Xiahou Xuan (209 – 27 March 254),[a] courtesy name Taichu, was a Chinese essayist, historian, military general, philosopher, and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Xiahou Xuan, Li Sheng, Deng Yang and Zhuge Dan were notable figures of those days, and were called the "Four Ingenious" (四聰).
Some years later, Xiahou Xuan was promoted to General Who Attacks the West (征西將軍) and was tasked with overseeing military affairs in Yong and Liang provinces.
Following Li Sheng's advice, Xiahou Xuan and Cao Shuang launched a military campaign against Wei's rival state, Shu Han.
Xiahou Xuan and Cao Shuang also suffered great damage to their personal reputations for deciding to launch this disastrous campaign in the first place.
In February 249, taking advantage of Cao Shuang's absence from the imperial capital Luoyang, Sima Yi staged a coup d'état against his fellow co-regent and seized power.
As Xiahou Xuan was previously one of Cao Shuang's associates, he lived a depressed and deprived life under the Wei government controlled by Sima Yi.
Around 254, Li Feng, who held the position of Prefect of the Palace Writers (中書令) in the Wei government, secretly plotted to overthrow and assassinate Sima Shi.
To achieve his purposes, Li Feng secretly contacted Zhang Ji (張緝), the emperor's father-in-law, and told him about his plan.