and instead named Wang the prefect of Deng Prefecture (登州, in modern Yantai, Shandong). Wang initially refused to report to Deng, but when Li Siyuan then made the general Huo Yanwei the military governor of Pinglu and had Huo gather up a force to prepare an operation against Wang, Wang became fearful and left Qing, heading for Deng. Huo intercepted him and executed him and his associates, including Han Shusi.
In the aftermaths of his father Han Shusi's death, Han Xizai became fearful that he would also be killed, so planned to flee to Later Tang's southeastern neighbor Wu. His friend and fellow Jinshi, Li Gu (who would later be a chancellor of the succeeding Later Zhou), knew of his plan, and accompanied him to the two states' border post Zhengyang (正陽, on the border of modern Fuyang and Lu'an, Anhui), on the Huai River, to send him off. They drank together before parting with each other. At that time, Han made the comment, "If Wu makes me a chancellor, I will surely invade and conquer the Central Plains." Li laughed and responded, "If the Central Plains makes me a chancellor, for me to take Wu would be as easy as taking something out of a sack." Han then entered Wu realm.
During Yang Wu
Upon his arrival at the Yang Wu court, Han Xizai submitted a petition in which he, describing his qualifications, used grand language that described himself as being learned in the Spring and Autumn Annals, military strategy from the Six Secret Teachings, having the capability of the Han dynasty strategist Chen Ping and the Warring States period debater Lu Zhonglian (), and implicitly comparing himself to Fan Zeng and Jiang Ziya. At that time, dominant at the Wu court was the regent Xu Zhigao, who wanted to curb the officials in their behavior, but Han was young and carefree, which did not fit into Xu's ideals. Han therefore did not receive a high position — he was initially made Xiaoshulang (), a copyeditor at the Palace Library, and later three terms as assistant to the prefects of Chu (滁州, in modern Chuzhou, Anhui), He (和州, in modern Ma'anshan, Anhui), and Chang (常州, in modern Changzhou, Jiangsu) Prefectures. This was despite the fact that at that time, Xu, wanting to entice capable people from the Central Plains, often promoted them quickly, but it was said that Han was not concerned about his being bypassed for promotions.