The peaceful transfer of Ji Province (Jizhou) from Han Fu to Yuan Shao in 191 AD is one of the most perplexing episodes in the early Three Kingdoms period. On the surface, it appears as an act of noble selflessness—Han Fu, overwhelmed by external threats, voluntarily yields power to a more capable leader.
However, Han Fu did not surrender Ji Province out of moral superiority, but out of political survival. His decision to hand the province to Yuan Shao was about reputation, strategy, and self-preservation.
Yuan Shao’s deceptive strategy
At the time, Gongsun Zan was the immediate military threat. He had just defeated the Qiang tribes and was advancing southward, with several commanderies pledging allegiance to him. His army was battle-hardened and aggressive.
Yuan Shao at the same time, sent envoys, including Gao Gan, Guo Tu and Xun Chen, to Jizhou, under the pretense of delivering messages and offering assistance to Han Fu, were actually there to create panic and attempt to pressure Han Fu into inviting Yuan Shao into Jizhou to jointly counter Gongsun Zan.
Yuan Shao did not want Gongsun Zan and Han Fu to actually engage in battle, because if that happened, Han Fu might be quickly defeated and surrender. So he acted quickly to deceive Han Fu and make Han Fu believe that Gongsun Zan was preparing to seize his territory, while he himself was willing to help Han Fu counter Gongsun Zan.
That’s the reason why didn’t Han Fu simply surrender to Gongsun Zan but to Yuan Shao. Because he knows well that surrendering to a conqueror is not the same as yielding to a successor.
If Han Fu handed Ji Province to Gongsun Zan—a warlord who had invaded with force—it would be seen universally as capitulation under duress, not a noble act of statesmanship. Han Fu would be branded as cowardly and weak, a man who gave up his post out of fear. He would gain no honor, only contempt.
In contrast, transferring power to Yuan Shao, who was not yet at his gates, could be framed as a voluntary and dignified act of political wisdom—a “yielding to a worthy successor”, a concept deeply respected in Confucian political culture.
Yuan Shao’s Psychological Pressure
Yuan Shao did not act alone. He sent Xun Chen (nephew of Xun Yu), Gao Gan and other envoys to manipulate Han Fu’s fears.
They delivered a message laced with calculated concern:
“Gongsun Zan is advancing south in triumph, and the commanderies are rallying to him. We are deeply concerned for your safety.”
This was not a threat—it was psychological warfare disguised as friendship. It implied:
- Gongsun Zan is coming to destroy you,
- Yuan Shao’s force is also nearby, with unclear intention,
- But we are worried about you.
The message planted doubt and fear in Han Fu’s mind, making him believe that resistance was futile and that only cooperation could ensure his survival.
Yielding to Yuan Shao for Self-Preservation
When Han Fu asked, “What should I do?”, Xun Chen offered a seemingly perfect solution:
“Yuan Shao is your old ally and a fellow member of the coalition. The best course is to voluntarily cede Ji Province to him. He will be deeply grateful, and Gongsun Zan will have no reason to attack you. You will gain the reputation of a virtuous ruler who yields to the worthy, and your personal safety will be more secure than Mount Tai.”
This argument appealed to both Han Fu’s vanity and his survival instinct:
- Reputation: He could be remembered as a wise and noble statesman, not a defeated coward.
- Safety: Yuan Shao, as a fellow elite and coalition leader, would spare his life and even grant him a high position.
- Strategy: By choosing Yuan Shao, he could drive a wedge between Yuan and Gongsun Zan, turning two threats into rivals.
Han Fu accepted the proposal—not out of virtue, but out of cold political calculation. His earlier attempts to install a rival emperor and his initial loyalty to Dong Zhuo prove he was as ambitious and opportunistic as any warlord.
But when faced with imminent destruction, he chose the least bad option:
- Surrender to Gongsun Zan: Death or disgrace,
- Resist both: Certain defeat,
- Yield to Yuan Shao: Survival and a chance at legacy.
By ceding Ji Province to Yuan Shao, Han Fu attempted to preserve his life by submitting to a seemingly more civilized warlord, even create division between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan, hoping they would weaken each other.
Unfortunately for Han Fu, his plan failed.
Leave a Reply