All we know is he was a gladiator fighting in Noxus who eventually received an honorary Demacian citizenship. Was he a prisoner from somewhere or originally Noxian? My guess is that he was an Ionian prisoner because most of the Asian-ish champs seem to originate from there, but he could also be Noxian fighting for glory... yet that would contradict why he would switch sides so easily.
The gladiators were usually prisoners of war, criminals, slaves and whatnot, being thrown into the ring to fight (a lot of times to the death) for the entertainment of the audience. Gladiators as a role in the society was also publicly looked down upon due to the stripped social standing and rights, and they were seen as disposable where no one wept for their struggle and demise but instead cheered it for the entertainment value, despite the famous individual gladiators being celebrated in both high and low arts and held in high esteem like celebrities ("ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED???"). While there were people who didn't really care and entered the ring to chase after fame and the thrill, but Xin was obviously not one of them.
He was probably rallied into the gladiator ring after the Noxian invasion of Ionia as a war prisoner. He was then freed by Demacian forces, which he now swears his loyalty to.
But then, this is the old lore, it might not still apply after the retcoon anymore but who knows.
i like xins old lore (ionia;birthplace->noxus;s a slave->demacia;new home) and if you look at other circumstances his lore fit in the new lore too but riot just needs to add some adjectives to xin/ stories i should say. :D
As far as i know his race is the Human race...
But who knows? Maybe Xin is a yordle in disguise
