Introduction
Yuan Xi (died 207) was the second son of the warlord Yuan Shao in the late Eastern Hán dynasty.
In fiction
Yuan was described in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as "intelligent but weak and indecisive", in contrast to his older brother Yuan Tan, who was described as "brave but impulsive and violent". After the combined forces of Yuan Xi and his younger brother Yuan Shang was defeated in battle against Cao Cao in the follow-up battles after the Battle of Guandu, he fled to Liaodong with Yuan Shang and stayed with administrator Gongsun Kang, hoping to one day take over Gongsun's forces and have their revenge on Cao Cao. However, they were themselves betrayed and were killed in an ambush set up by Gongsun, who instead wanted to join Cao's forces.
Yuan Xi's wife, Lady Zhen, was taken as wife by Cao Cao's son, Cao Pi, while Yuan Xi still lived.
Descendants
Yuan Shuji, a Tang dynasty chancellor, was a descendant of Yuan Xi.