Warlord
Han Fu faction 韓馥
About this faction
This faction was the faction led by Han Fu (韓馥) as he governed Ji Province at the end of the Eastern Han. Dong Zhuo sent Han Fu, then a Master of Writing, out as Governor of Ji Province, but on reaching his post Han Fu raised troops to attack Dong Zhuo, and in the first month of the 1st year of Chuping (190) he became one of the officials east of the passes who chose Yuan Shao as leader of the alliance. In the second month of that year, when Yuan Shao was stationed at Henei, Han Fu was at Ye. Records, Shu 8 §3Records, Wei 6 §10Records, Wei 1 §7–8
He tried with Yuan Shao to set up Liu Yu, Governor of You Province, as emperor, but did not succeed, and while uneasy after a defeat by Gongsun Zan, he accepted the persuasion of Gao Gan and Xun Chen, whom Yuan Shao had sent, and handed Ji Province over to Yuan Shao. The Annals of Emperor Wu recorded this as an event of the seventh month of the 2nd year of Chuping (191). Ji Province passed to the Yuan Shao faction, and Han Fu, who later relied on Zhang Miao, took his own life. Records, Wei 6 §39–43 · 47Records, Wei 1 §18
Chen Shou gave Han Fu no biography of his own, recording his affairs in parts in the Biography of Yuan Shao in Records of Wei 6, the Biographies of Dong, the Two Yuans and Liu, and in the Annals of Emperor Wu, the Biography of Dong Zhuo and elsewhere. The Romance first brought Han Fu forward in Chapter 5 as the Inspector of Ji Province leading the second contingent among the lords who answered Cao Cao's call to arms. Records, Wei 6 §32 · 39–47Romance, Ch. 5 §7
Rise and fall in the Records
Dong Zhuo trusted the Master of Writing Zhou Bi and the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong, and sent the men they recommended out as heads of provinces and commanderies. According to the Biography of Xu Jing, the Master of Writing Han Fu was then given charge of Ji Province as its Governor, Liu Dai became Inspector of Yan Province, Kong Zhou Inspector of Yu Province, and Zhang Miao Administrator of Chenliu. On reaching their posts, Han Fu and the others each raised troops to kill Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo, believing that Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong had been in collusion with them, beheaded them both. Records, Wei 6 §10Records, Shu 8 §3
In the first month of the 1st year of Chuping (190), Yuan Shu, General of the Rear, Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province, Yuan Shao, Administrator of Bohai, and others raised troops at the same time and chose Yuan Shao as leader of the alliance. In the second month, when Dong Zhuo moved the Son of Heaven to Chang'an, Yuan Shao was stationed at Henei and Han Fu was at Ye. At about the same time, when Xun Yu urged the people of his home commandery of Yingchuan to leave, Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province and a man of the same commandery, sent cavalry to meet them; no one else went along, and Xun Yu alone led his clan to Ji Province. Records, Wei 1 §7–8Records, Wei 10 §3
Yuan Shao and Han Fu, saying that the young emperor was controlled by treacherous ministers and the realm had nowhere to set its heart, discussed setting up Liu Yu, Governor of You Province and a renowned member of the imperial clan, as emperor. Cao Cao refused to join them. In the spring of the 2nd year of Chuping (191) the two finally sent envoys to set Liu Yu up as emperor, but Liu Yu would not accept. Records, Wei 8 §9Records, Wei 1 §15–16Records, Wei 6 §39
Later Han Fu stationed his troops at Anping and was defeated by Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan entered Ji Province under the pretext of attacking Dong Zhuo but inwardly meant to fall upon Han Fu, and Han Fu grew uneasy. Just then Dong Zhuo went west into Guanzhong, and Yuan Shao turned his army back to Yanjin and, taking advantage of Han Fu's alarm, sent Gao Gan of Chenliu, Xun Chen of Yingchuan and others to persuade him. Xun Chen said that Gongsun Zan's spearhead could not be withstood and that the Yuan would not be willing to stand below Han Fu either, so that if the two heroes clashed beneath the walls, Ji Province would be in peril. He then urged that if Han Fu yielded Ji Province to the Yuan, an old associate and an ally, he would win the name of one who yielded to the worthy and his person would be secure. Records, Wei 6 §39–41
Chen Shou wrote that Han Fu, being timid by nature, approved the plan. His Chief Clerk Geng Wu, Attendant Officer Min Chun and Headquarters Officer Li Li tried to stop him, saying that Ji Province had a million armored troops and grain enough for ten years, while Yuan Shao was a lone stranger who depended on their very breath. Han Fu replied that he was a former subordinate of the Yuan and that his talent did not match Benchu's, so he would weigh virtue and yield. The Assistant Officers Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan asked to resist Yuan Shao with troops, but he would not listen even to them and handed over Ji Province, and Yuan Shao took charge as Governor of Ji Province. The Annals of Emperor Wu recorded this event of the seventh month, in autumn, of the 2nd year of Chuping (191) as "Yuan Shao coerced Han Fu and seized Ji Province." Records, Wei 6 §42–43Records, Wei 1 §18
Zhang He, who had been attached to Han Fu as a Major, led his troops over to Yuan Shao when Han Fu fell. By the time Xun Yu reached Ji Province, Yuan Shao had already taken Han Fu's position. Records, Wei 17 §42Records, Wei 10 §3–4
When Dong Zhuo killed all of Yuan Shao's clan, many men of influence and knights-errant flocked to Yuan Shao. Han Fu, filled with fear, asked Yuan Shao for leave to depart and went to rely on Zhang Miao in Chenliu. Later, when Yuan Shao sent an envoy to Zhang Miao on a matter for discussion and the envoy whispered with Zhang Miao, Han Fu, who was present, took it for a plot against him, and shortly afterward he got up, went to the privy and killed himself. Records, Wei 6 §47
Han Fu had no biography of his own, and so there is no assessment of him by Chen Shou. The assessment of Volume 6 discussed only Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. Records, Wei 6 §96–97
In the Romance
In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Han Fu was listed as the Inspector of Ji Province, the second contingent among the lords who answered Cao Cao's call to arms. When Dong Zhuo's general Hua Xiong beheaded Yu She, Yuan Shu's general, the Administrator Han Fu stepped forward, saying that he had a chief general, Pan Feng, who could behead Hua Xiong, but Pan Feng, who went out with a great axe, was soon beheaded by Hua Xiong as well. Romance, Ch. 5 §7 · 32
In Chapter 7, when Yuan Shao at Henei ran short of provisions, Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province, sent him provisions. But the strategist Feng Ji, calling Han Fu a man without plans, urged Yuan Shao to have Gongsun Zan attack Ji Province and to take Ji Province in the meantime. When Yuan Shao secretly informed Han Fu of this, Han Fu gathered Xun Chen and Xin Ping to deliberate, and Xun Chen urged him to invite Yuan Shao to govern the affairs of the province with him. Romance, Ch. 7 §2–4
When Han Fu sent his Attendant Officer Guan Chun to invite Yuan Shao, the Chief Clerk Geng Wu tried to stop him, saying that it was like leading a tiger into a flock of sheep, but Han Fu would not listen, saying that he was a former subordinate of the Yuan family and that his ability did not match Benchu's. Those who abandoned their posts and left numbered more than thirty. Geng Wu and Guan Chun, who hid outside the city to stab Yuan Shao, were killed by Yan Liang and Wen Chou. Romance, Ch. 7 §5–7
Yuan Shao entered Ji Province, made Han Fu General Who Displays Might, and divided the affairs of the province among Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Xu You and Feng Ji, stripping Han Fu of all his power. Han Fu repented, but it was too late, and abandoning his family he left on a single horse to entrust himself to Zhang Miao, Administrator of Chenliu. In the same chapter, at the bridge over the Pan River, Yuan Shao told Gongsun Zan that Han Fu, being without talent, had simply wished to yield Ji Province to him. Romance, Ch. 7 §7 · 10
Where the Romance differs
Title and camp: Chapter 5 of the Romance called Han Fu the Inspector of Ji Province and had him send out his chief general Pan Feng in the camp of the allied army. In the Records, Han Fu was the Governor of Ji Province, sent out from the post of Master of Writing, and was at Ye while Yuan Shao was stationed at Henei. Pan Feng does not appear in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 5 §7 · 32Records, Shu 8 §3Records, Wei 1 §7–8
How Gongsun Zan came to invade: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, following Feng Ji's plan, Yuan Shao sent Gongsun Zan a letter proposing that they attack Ji Province, and then secretly informed Han Fu of it. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Han Fu was defeated by Gongsun Zan at Anping, and Gongsun Zan entered Ji Province under the pretext of attacking Dong Zhuo and set his sights on Han Fu. There is no word that Yuan Shao drew Gongsun Zan in. Romance, Ch. 7 §2–4Records, Wei 6 §39–40
Who persuaded him: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, Han Fu deliberated with his own strategists Xun Chen and Xin Ping. In the Records, Xun Chen was one of the men Yuan Shao sent, together with Gao Gan, to persuade Han Fu. Romance, Ch. 7 §4Records, Wei 6 §40
Those who objected: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, the Chief Clerk Geng Wu objected, and Geng Wu and the Attendant Officer Guan Chun were killed by Yan Liang and Wen Chou while trying to stab Yuan Shao. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, the Chief Clerk Geng Wu, the Attendant Officer Min Chun and the Headquarters Officer Li Li objected, and the Assistant Officers Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan asked to resist with troops. There was no attempt to stab Yuan Shao. Romance, Ch. 7 §5–7Records, Wei 6 §42–43
Setting up Liu Yu: In the Records, Han Fu tried with Yuan Shao to set up Liu Yu as emperor, but Liu Yu would not accept. This affair does not appear in connection with Han Fu in Chapters 5 and 7 of the Romance. Records, Wei 1 §15–16Records, Wei 6 §39Romance, Ch. 5 §7Romance, Ch. 7 §2–7
General Who Displays Might: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, Yuan Shao entered Ji Province and made Han Fu General Who Displays Might. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, the man Yuan Shao recommended by petition as Army Supervisor and General Who Displays Might was Ju Shou. Romance, Ch. 7 §7Records, Wei 6 §46
Han Fu's end: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, after being stripped of his power Han Fu abandoned his family and went on a single horse to Zhang Miao, and did not appear again. In the Records, he asked Yuan Shao for leave to depart and relied on Zhang Miao, and on seeing Yuan Shao's envoy whispering with Zhang Miao, he killed himself in the privy. Romance, Ch. 7 §7Records, Wei 6 §47
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Lineage
- Absorbed by: Yuan Shao faction (191) — 「秋七月，袁紹脅韓馥，取冀州」 · 「乃讓紹，紹遂領冀州牧」