Song Xian was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu

Lü Bu

Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...

 during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 era of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. In 198, when Cao Cao

Cao Cao

Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...

 besieged Lü Bu at the Battle of Xiapi

Battle of Xiapi

The Battle of Xiapi was a battle fought by the forces of Lü Bu against the allied armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 198 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...

, Song Xian and his colleagues Hou Cheng

Hou Cheng

Hou Cheng was a general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He defected to the warlord Cao Cao during the Battle of Xiapi....

 and Wei Xu

Wei Xu

Wei Xu was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:When Lü Bu wandered the land, Wei closely followed him in the journey, together, they routed the Heishan Bandits, and fended off attacks from Yuan Shu...

 kidnapped Lü Bu's chief advisor Chen Gong

Chen Gong

Gong Chen was an advisor to the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. However, he started his career under Cao Cao before defecting to Lü Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao....

 and defected to Cao Cao's side. Lü Bu was soon captured and executed as well.

In fiction

In chapter 19 of Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong

Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...

's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...

, Song Xian's close friend and colleague Hou Cheng

Hou Cheng

Hou Cheng was a general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He defected to the warlord Cao Cao during the Battle of Xiapi....

 was flogged 50 times on Lü Bu

Lü Bu

Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...

's order for breaking the liquor ban. The disgruntled Hou then plotted with Song Xian and Wei Xu

Wei Xu

Wei Xu was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:When Lü Bu wandered the land, Wei closely followed him in the journey, together, they routed the Heishan Bandits, and fended off attacks from Yuan Shu...

 to betray Lü Bu to Cao Cao

Cao Cao

Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...

.

Under the cover of the night, Hou stole Lü Bu's steed Red Hare

Red Hare

Red Hare was Lü Bu's horse during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare...

 and galloped out of the city towards Cao Cao's camp. The next morning, Cao Cao's troops launched a fierce attack. Lü Bu had to personally take part in the defense of the walls. The battle dragged into high noon when at last the offensive subsided. The exhausted Lü then took a nap on top of the city gate. Taking the opportunity, Song Xian and Wei Xu tied Lü up and hoisted a white flag. The two also threw Lü's halberd down the wall as proof of allegiance. Seeing the signals, Cao Cao's troops then flocked into the city and seized it in no time.

In chapter 25, Song Xian was slain by Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...

's general Yan Liang

Yan Liang

Yan Liang was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was slain by Guan Yu at the Battle of Boma.-Biography:...

 in a duel during the Battle of Boma

Battle of Boma

The Battle of Boma or Battle of Baima was the first of a series of battles that led to the decisive Battle of Guandu between the warlords Yuan Shao and Cao Cao in northern China during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...

. Wei Xu subsequently volunteered to avenge his old friend but was slain by Yan as well.