Wang Fen

In the Eastern Han, Jizhou governor Wang Fen’s plot to depose Emperor Ling and install the Marquis of Hefei failed.
In the sources
Where the books name Wang Fen
History · vol. 1Records of the Three Kingdoms
頃之,冀州刺史王芬、南陽許攸、沛國周旌等連結豪傑,謀廢靈帝,立合肥侯,以告太祖,太祖拒之。…
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頃之,冀州刺史王芬、南陽許攸、沛國周旌等連結豪傑,謀廢靈帝,立合肥侯,以告太祖,太祖拒之。芬等遂敗。〈司馬彪《九州春秋》曰:於是陳蕃子逸與術士平原襄楷會於芬坐,楷曰:「天文不利宦者,黃門、常侍貴族滅矣。」逸喜。芬曰:「若然者,芬願驅除。」於是與攸等結謀。靈帝欲北巡河間舊宅,芬等謀因此作難,上書言黑山賊攻劫郡縣,求得起兵。會北方有赤氣,東西竟天,太史上言「當有陰謀,不宜北行」,帝乃止。勑芬罷兵,俄而徵之。芬懼,自殺。《魏書》載太祖拒芬辭曰:「夫廢立之事,天下之至不祥也。古人有權成敗計輕重而行之者,伊尹、霍光是也。伊尹懷至忠之誠,據宰臣之勢,處官司之上,故進退廢置,計從事立。及至霍光受託國之任,藉宗臣之位,內因太后秉政之重,外有羣卿同欲之勢,昌邑即位日淺,未有貴寵,朝乏讜臣,議出密近,故計行如轉圜,事成如摧朽。今諸君徒見曩者之易,未覩當今之難。諸君自度,結衆連黨,何若七國?合肥之貴,孰若吳、楚?而造作非常,欲望必克,不亦危乎!」〉
History · vol. 13Records of the Three Kingdoms
…時王芬與豪傑謀廢靈帝。語在《武紀》。〈《魏書》稱芬有大名於天下。…
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華歆字子魚,平原高唐人也。高唐爲齊名都,衣冠無不游行市里。歆爲吏,休沐出府,則歸家闔門。議論持平,終不毀傷人。〈《魏略》曰:歆與北海邴原、管寧俱游學,三人相善,時人號三人爲「一龍」,歆爲龍頭,原爲龍腹,寧爲龍尾。 臣松之以爲邴根矩之徽猷懿望,不必有愧華公,管幼安含德高蹈,又恐弗當爲尾。《魏略》此言,未可以定其先後也。〉同郡陶丘洪亦知名,自以明見過歆。時王芬與豪傑謀廢靈帝。語在《武紀》。〈《魏書》稱芬有大名於天下。〉芬陰呼歆、洪共定計,洪欲行,歆止之曰:「夫廢立大事,伊、霍之所難。芬性踈而不武,此必無成,而禍將及族。子其無往!」洪從歆言而止。後芬果敗,洪乃服。舉孝廉,除郎中,病,去官。靈帝崩,何進輔政,徵河南鄭泰、潁川荀攸及歆等。歆到,爲尚書郎。董卓遷天子長安,歆求出爲下邽令,病不行,遂從藍田至南陽。〈華嶠《譜叙》曰:歆少以高行顯名。避西京之亂,與同志鄭泰等六七人,間步出武關。道遇一丈夫獨行,願得俱,皆哀欲許之。歆獨曰:「不可。今已在危險之中,禍福患害,義猶一也。無故受人,不知其義。旣以受之,若有進退,可中棄乎!」衆不忍,卒與俱行。此丈夫中道墮井,皆欲棄之。歆曰:「已與俱矣,棄之不義。」相率共還出之,而後別去。衆乃大義之。〉時袁術在穰,留歆。歆說術使進軍討卓,術不能用。歆欲棄去,會天子使太傅馬日磾安集關東,日磾辟歆爲掾。東至徐州,詔即拜歆豫章太守,以爲政清靜不煩,吏民感而愛之。〈《魏略》曰:揚州刺史劉繇死,其衆願奉歆爲主。歆以爲因時擅命,非人臣之宜。衆守之連月,卒謝遣之,不從。〉孫策略地江東,歆知策善用兵,乃幅巾奉迎。策以其長者,待以上賔之禮。〈胡冲《吳歷》曰:孫策擊豫章,先遣虞翻說歆。歆荅曰:「乆在江表,常欲北歸;孫會稽來,吾便去也。」翻還報策,策乃進軍。歆葛巾迎策,策謂歆曰:「府君年德名望,遠近所歸;策年幼稚,宜脩子弟之禮。」便向歆拜。華嶠譜叙曰:孫策略有揚州,盛兵徇豫章,一郡大恐。官屬請出郊迎,教曰:「無然。」策稍進,復白發兵,又不聽。及策至,一府皆造閤,請出避之。乃笑曰:「今將自來,何遽避之?」有頃,門下白曰:「孫將軍至。」請見,乃前與歆共坐,談議良乆,夜乃別去。義士聞之,皆長歎息而心自服也。策遂親執子孫之禮,禮爲上賔。是時四方賢士大夫避地江南者甚衆,皆出其下,人人望風。每策大會,坐上莫敢先發言,歆時起更衣,則論議讙譁。歆能劇飲,至石餘不亂,衆人微察,常以其整衣冠爲異,江南號之曰「華獨坐」。虞溥《江表傳》曰:孫策在椒丘,遣虞翻說歆。翻旣去,歆請功曹劉壹入議。壹勸歆住城,遣檄迎軍。歆曰:「吾雖劉刺史所置,上用,猶是剖符吏也。今從卿計,恐死有餘責矣。」壹曰:「王景興旣漢朝所用,且爾時會稽人衆盛彊,猶見原恕,明府何慮?」於是夜逆作檄,明旦出城,遣吏齎迎。策便進軍,與歆相見,待以上賔,接以朋友之禮。孫盛曰:夫大雅之處世也,必先審隱顯之期,以定出處之分,否則括囊以保其身,泰則行義以達其道。歆旣無夷、皓韜邈之風,又失王臣匪躬之操,故撓心於邪儒之說,交臂於陵肆之徒,位奪於一豎,節墯於當時。昔許、蔡失位,不得列於諸侯;州公寔來,魯人以爲賤恥。方之於歆,咎孰大焉!〉後策死。太祖在官渡,表天子徵歆。孫權欲不遣,歆謂權曰:「將軍奉王命,始交好曹公,分義未固,使僕得爲將軍效心,豈不有益乎?今空留僕,是爲養無用之物,非將軍之良計也。」權恱,乃遣歆。賔客舊人送之者千餘人,贈遺數百金。歆皆無所拒,密各題識,至臨去,悉聚諸物,謂諸賔客曰:「本無拒諸君之心,而所受遂多。念單車遠行,將以懷璧爲罪,願賔客爲之計。」衆乃各留所贈,而服其德。
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Wang Fen was the Inspector of Jizhou in the Eastern Han dynasty. He took part in a plot to depose Emperor Ling and install the Marquis of Hefei in his place; he does not appear in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Deeds
Wang Fen joined forces with local notables, including Xu You of Nanyang and Zhou Jing of Pei, to plot the deposition of Emperor Ling and the installation of the Marquis of Hefei. He informed Cao Cao of the plan, but Cao Cao refused to take part, and the plot failed. (Recorded in the histories)
Pei Songzhi’s commentary, citing Spring and Autumn Annals of the Nine Provinces, says that when Emperor Ling wanted to travel north to his old residence in Hejian, Wang Fen and the others used attacks by the Black Mountain bandits on commanderies and counties as a pretext to request permission to raise troops. The court ordered Wang Fen to disband his forces and summoned him. In fear, he killed himself. (Recorded in the histories)
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Xu You
Friend
Relationship timeline1 entry ▸
History · vol. 1
- Xu You§4
Friend
joined with local notables together with Zhou Jing and others, plotting to depose Emperor Ling and install the Marquis of Hefei