**Li Fu** (fl. 210s–230s), [[Courtesy name|courtesy name]] **Sunde**, was a Chinese politician of the state of [[Shu Han]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period of China.[^1]

## Early life

Li Fu was born in the late [[Eastern Han dynasty]] in Fu County (涪縣), Zitong Commandery (梓潼郡), which is present-day [[Mianyang]], [[Sichuan]].[^2]

In 214, after the warlord [[Liu Bei]] [[Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province|seized control]] of [[Yi Province]] from Liu Yan's successor [[Liu Zhang (warlord)|Liu Zhang]],[^3] he recruited Li Fu to serve under him as a scribe (書佐). Li Fu later rose through the ranks to serve as the Chief of Xichongguo County (西充國縣; south of present-day [[Langzhong]], [[Sichuan]]) and then as the Prefect of [[Chengdu]] (成都令).[^4][^1]

## Career under Liu Bei

Following the end of the [[Eastern Han dynasty]] and the start of the [[Three Kingdoms]] period in 220, Li Fu came to serve in the state of [[Shu Han|Shu Han (or Shu)]], which [[Liu Bei]] established in 221 and became its founding emperor.[^5]

In 223, after Liu Bei's son [[Liu Shan]] became the new Shu emperor, he reassigned Li Fu to serve as the Administrator of Baxi Commandery (巴西郡; around present-day [[Langzhong]], [[Sichuan]]). Li Fu later consecutively served as the Area Commander of Jiangzhou (江州督) and General Who Spreads Might (揚威將軍) before he was recalled to the Shu imperial capital [[Chengdu]] to serve as Supervisor of the Masters of Writing (尚書僕射) in the central government. He was also enfeoffed as the Marquis of Pingyang Village (平陽亭侯).[^6][^1]

## At Zhuge Liang's deathbed

In 234, [[Zhuge Liang]], the [[Chancellor (China)|Imperial Chancellor]] of [[Shu Han|Shu]], led Shu forces on [[Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions|a military campaign]] against Shu's rival state [[Cao Wei|Wei]] for the fifth time since 228. This led to the [[Battle of Wuzhang Plains]] between Shu and Wei. Around September or October that year, Zhuge Liang became critically ill while both sides were locked in a stalemate at the [[Wuzhang Plains]] (near present-day [[Qishan County]], [[Shaanxi]]).[^7]

During this time, the Shu emperor [[Liu Shan]] sent Li Fu to visit Zhuge Liang and consult him on plans for Shu's future. Li Fu did as instructed and noted down what Zhuge Liang told him before leaving. A few days later, while he was en route to [[Chengdu]], Li Fu suddenly remembered that he forgot to ask Zhuge Liang something so he quickly headed back to the Wuzhang Plains.[^8]

Zhuge Liang told Li Fu: "I know why you came back. Although we have spoken at length over the past few days, you still have questions for me. '[[Jiang Wan|Gongyan]] is the most suitable' is the answer to the question you are about to ask me."[^9] Li Fu thanked him and asked: "Indeed. Earlier on, I forgot to ask you, Sir, who can take charge of state affairs after you, Sir, pass on. That's why I came back. If you don't mind me asking further, who can take charge after Jiang Wan?"[^10] Zhuge Liang replied: "[[Fei Yi|Wenwei]] can succeed him." Li Fu continued asking but Zhuge Liang did not reply. Li Fu then left and returned to Chengdu.[^11]

## Death

In the early Yanxi era (238–257) of [[Liu Shan]]'s reign, when the Shu general [[Jiang Wan]] led the Shu army to attack Wei, he appointed Li Fu as an Army Supervisor (監軍) with the rank of Major (司馬). Li Fu died around the time.[^12]

## Appraisal

The Shu official [[Yang Xi (Three Kingdoms)|Yang Xi]] praised Li Fu for being "decisive and astute" in his *Ji Han Fuchen Zan* (季漢輔臣贊; pub. 241), a collection of praises of notable persons who served in Shu.[^13] The *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* also recorded that Li Fu was "competent, perceptive, decisive, astute, and shrewd in politics".[^14]

## Family

Li Fu's father, Li Quan (李權), whose courtesy name was Boyu (伯豫), served as the Chief of Linqiong County (臨邛縣; present-day [[Qionglai City|Qionglai]], Sichuan).[^15] Around the year 190, [[Liu Yan (Han dynasty warlord)|Liu Yan]], the Governor of [[Yi Province]] (covering present-day [[Sichuan]] and [[Chongqing]]), saw Li Quan and other local elites as potential threats to his control over the province, so he found excuses to have them arrested and executed.[^16][^17]

Li Fu's son, [[Li Xiang (Shu Han)|Li Xiang]], had the courtesy name Shulong (叔龍), was also famous. Li Xiang served in [[Shu Han|Shu]] like his father and held the positions of an imperial secretary and later the Administrator of Guanghan Commandery (廣漢郡; around present-day [[Guanghan]], Sichuan).[^18]

## References

-   [[Chen Shou|Chen, Shou]] (3rd century). *[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]* (*Sanguozhi*).
-   [[Rafe de Crespigny|de Crespigny, Rafe]] (2007). *A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD*. Leiden: Brill. [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] 9789004156050.
-   [[Pei Songzhi|Pei, Songzhi]] (5th century). *[[Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms]]* (*Sanguozhi zhu*).
-   [[Sima Guang|Sima, Guang]] (1084). *[[Zizhi Tongjian]]*.

## Notes

[^1]: [[Li Fu|de Crespigny (2007)]], p. 411.
[^2]: (\[李\]孫德名福，梓潼涪人也。) Annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^3]: [[Li Fu|Sima (1084)]], vol. 67.
[^4]: (先主定益州後，為書佐、西充國長、成都令。) Annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^5]: [[Li Fu|Sima (1084)]], vol. 69.
[^6]: (建興元年，徙巴西太守，為江州督、楊威將軍，入為尚書僕射，封平陽亭侯。) Annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^7]: [[Li Fu|Sima (1084)]], vol. 72.
[^8]: (益部耆舊雜記曰：諸葛亮於武功病篤，後主遣福省侍，遂因諮以國家大計。福往具宣聖旨，聽亮所言，至別去數日，忽馳思未盡其意，遂却騎馳還見亮。) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^9]: (亮語福曰：「孤知君還意。近日言語，雖彌日有所不盡，更來亦決耳。君所問者，公琰其宜也。」) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^10]: (福謝：「前實失不諮請公，如公百年後，誰可任大事者？故輒還耳。乞復請，蔣琬之後，誰可任者？」) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^11]: (亮曰：「文偉可以繼之。」又復問其次，亮不荅。福還，奉使稱旨。) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^12]: (延熈初，大將軍蔣琬出征漢中，福以前監軍領司馬，卒。) Annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^13]: (... \[李\]孫德果銳， ...) *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^14]: (\[李\]福為人精識果銳，敏於從政。) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.
[^15]: (益部耆舊雜記曰：李權字伯豫，為臨邛長。子福。見犍為楊戲輔臣贊。) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 31.
[^16]: (\[劉\]焉上書言米賊斷道，不得復通，又託他事殺州中豪強王咸、李權等十餘人，以立威刑。) *Sanguozhi* vol. 31.
[^17]: [[Li Fu|de Crespigny (2007)]], p. 421.
[^18]: (子驤，字叔龍，亦有名，官至尚書郎、廣漢太守。) *Yi Bu Qijiu Zaji* annotation in *Sanguozhi* vol. 45.