Xu Zhixun (徐知詢) (died 934), formally Prince Kang of Donghai (東海康王), was the second biological son of Xu Wen, the regent of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu.
He later continued to serve as a general of the Wu state but without sufficient power to again challenge Xu Zhigao.
He was the second oldest known biological son of Xu Wen's,[1] but his older brother Xu Zhixun (elder) was at one point referred to as Sanlang (三郎, "third-born son") by Song Qiqiu, implying that he might have had two other older brothers who died in infancy and therefore were not counted in traditional counting of birth order.
However, by 927, by which time Xu Zhixun carried the titles of commander of armed forces (行軍司馬, Xingjun Sima), military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei, but which was then under control of Later Tang), and honorary chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi), Xu Wen changed his mind.
He was planning to head to Guangling to recommend to then-King of Wu, Yang Pu, that Yang Pu claim imperial title, and then assign his two sons to new posts, with Xu Zhixun replacing Xu Zhigao as junior regent.
Xu Zhigao, hearing this, decided to resign and request to be the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi).
Once he arrived there, Xu Zhigao detained him and did not allow him to return to Jinling, sending the officer Ke Hou (柯厚) to lead the Jinling forces back to Guangling, thus consolidating the command under Xu Zhigao himself.
Xu Zhixun was kept at Guangling to take the office of army commander (統軍, Tongjun), still carrying the title of military governor of Zhenhai Circuit.
[3] At some point, it appeared that Xu Zhigao allowed him to report to Zhenhai's capital Run Prefecture (潤州), but he did not spend much effort in governing the circuit.
Yang Pu commissioned Xu Zhixun to replace him, and also created him the Prince of Donghai.