Lü Fan 呂範 Ziheng 子衡

Contents

Introduction

Lü Fan (吕范), courtesy name Ziheng (子衡), was an Eastern Wu general and Grand Marshal from Runan Commandery. He joined Sun Ce in Shouchiun with over a hundred retainers, fetched Sun Ce’s mother Lady Wu from Jiangdu (and was tortured by Tao Qian), and with Sun He was one of the two who constantly accompanied Sun Ce through hardship. He helped Sun Ce take Lujiang and cross the river, defeated Zhang Ying and Yumi, served as Chancellor of Hushu and then Chief Controller (都督) after asking Sun Ce during a game of weiqi to let him straighten military discipline. Under Sun Quan he guarded Wu with Zhang Zhao, fought at Chibi, suggested detaining Liu Bei (not adopted), and after Guan Yu’s fall was made General Who Establishes Might, Marquis of Wanling, and Administrator of Danyang in charge of Jianye. At Dongkou (222) he led the fleet against Cao Xiu; a great wind scattered the ships and the army was defeated with heavy losses. He was still made Governor of Yang Province. In 228 he was appointed Grand Marshal but died before the seal was granted. Sun Quan mourned him, called out “Ziheng!” at his tomb, and sacrificed with a tai lao. Sun Quan compared him to Wu Han for loyalty and to Guan Zhong (luxury that “suits the army’s appearance”).

Biography

Early life and joining Sun Ce

Lü Fan was from Xiyang (细阳), Runan Commandery (汝南郡). He was a county clerk in his youth and handsome. A wealthy Liu family had a beautiful daughter; Lü Fan sought to marry her. The mother refused, but the daughter said: “Do you think Lü Ziheng will stay poor forever?” and married him.

Lü Fan fled to Shouchiun (寿春). Sun Ce, then under Yuan Shu, thought him exceptional. Lü Fan put his more than a hundred retainers at Sun Ce’s disposal. Sun Ce sent him to fetch his mother Lady Wu from Jiangdu to Qu’a so she could stay with her brother Wu Jing. The Governor of Xu Province Tao Qian believed Lü Fan was Yuan Shu’s agent and had him seized and tortured. Lü Fan’s retainers rescued him. Only Lü Fan and Sun He (孙河) often accompanied Sun Ce, sharing hardship and danger; Sun Ce treated Lü Fan as family and had him drink at table before Lady Wu.

Under Sun Ce: conquests and request to be Chief Controller

Lü Fan followed Sun Ce against Lujiang and crossed the river east. He defeated Zhang Ying and Yumi at Hengjiang and Dangli, took Danyang and Hushu, and was made Chancellor of Hushu (湖孰相). After Sun Ce took Moling and Qu’a and absorbed the remnants of Ze Rong and Liu Yao, he gave Lü Fan two thousand more troops and fifty horses. Lü Fan became Magistrate of Wanling, defeated Danyang bandits, returned to Wu and was made Chief Controller (都督).

According to the Jiangbiao zhuan, during a game of weiqi with Sun Ce, Lü Fan said that the army was growing but discipline was loose and he wished to serve as Chief Controller to straighten it. Sun Ce said he was already a senior general and need not take a lower post. Lü Fan said he had left his homeland not for comfort but to share the same boat with Sun Ce—if one thing went wrong both would fail. Sun Ce smiled. Lü Fan went out, put on military dress, took a whip, and announced himself as Chief Controller; Sun Ce had to grant him the post and the army became orderly.

Lü Fan and Xu Yi attacked Chen Yu (陈瑀), who had styled himself Administrator of Wu and was at Haixi with Yan Baihu; they defeated him and killed his general Chen Mu; Chen Yu fled to Yuan Shao. Lü Fan then followed Sun Ce against Zulang at Lingyang and Taishi Ci at Yongli, pacified seven counties, was made General Who Conquers the Caitiffs (征虜中郎將), campaigned in Jiangxia, and pacified Poyang.

Under Sun Quan: guarding Wu, Chibi, and Jianye

When Sun Ce died (200), Lü Fan returned to Wu for the funeral. Sun Quan succeeded; when he campaigned against Jiangxia he left Lü Fan and Zhang Zhao to guard Wu. In 208 Lü Fan followed Zhou Yu at Chibi and was made Colonel (裨將軍), Administrator of Pengze (彭澤太守), with revenue from Pengze, Chaisang, and Liyang. When Liu Bei came to Jianye to marry into the Sun family, Lü Fan suggested detaining Liu Bei; the plan was not carried out. Lü Fan was later made General Who Pacifies the South (平南將軍) and stationed at Chaisang.

In 219, before Sun Quan moved against Guan Yu, he visited Lü Fan and said: “If we had followed your advice then, we would not need this campaign. Now I am going to attack Guan Yu upriver—you guard Jianye for me.” After Guan Yu’s fall Sun Quan returned and moved the capital to Wuchang. Lü Fan was made General Who Establishes Might (建威將軍), Marquis of Wanling (宛陵侯), and Administrator of Danyang (丹楊太守), in charge of the old capital Jianye and supervising the army from Fuzhou south to the sea; his fief included Liyang, Huaian, and Ningguo.

Dongkou (222) and defeat

In 222 Cao Xiu, Zhang Liao, and Zang Ba attacked. Lü Fan was made General of the Vanguard (前將軍) with acting tally and Marquis of Nanchang (南昌侯). He led the fleet with Xu Sheng, Quan Cong, and Sun Shao to resist at Dongkou. A great wind broke the cables; the ships drifted to the northern shore and were attacked by Cao Xiu and others. Many ships sank and thousands of soldiers drowned or were killed; supplies were burned (by Sun Lang in one account). Lü Fan withdrew. He was still appointed Governor of Yang Province (揚州牧).

Death and mourning

In the seventh year of Huangwu (228) Lü Fan was appointed Grand Marshal (大司馬). The seal had not yet been granted when he fell ill and died. Sun Quan wore plain mourning and sent an envoy to bestow the seal posthumously. When Sun Quan passed Lü Fan’s tomb on the way back to Jianye he called out “Ziheng!” and wept. In the capital he ordered a tai lao sacrifice for Lü Fan. Lü Fan’s eldest son had already died; his second son Lü Ju (吕据) succeeded to the marquisate.

Personality and traits

Loyalty and public duty

Sun Quan compared Lü Fan to Wu Han: “Lü Ziheng was loyal, steadfast, and upright. Though he had a taste for luxury, he put public concerns first—that is no real flaw. He left Yuan Shu to join my brother; when my brother was general he led a separate force and worried about my brother’s affairs, asked to be Chief Controller to assist and straighten things, and was diligent—so I compare him to Wu Han.” When Sun Ce had him manage finances, the young Sun Quan once asked for extra funds; Lü Fan refused to act without reporting to Sun Ce. Sun Quan later valued that integrity and distrusted the clerk who had falsified accounts for him instead.

Luxury and “army appearance”

Lü Fan was known for luxurious dress and residence. When someone accused him and He Qi of dressing like kings, Sun Quan said that Guan Zhong had also exceeded ritual but Duke Huan had tolerated him; Lü Fan and He Qi had no such fault—they simply kept equipment and boats in good order, which “suits the army’s appearance” and does not harm governance.

Political achievements

Under Sun Ce

Lü Fan helped take Lujiang, cross the river, defeat Zhang Ying and Yumi, take Hushu and Danyang, serve as Chancellor of Hushu and Magistrate of Wanling, become Chief Controller, defeat Chen Yu with Xu Yi, and with Sun Ce pacify Zulang, Taishi Ci, seven counties, Jiangxia, and Poyang.

Under Sun Quan

He guarded Wu with Zhang Zhao; fought at Chibi; served as Administrator of Pengze, General Who Pacifies the South, General Who Establishes Might, Administrator of Danyang, and supervisor of the south; led the fleet at Dongkou (defeated); and was Governor of Yang Province and posthumously Grand Marshal.

Relationships

Sun Ce and Sun Quan

Lü Fan was one of Sun Ce’s earliest and most trusted followers; he fetched Lady Wu and shared hardship with Sun He. Under Sun Quan he guarded the base, fought at Chibi, suggested detaining Liu Bei, and after Guan Yu’s fall was given charge of Jianye. Sun Quan compared him to Wu Han and defended his luxury.

Zhang Zhao

When Sun Quan campaigned against Jiangxia he left Lü Fan and Zhang Zhao to guard Wu.

Lü Ju (吕据)

Lü Fan’s second son succeeded to the marquisate and became General of Agile Cavalry; in 256 he was persecuted by Sun Lin and committed suicide rather than defect to Wei.

Anecdotes and allusions

“Do you think Lü Ziheng will stay poor forever?”

When Lü Fan sought to marry the wealthy Liu family’s daughter, her mother refused. The daughter said Lü Fan would not stay poor forever and married him.

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Asking to be Chief Controller during weiqi

During a game of weiqi with Sun Ce, Lü Fan said the army lacked discipline and asked to be Chief Controller. He said he and Sun Ce were “on the same boat”; if one thing went wrong both would fail. He then dressed as a soldier, took a whip, and announced himself as Chief Controller; Sun Ce had to confirm him and the army became orderly.

Source: Jiangbiao zhuan in Pei Songzhi’s annotation
Type: Historical

Refusing Sun Quan’s private request

When Sun Ce had Lü Fan manage finances, the young Sun Quan asked for extra money. Lü Fan said he had to report to Sun Ce and would not act on his own. Sun Quan later valued this and did not trust the clerk who had falsified accounts for him.

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel Lü Fan appears in ch. 15 when Sun Ce and Zhu Zhi plan to leave Yuan Shu; he offers to follow with his men and suggests using the imperial seal to borrow troops. He appears at Chibi (ch. 44), in the marriage plot with Liu Bei (ch. 54), and in the campaign against Guan Yu (ch. 76–77) doing divination (historically attributed to Wu Fan). In ch. 85 he is sent against Cao Xiu and is said to defeat him (historically Lü Fan was defeated at Dongkou).

Achievements

Lü Fan’s documented achievements include:

Joining Sun Ce with over a hundred retainers; fetching Lady Wu from Jiangdu
With Sun Ce: Lujiang, river crossing, defeat of Zhang Ying and Yumi, Hushu, Wanling, Chief Controller, defeat of Chen Yu, pacification of Zulang, Taishi Ci, seven counties, Jiangxia, Poyang
Under Sun Quan: guarding Wu with Zhang Zhao; Chibi; suggesting detention of Liu Bei; after Guan Yu: General Who Establishes Might, Marquis of Wanling, Administrator of Danyang, charge of Jianye; Governor of Yang Province after Dongkou; posthumous Grand Marshal

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Lü Fan is recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) in the “Biographies of Zhu Zhi, Zhu Ran, Lü Fan, and Zhu Huan” (吳書·朱治朱然呂範朱桓傳). Pei Songzhi cites the Jiangbiao zhuan for the weiqi and Chief Controller story and for the Dongkou defeat.

Chen Shou’s evaluation

Chen Shou grouped Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan as “old ministers who were employed,” and Lü Fan with Zhu Huan as men who “transgressed in narrow matters but got a good end”; Lü Ju and Zhu Yi had no such fault but met disaster—“the times they met were different.”

Historical evaluations

Sun Quan

“Lü Ziheng was loyal, steadfast, and upright … I compare him to Wu Han.” “Of old Guan Zhong exceeded ritual and Duke Huan tolerated him without harm to hegemony. Now Ziheng has no such fault as Yiwu—his equipment is merely fine and his boats and chariots strict. That is enough to make the army’s appearance; what harm to governance?”

Chen Shou

“Zhu Zhi and Lü Fan were employed as old ministers … Lü Fan and Zhu Huan … transgressed in narrow matters but got a good end.”

Fu Xuan and Lu Ji

Fu Xuan listed Lü Fan with Zhu Ran as “claws and teeth”; Lu Ji listed “in government Lü Fan and Lü Dai for ability and office.”

Legacy

Lü Fan is remembered as an Eastern Wu founding general who served Sun Ce and Sun Quan, insisted on discipline and integrity, and was compared to Wu Han. His defeat at Dongkou and his death before receiving the Grand Marshal seal are often noted; Sun Quan’s grief and the tai lao sacrifice show his standing.

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of Zhu Zhi, Zhu Ran, Lü Fan, and Zhu Huan” (吳書·朱治朱然呂範朱桓傳).
Pei Songzhi. Annotations (Jiangbiao zhuan).
Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), chapters 15, 29, 44, 54, 76–77, 85.