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Wang Fu (? – 222) was an officer serving Shu Han during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China.

Life

Wang Fu was said to have a dignified appearance, and was excellent in evaluating people and in the political scene. He first served Liu Zhang, but when Liu Bei took over the lands of Shu, he became the guard of Mianzhu Pass (綿竹關) under Liu Bei's command. Later, he followed Liu Bei in his campaign against Eastern Wu but died in the Battle of Yiling.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

His counterpart in the 14th century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong had a different fate.

During the time when Guan Yu was placed in charge of Jingzhou (荊州, present day Hubei and Hunan), Wang Fu served under the renowned general as an army commandant. In 219, after Guan Yu defeated Cao Ren of Cao Wei and conquered the city of Fancheng, Wang Fu warned his superior about a possible backdoor attack from Lü Meng of Eastern Wu. However, Guan Yu believed the defense preparations were apt and did not heed Wang Fu's advice.

True to Wang Fu's warning, Lü Meng's troops crossed the Xunyang River (浔陽江) into Jingzhou disguised as merchants. Fu Shiren (傅士仁) and Mi Fang, two of Guan Yu's subjects, promptly surrendered two key positions, Gong'an (公安, northwest of presentday Gongan, Hubei) and Nanjun (南郡, present day Jiangling, Hubei), to the enemy. Guan Yu, sandwiched on both sides by two enemies, had to seek temporary refuge in Maicheng (麦城, southeast of present day Dangyang, Hubei).

As the food store dwindled and relief troops were not seen, the regretful Guan Yu then asked Wang Fu for solutions to the crisis but the latter replied, "Even if Jiang Ziya were to come alive, he would not be able to save this situation." In a desperate attempt, Guan Yu and his son Guan Ping led a diminutive force and headed west in a bid to reunite with Liu Bei in Yizhou (益州, present day Sichuan and Guizhou). Wang Fu and Zhou Cang swore to remain behind to defend Maicheng to their deaths.

However, Guan Yu and Guan Ping were intercepted by forces of Wu and captured. Both were promptly executed. In Maicheng, Wang Fu was telling Zhou Cang about a vision of blood-stained Guan Yu in a nightmare he had when enemy soldiers came to the city with the severed heads of Guan Yu and Guan Ping. With a cry, Wang Fu then threw himself from the city walls and died.

References

See also

• Three Kingdoms
• Personages of the Three Kingdoms
• Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms

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