Fei Shi

Historical Record

Fei Shi, courtesy name Gongju, was a man of Nan'an in Jianwei. During Liu Zhang's rule over Yi Province, he served as Magistrate of Mianzhu County. When Liu Bei led his army to attack Mianzhu, Fei Shi was the first to open the city and surrender^[1]. After Chengdu was pacified and Liu Bei took the post of Governor of Yi Province, he appointed Fei Shi as Officer Supervising the Army, and later sent him out as Grand Administrator of Zangke. When his term ended, he was recalled to serve as Major of the Vanguard of the province.

After Liu Bei was proclaimed King of Hanzhong, he dispatched Fei Shi to Jing Province to formally invest Guan Yu as General of the Vanguard. When Guan Yu learned that Huang Zhong too had been appointed General of the Rear, however, he flew into a rage, declaring "a true man will never stand in the same rank as an old soldier," and refused to accept the appointment. Facing Guan Yu's resistance, Fei Shi persuaded him with the example of Xiao He, Cao Can, and Han Xin, pointing out that the King of Hanzhong's esteem for Guan Yu far surpassed that for Huang Zhong, and that the King and the lord were "like one body, sharing rest and grief, joined in fortune and misfortune," and ought not to quibble over the height of office. He warned Guan Yu that if he refused the investiture, he might come to regret it, and in the end brought Guan Yu to understanding so that he accepted the appointment^[1].

Later, when the officials deliberated on urging Liu Bei to become emperor, Fei Shi submitted a memorial in opposition. He held that Liu Bei had raised troops to punish the usurpation of Cao Cao and his son, and that now, with the great enemy not yet overcome, to be in haste to set himself up would arouse doubts in men's hearts. Fei Shi cited the covenant of Gaozu Liu Bang with King Huai of Chu, and the example of Liu Bang's still yielding the imperial throne even after breaking into Xianyang, questioning the reasonableness of Liu Bei's becoming emperor at this time, and bluntly stating, "Your foolish servant truly does not take this course for Your Highness"^[2]. This act angered Liu Bei, and Fei Shi was demoted to Officer of Yongchang.

In the third year of Jianxing, Fei Shi accompanied Zhuge Liang on the Southern Campaign. On the return journey, the defector Li Hong came to pay his respects to Zhuge Liang and mentioned that Meng Da trusted Zhuge Liang, believing that Zhuge Liang would not treat him as Liu Feng had. At the time both Jiang Wan and Fei Shi were present. Zhuge Liang wished to write a letter to Meng Da, but Fei Shi bluntly said that Meng Da "is a petty fellow; in the past he served the General Who Spreads Martial Awe without loyalty, and afterward turned his back on the former lord—a man of fickleness, hardly worth writing to!"^[3]. Zhuge Liang fell silent and made no reply, but in the end still wrote to win over Meng Da, intending to make use of him as an outside ally. Yet Meng Da was finally attacked and beheaded by Sima Yi. During Jiang Wan's administration, Fei Shi was appointed Grand Counselor of Remonstrance, and he finally died at home.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Fei Shi's image centers chiefly on his role as the envoy who persuaded Guan Yu to accept the investiture of the King of Hanzhong, and on that basis is given literary embellishment and expansion^[4]. The novel renders the scene of Fei Shi's persuasion of Guan Yu more vividly, setting Guan Yu's anger in sharp contrast with Fei Shi's composed counsel. In the novel, Fei Shi not only stressed the brotherly bond between Liu Bei and Guan Yu but likened the relationship of Guan Yu and Liu Bei to "the King of Hanzhong is the general, the general is the King of Hanzhong," using this to dissolve Guan Yu's resentment toward Huang Zhong, so that he finally accepted the appointment^[4].

In addition, the novel adds an episode in which Fei Shi, as Guan Yu prepared to set out on campaign, dissuaded him from beheading Shi Ren and Mi Fang. When Guan Yu, because Shi Ren and Mi Fang had failed in their duties, wished to behead them, Fei Shi counseled, "Before setting out on campaign, to first behead great generals is unlucky for the army. Their offense may be pardoned for now"^[5]. Although Guan Yu did not heed Fei Shi's advice to pardon the two entirely, out of regard for Fei Shi he changed the penalty to a flogging and demotion, which indirectly contributed to the later defection of Shi Ren and Mi Fang and laid the groundwork for Guan Yu's flight in defeat to Maicheng. The historical sources contain no clear record of Fei Shi dissuading Guan Yu from beheading Shi Ren and Mi Fang; this is an episode unique to the novel, meant to enrich the relationships among the characters and advance the plot.

In the novel, Fei Shi also brought Hu Ban into Shu to see the King of Hanzhong and receive a noble rank; this too was devised by the novel to connect the old bond between Hu Ban and Guan Yu^[5]. On the whole, the Fei Shi of the novel further displays his wisdom as an envoy and his daring in remonstrance, but in certain episodes the novel created passages that diverge from the historical record for the sake of dramatic conflict and narrative coherence.

Key Relationships

* Liu Zhang's faction: Fei Shi at first served Liu Zhang as Magistrate of Mianzhu County, and was the first to surrender when Liu Bei attacked the city, marking his transition from Liu Zhang's faction to Liu Bei's faction^[1].
* Liu Bei's faction: Fei Shi was an important official of Liu Bei's faction, successively serving as Officer Supervising the Army, Grand Administrator of Zangke, and Major of the Vanguard of the province. As an envoy he invested Guan Yu, and he bluntly remonstrated against Liu Bei becoming emperor, displaying his loyalty and uprightness^[2].
* Guan Yu: As Liu Bei's envoy, Fei Shi successfully persuaded Guan Yu—who had grown resentful at Huang Zhong's enfeoffment—to accept the appointment of General of the Vanguard, averting the sharpening of internal conflict^[1]. In the novel, Fei Shi also dissuaded Guan Yu from beheading Shi Ren and Mi Fang (unique to the novel)^[5].
* Zhuge Liang: Fei Shi accompanied Zhuge Liang on the Southern Campaign, and in the discussion of whether to retain Meng Da, bluntly stated that Meng Da was fickle and not worthy of trust. Though Zhuge Liang had his own considerations, Fei Shi's remonstrance reflected his judgment of men's characters^[3].
* Jiang Wan: Fei Shi served at court together with Jiang Wan; during Jiang Wan's administration, Fei Shi was appointed Grand Counselor of Remonstrance.

Signature Scenes

* Surrendering to Liu Bei at Mianzhu: When Liu Bei attacked Mianzhu, Fei Shi was the first to open the city and surrender; this act laid the foundation for Liu Bei's smooth entry into Yi Province and opened Fei Shi's official career in Liu Bei's camp^[1].
* Persuading and investing Guan Yu: As an envoy, Fei Shi faced the resentment Guan Yu felt at Huang Zhong's enfeoffment, and with his outstanding eloquence and wisdom successfully persuaded Guan Yu to accept the appointment of General of the Vanguard, preserving the unity and stability within Liu Bei's faction. This is a concentrated display of his character of "speaking his mind freely" and "remonstrating with his sovereign with stern countenance"^[1].
* Remonstrating against becoming emperor: At the critical moment when the officials urged Liu Bei to become emperor, Fei Shi dared to remonstrate frankly, opposing Liu Bei's becoming emperor too early, holding it ill-timed and likely to arouse doubts in men's hearts. Though demoted for this, his uprightness and concern for the larger situation are plain to see^[2].
* Remonstrating over Meng Da: When Zhuge Liang considered winning over Meng Da, Fei Shi bluntly said that Meng Da was fickle and not worthy of trust. This again displayed his insight into men's characters and his trait of daring to express his true views^[3].
* Dissuading Guan Yu from beheading Shi Ren and Mi Fang (unique to the novel): In the novel, Fei Shi dissuaded Guan Yu, in his great wrath, from beheading Shi Ren and Mi Fang; though not wholly successful, it indirectly influenced the unfolding of later events, reflecting his thorough consideration as a strategist^[5].