Han Fu

Historical Record

Han Fu, styled Wenjie, was the Governor of Jizhou in the late Eastern Han. During the turmoil of Dong Zhuo's misrule, Yuan Shao raised troops at Bohai, styling himself General of Chariots and Cavalry and serving as alliance leader. Han Fu and Yuan Shao once jointly proposed enthroning Liu Yu, the Governor of You Province, as emperor, and sent an envoy bearing a memorial to him, but Liu Yu would not accept^[1].

Han Fu's military undertakings did not go smoothly. He once led troops to garrison Anping but was defeated by Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan then led his forces into Jizhou, ostensibly to chastise Dong Zhuo but in fact intending to seize Jizhou, which left Han Fu inwardly uneasy^[1].

After Dong Zhuo moved west to Chang'an, Yuan Shao too led his forces back to Yanjin. By this time Han Fu's position grew ever more difficult. Yuan Shao's adviser Feng Ji once offered Yuan Shao a stratagem, pointing out that without holding a province of his own Yuan Shao could hardly preserve himself, and advising Yuan Shao to join with Gongsun Zan and entice him to march south against Jizhou, thereby forcing Han Fu to yield Jizhou^[1].

Yuan Shao adopted Feng Ji's stratagem. Gongsun Zan duly marched south, and Han Fu was thrown into panic. Yuan Shao seized the moment to dispatch Gao Gan of Chenliu, Xun Chen of Yingchuan, and others to go and persuade Han Fu. Xun Chen analyzed for Han Fu the present crisis, pointing out that Gongsun Zan was irresistible while Yuan Shao, a hero of the age, would never submit to another. He stressed that Jizhou was a vital resource of the realm, and that if two such heroes contended beneath the walls of Jizhou, it would surely bring ruin. He therefore advised Han Fu to yield Jizhou to Yuan Shao, reasoning that this would both let Yuan Shao take Jizhou—so that Gongsun Zan could not contend for it—and let Han Fu win the fair name of yielding to a worthy man and preserve himself^[1].

Han Fu, ever timid and weak, heeded Xun Chen's advice. His Chief Clerk Geng Wu, the Aide-de-camp Min Chun, the Administrative Officer Li Li, and others, however, strenuously opposed it. They pointed out that Jizhou, though not large, possessed a million armored soldiers and grain enough for ten years, whereas Yuan Shao was isolated and without support, depending wholly on Han Fu's breath—like an infant in one's palm, who would starve to death if his nursing were cut off—and they could not understand why he should hand the province over^[1].

Han Fu replied: "I was once a former officer of the Yuan house, and my abilities are inferior to Yuan Benchu's. To weigh one's virtue and yield one's place is what the ancients prized; why are you all so obstinate?" The Attendant Officers Zhao Fu and Cheng Huan also asked to lead troops in resistance, but Han Fu would not listen to them either. In the end, Han Fu decided to yield Jizhou to Yuan Shao. He withdrew to lodge in the former residence of Zhao Zhong and sent his son to deliver the seal of Jizhou to Yuan Shao at Liyang. Yuan Shao thus smoothly took the office of Governor of Jizhou^[1].

Among Han Fu's generals was Zhang He, styled Junyi, a man of Mo in Hejian. Zhang He answered the call in the late Han to chastise the Yellow Turban Army, serving as a military major under Han Fu. After Han Fu lost power, Zhang He led his troops over to Yuan Shao^[2].

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Han Fu's image is further fashioned into that of a timid, irresolute lord who belittled his own abilities. He first appears in Chapter 5: in the allied campaign against Dong Zhuo, when Hua Xiong had slain in succession generals such as Yu She and Pan Feng, Han Fu recommended his own senior general Pan Feng to give battle, but Pan Feng too was quickly slain by Hua Xiong—highlighting Han Fu's poor judgment of men and the incompetence of his generals, and indirectly setting off Guan Yu's valor^[3].

The novel's depiction of Han Fu yielding Jizhou broadly accords with the historical fact, but adds more dramatic detail and dialogue to reinforce his character. In Chapter 7, while Yuan Shao was encamped at Henei and short of provisions, Han Fu sent men to deliver grain in aid^[4]. Yuan Shao's adviser Feng Ji again offered a stratagem, advising Yuan Shao to use Gongsun Zan to attack Jizhou and force Han Fu to yield the province. Yuan Shao adopted this stratagem and secretly informed Han Fu. Han Fu was duly thrown into panic and summoned Xun Chen and Xin Ping to confer. Xun Chen's advice was the same as in the histories, urging Han Fu to invite Yuan Shao to govern Jizhou jointly^[4].

As in the histories, Han Fu's Chief Clerk Geng Wu also strenuously remonstrated, pointing out that Yuan Shao was isolated and without support, relying wholly on Han Fu's relief—like an infant in one's palm, who would starve if his nursing were cut off—and that Han Fu should not bring a wolf into the house. But Han Fu held to his own view, maintaining that his abilities were inferior to Yuan Shao's and that he should follow the ancients in yielding to a worthy. Hearing this, Geng Wu sighed, "Jizhou is finished!" and together with Guan Chun abandoned his post and left, even attempting to assassinate Yuan Shao, but both were slain by Yan Liang and Wen Chou. After Yuan Shao took control of Jizhou, he nominally enfeoffed Han Fu as General Who Manifests Might, but in fact stripped him of all power. Han Fu bitterly regretted this and finally abandoned his household to take refuge with Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Chenliu^[4].

The novel's portrayal of Han Fu, especially in the matter of yielding Jizhou, further highlights his timidity, short-sightedness, and lack of resolve through the loyal remonstrances of Geng Wu, Guan Chun, and others and their final tragic end, making him a typical cautionary example and setting off Yuan Shao's cunning and overweening ambition. The histories do not clearly record the episode of Geng Wu and Guan Chun attempting to assassinate Yuan Shao; this is an artistic embellishment by the novel to heighten dramatic conflict.

Key Relationships

* Yuan Shao (serves/defected_to): Han Fu's relationship with Yuan Shao was complex and changeable. At first Han Fu was allied with Yuan Shao, jointly proposing to enthrone Liu Yu as emperor^[1]. Later, however, on his advisers' counsel, Yuan Shao contrived to entice Gongsun Zan to attack Jizhou and force Han Fu to yield it. In the end, out of timidity and the notion of "yielding to a worthy," Han Fu handed Jizhou over to Yuan Shao and became his subordinate, yet was in fact stripped of power^[4].
* Yuan Shao's Faction (defected_to): After yielding Jizhou, Han Fu in effect became part of Yuan Shao's faction, but his standing and power were far diminished. His advisers Xun Chen, Gao Gan, and others had also schemed for Yuan Shao, bringing about the change of masters over Jizhou^[1].
* Zhang He (mentor_of): Zhang He once served as a military major under Han Fu. After Han Fu lost power, Zhang He led his troops over to Yuan Shao^[2]. This shows that Han Fu was Zhang He's early superior but failed to keep this future renowned general.
* Zhang Miao (serves): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after losing Jizhou, Han Fu, dispirited, finally took refuge with Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Chenliu^[4] (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Yielding Jizhou to Yuan Shao: This was the most decisive event of Han Fu's life. Under the threat of Gongsun Zan and the persuasion of Yuan Shao's advisers, Han Fu, despite the strenuous opposition of his subordinates Geng Wu, Min Chun, and others, handed wealthy Jizhou over to Yuan Shao on the grounds that "my abilities are inferior to Yuan Shao's; I should yield to a worthy." This act not only changed his own fate but also greatly strengthened Yuan Shao, exerting a profound influence on the configuration of the Three Kingdoms^[1].
* The slaying of Pan Feng (novel only): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in the allied campaign against Dong Zhuo, Han Fu recommended his own senior general Pan Feng to fight Hua Xiong, boasting, "I have my senior general Pan Feng, who can slay Hua Xiong"^[3]. Yet Pan Feng was quickly slain by Hua Xiong, a scene that not only highlights Hua Xiong's valor but also sets off Han Fu's poor judgment of men and the incompetence of his generals, paving the way for Guan Yu's heroic feat of slaying Hua Xiong before the wine had cooled.