Yu Fan (, , ; 164–233), courtesy name Zhongxiang, was a Chinese essayist, politician, and writer of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Initially a minor officer under Wang Lang, the Administrator of Kuaiji Commandery, Yu Fan later served under the warlord Sun Ce, who conquered the territories in the Jiangdong (or Wu) region in a series of campaigns from 194 to 199. Sun Ce regarded him highly and once enlisted his help in persuading Hua Xin, another commandery administrator, to surrender. After Sun Ce's death, Yu Fan continued serving under Sun Quan, Sun Ce's younger brother and successor, as a Cavalry Commandant. Sun Quan confined him for some time due to his rude and disrespectful behaviour, but released him in 219 and allowed him to accompany the general Lü Meng to attack Jing Province. During the Jing Province campaign, Yu Fan warned Lü Meng about a possible ambush when Lü Meng was celebrating a minor victory, and was proven right later.
Yu Fan was known for being very candid, outspoken and direct. As such, he offended Sun Quan several times – including instances when he was drunk – and did not get along well with many of his colleagues. He also mocked and belittled two enemy officers, Yu Jin and Mi Fang, who surrendered to Sun Quan. Sometime in the 220s, Sun Quan could no longer tolerate Yu Fan's disrespectful attitude and banished him to the remote Jiao Province in southern China. Yu Fan lived in exile for over a decade, during which he spent his time lecturing and writing. Even while living in exile, he was still concerned about state affairs, and he once wrote to Sun Quan to advise him against sending a fleet across the sea to buy horses from the warlord Gongsun Yuan in northeastern China, but was ignored. When the fleet was ambushed and destroyed by Wei general Tian Yu, Sun Quan regretted his decision and summoned Yu Fan back, but Yu Fan had already died by then.
Historical sources on Yu Fan's life The authoritative historical source on Yu Fan's life is the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), written by Chen Shou in the third century. In the fifth century, Pei Songzhi annotated the Sanguozhi by incorporating information from other sources to Chen Shou's original work and adding his personal commentary. The alternative texts used in the annotations to the Sanguozhi are: Wu Shu (吳書; Book of Wu), by Wei Zhao; Yu Fan Biezhuan (虞翻別傳; Unofficial Biography of Yu Fan), by an unknown writer; Jiang Biao Zhuan (江表傳), by Yu Pu; Kuaiji Dianlu (會稽典錄; Esteemed Records of Kuaiji), by Yu Yu, a descendant of Yu Fan.(虞预，字叔甯，征士喜之弟也，.....著《晋书》四十馀卷、《会稽典录》二十篇、《诸虞传》十二篇，皆行于世。) Tang-era Jin Shu, vol.82; (虞喜族祖河間相聳又立穹天論雲：「 ... 」) Tang-era Jin Shu, vol. 11. The Jin Shu which Yu Yu authored is considered part of the Eighteen History Books of Jin.
Early life Yu Fan was from Yuyao County (餘姚縣), Kuaiji Commandery,(虞翻字仲翔，會稽餘姚人也， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 57. which is in present-day Yuyao, Zhejiang. The Yu clan, which he was from, was one of the four most influential clans in the Jiangdong region at the time. At a young age, he was already known for being studious and extraordinary. When he was 11, a guest who came to visit his elder brother ignored the young Yu Fan when he walked past him. Yu Fan later wrote to the guest, "I heard that amber does not contain rotten plant material and that magnets do not attract bent needles. Is it not appropriate for you to ignore me when you walked past me?" The guest was very surprised after reading Yu Fan's letter. Yu Fan attracted greater attention after this incident.(吳書曰：翻少好學，有高氣。年十二，客有候其兄者，不過翻，翻追與書曰：「僕聞虎魄不取腐芥，磁石不受曲鍼，過而不存，不亦宜乎！」客得書奇之，由是見稱。) Wu Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
Service under Wang Lang When Yu Fan became older, he served as an Officer of Merit (功曹) under Wang Lang, the Administrator (太守) of Kuaiji Commandery. In 196,Zizhi Tongjian vol. 62. the warlord Sun Ce, who was on a series of military campaigns in the Jiangdong (or Wu) region and had already conquered some territories, prepared to attack Kuaiji. Yu Fan was mourning the death of his father when he received news that Sun Ce was going to attack Kuaiji, so he rushed from his home to the commandery office and asked to meet Wang Lang. He was still dressed in mourning garments then. After entering the office, Yu Fan removed his mourning garments and urged Wang Lang to avoid confrontation with Sun Ce. Wang Lang ignored his advice and was defeated in battle by Sun Ce.(... 太守王朗命為功曹。孫策征會稽，翻時遭父喪，衰絰詣府門，朗欲就之，翻乃脫衰入見，勸朗避策。朗不能用，拒戰敗績， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
Yu Fan considered bringing Wang Lang north to Guangling Commandery (廣陵郡; around present-day Huai'an, Jiangsu) to evade Sun Ce, but Wang Lang, who believed in stories about the immortal Wang Fangping (王方平), wanted to travel to the "South Mountain" and take shelter there. Yu Fan then accompanied Wang Lang as they escaped from Kuaiji Commandery by sea and headed south to Houguan County (候官縣; in present-day Fuzhou, Fujian). At Houguan, the county chief initially denied them entry, but agreed after being persuaded by Yu Fan. In Houguan County, Wang Lang insisted on heading further south to Jiao Province to find the "South Mountain", but Yu Fan objected and said, "Those stories are nonsense. There is no South Mountain in Jiao Province for us to take shelter in."(吳書曰：翻始欲送朗到廣陵，朗惑王方平記，言「疾來邀我，南岳相求」，故遂南行。旣至候官，又欲投交州，翻諫朗曰：「此妄書耳，交州無南岳，安所投乎？」乃止。) Wu Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.(... 亡走浮海。翻追隨營護，到東部候官，候官長閉城不受，翻往說之，然後見納。) Sanguozhi vol. 57. Wang Lang told Yu Fan later, "You have an elderly mother (to take care of). You can go back (to Kuaiji) now."(朗謂翻曰：「卿有老母，可以還矣。」) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
The Yu Fan Biezhuan provided a different account of the above events. It mentioned that Wang Lang sent Yu Fan to meet Hua Xin, the Administrator of Yuzhang Commandery (豫章郡; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi), and discuss the forming of a military alliance between Wang Lang and Hua Xin against Sun Ce. However, Yu Fan turned back before reaching his destination because he received news that Sun Ce's army was advancing towards Kuaiji Commandery. His father died during that period of time. Yu Fan did not return home immediately because he felt that he was still on a mission. He travelled day and night to Houguan County to meet Wang Lang, who then sent him home to attend his father's funeral.(翻別傳曰：朗使翻見豫章太守華歆，圖起義兵。翻未至豫章，聞孫策向會稽，翻乃還。會遭父喪，以臣使有節，不敢過家，星行追朗至候官。朗遣翻還，然後奔喪。而傳云孫策之來，翻衰絰詣府門，勸朗避策，則為大異。) Yu Fan Biezhuan annotation and Pei Songzhi's note in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
Service under Sun Ce Yu Fan was reinstated as an Officer of Merit by Sun Ce after he returned to Kuaiji Commandery. Sun Ce treated him like a friend and visited his residence.(翻旣歸，策復命為功曹，待以交友之禮，身詣翻第。) Sanguozhi vol. 57. The Jiang Biao Zhuan recorded that Sun Ce wrote to Yu Fan: "I wish to work together with you from now. Please do not say I treated you like a lowly commandery-level officer."(江表傳曰：策書謂翻曰：「今日之事，當與卿共之，勿謂孫策作郡吏相待也。」) Jiang Biao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
Sun Ce was very fond of going on hunting excursions. Yu Fan told him: "You gathered a mob, used them to rein in the wandering scholar-gentry, and earned their fervent allegiance towards you. Even Emperor Gao of Han can't be compared to you. When you dress casually and venture out, the officials who accompany you usually don't have enough time to prepare for the trip, while the servants and soldiers are getting tiresome. A leader who doesn't behave in a serious manner doesn't command respect. The White Dragon transformed into a fish for fun and ended up being trapped by the fisherman Yuqie (豫且); the White Serpent behaved recklessly and ended up being slain by Liu Bang. I hope you will be more careful." Sun Ce replied: "You're right. However, sometimes, when I'm thinking hard, I feel frustrated if I were to sit down and think. As such, I venture out in search of insight and inspiration."(策好馳騁游獵，翻諫曰：「明府用烏集之衆，驅散附之士，皆得其死力，雖漢高帝不及也。至於輕出微行，從官不暇嚴，吏卒常苦之。夫君人者不重則不威，故白龍魚服，困於豫且，白蛇自放，劉季害之，願少留意。」策曰：「君言是也。然時有所思，端坐悒悒，有裨諶草創之計，是以行耳。」) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
The Wu Shu recorded that Sun Ce once led a military expedition against the Shanyue and ventured into the hills alone after slaying the Shanyue chief and sending his men to pursue and destroy the remaining Shanyue forces. He encountered Yu Fan, who asked him where his bodyguards were. When Sun Ce told him that he had ordered his bodyguards to join the rest of his men in attacking the Shanyue, Yu Fan exclaimed, "This is so dangerous!" He then asked Sun Ce to dismount from his horse and said, "The terrain here is deep and dangerous. You can't control your horse well under such conditions, so you should travel on foot, guide your horse along, and arm yourself with a bow and arrows. I'm good in using a spear and I'll lead the way." After reaching flat ground, Sun Ce mounted his horse again and asked Yu Fan, "You don't have a horse. What are you going to do?" Yu Fan replied, "I can travel on foot. I'm capable of travelling 300 li in a day. Since the start of the campaigns, no one has been able to match my pace. You can try letting a horse run and I'll catch up with it on foot." They encountered a signaller at the main road. Sun Ce took the signaller's horn and blew it. His men recognised the sound of the horn and rushed there to join him. They patrolled the area and pacified the three commanderies.(吳書曰：策討山越，斬其渠帥，悉令左右分行逐賊，獨騎與翻相得山中。翻問左右安在，策曰：「悉行逐賊。」翻曰：「危事也！」令策下馬：「此草深，卒有驚急，馬不及縈策，但牽之，執弓矢以步。翻善用矛，請在前行。」得平地，勸策乘馬。策曰：「卿無馬柰何？」荅曰：「翻能步行，日可三百里，自征討以來，吏卒無及翻者，明府試躍馬，翻能疏步隨之。」行及大道，得一鼓吏，策取角自鳴之，部曲識聲，小大皆出，遂從周旋，平定三郡。) Wu Shu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
Persuading Hua Xin to surrender to Sun Ce
The Jiang Biao Zhuan recorded that in 199,Zizhi Tongjian vol. 63. when Sun Ce was leading an army to attack Jiangxia Commandery (江夏郡; around present-day Xinzhou District, Wuhan, Hubei), he passed by Yuzhang Commandery along the way and wanted to conquer it. He invited Yu Fan to meet him and asked Yu Fan to persuade the Administrator, Hua Xin, to surrender. Yu Fan travelled to Yuzhang Commandery and succeeded in convincing Hua Xin to surrender by pointing out that he stood no chance against Sun Ce. Hua Xin surrendered to Sun Ce the following day.(江表傳曰：策討黃祖，旋軍欲過取豫章，特請翻語曰：「華子魚自有名字，然非吾敵也。加聞其戰具甚少，若不開門讓城，金鼓一震，不得無所傷害，卿便在前具宣孤意。」翻即奉命辭行，徑到郡，請被褠葛巾與敵相見，謂歆曰：「君自料名聲之在海內，孰與鄙郡故王府君？」歆曰：「不及也。」翻曰：「豫章資糧多少？器仗精否？士民勇果孰與鄙郡？」又曰：「不如也。」翻曰：「討逆將軍智略超世，用兵如神，前走劉揚州，君所親見，南定鄙郡，亦君所聞也。今欲守孤城，自料資糧，已知不足，不早為計，悔無及也。今大軍已次椒丘，僕便還去，明日日中迎檄不到者，與君辭矣。」翻旣去，歆明旦出城，遣吏迎策。) Jiang Biao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.
After capturing Yuzhang Commandery, Sun Ce led his army back to Wu Commandery (around present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), where he rewarded his subjects for their contributions. He told Yu Fan that he heard that many officials serving in the Han imperial capital, Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) had the impression that Jiangdong had no talents, so he wanted to send Yu Fan there to meet them and prove them wrong. He also considered sending Zhang Hong, but he still preferred Yu Fan. Yu Fan refused and said, "I'm like one of your treasured possessions. You might lose me if you show me to others and they want me. That's why I don't want to go there." Sun Ce laughed and said, "I still have military campaigns to complete so I can't return home yet. You're like my Xiao He. I intend to let you return to Kuaiji as an Officer of Merit to help me guard the commandery." Yu Fan travelled back to Kuaiji Commandery three days later.(策旣定豫章，引軍還吳，饗賜將士，計功行賞，謂翻曰：「孤昔再至壽春，見馬日磾，及與中州士大夫會，語我東方人多才耳，但恨學問不博，語議之間，有所不及耳。孤意猶謂未耳。卿博學洽聞，故前欲令卿一詣許，交見朝士，以折中國妄語兒。卿不願行，便使子綱；恐子綱不能結兒輩舌也。」翻曰：「翻是明府家寶，而以示人，人儻留之，則去明府良佐，故前不行耳。」策笑曰：「然。」因曰：「孤有征討事，未得還府，卿復以功曹為吾蕭何，守會稽耳。」後三日，便遣翻還郡。) Jiang Biao Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 57.