Fu Kuan: Interpretation of the Records of the Grand Historian Regarding the Marquis of Yangling, a Meritorious Founder of the Western Han Dynasty

Brief Introduction

Fu Kuan (? – 163 BC), from Pei County, was a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty's founding, enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yangling. He was one of the early followers of Han Gaozu Liu Bang. He experienced the chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty, the Chu-Han Contention, and the suppression of rebellions in the early Han Dynasty. He was an important military pillar for the establishment and stabilization of the Western Han regime. Fu Kuan held a unique position among the meritorious officials of the early Han Dynasty with his loyal and steady military style. His life deeds are mainly recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) and the Book of Han (Hanshu).

Core Knowledge Points

* Early Military Service and Entry into Shu: Fu Kuan raised troops in Pei County and followed Liu Bang in his uprising. When Liu Bang was enfeoffed by Xiang Yu as the King of Han, Fu Kuan, as a subordinate general, followed him into Shu and Han, separately pacifying Hanzhong, laying the foundation for accumulating strength for the Han army.
* Achievements during the Chu-Han Contention: During the Chu-Han War, Fu Kuan participated in key battles against Xiang Yu. After the Battle of Pengcheng, he assisted Liu Bang in regrouping, and during the standoff at Xingyang, he repeatedly established military merits, demonstrating excellent battlefield adaptability.
* Suppression of Rebellions and Enfeoffment in Early Han: In the late years of Han Gaozu, Fu Kuan led armies to suppress rebellions by feudal lords such as Chen Xi and Han Xin, making significant contributions to consolidating centralization. Due to his merits, he was enfeoffed by Liu Bang as the Marquis of Yangling, with a fiefdom of 3,000 households, and was listed in the Temple of Meritorious Officials.
* Longevity and Good End: Fu Kuan lived through four reigns: Gaozu, Hui, Empress Lü, and Wen. He lived to be over eighty years old. He was one of the few meritorious officials of the early Han Dynasty who met a good end and whose family lineage continued, reflecting his political wisdom.

Connection with the Content of "Records of the Grand Historian"

In Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian, although Fu Kuan does not have an independent biography, his deeds are scattered in the "Annals of Emperor Gaozu of Han", "Annals of Xiang Yu", and the "Table of Marquises".

1. Historical Positioning: The "Table of Marquises of Gaozu's Meritorious Officials" in the Records of the Grand Historian records in detail the time of Fu Kuan's enfeoffment, the number of households in his fiefdom, and his main merits, listing him as an important link in the sequence of Western Han founding meritorious officials.
2. Character Evaluation: Through recording Fu Kuan's performance in the suppression wars, Sima Qian indirectly highlights the game between central and local powers in the early Han Dynasty. Fu Kuan's image is shaped in the book as a "honest and cautious" and loyal general, contrasting with some meritorious officials who later rebelled.
3. Historical Source Value: The records in the Records of the Grand Historian regarding Fu Kuan's participation in suppressing Chen Xi's rebellion provide key primary source materials for later generations to study early Han military deployment and Liu Bang's political purges in his later years.

Summary

As the Marquis of Yangling, Fu Kuan was not only an important figure in Western Han military history but also a witness to the political ecology of the early Han Dynasty. Combining the records of the Records of the Grand Historian, we can clearly see how a general who raised troops in Pei County and was enfeoffed with a fiefdom won his historical status through loyalty and military merits in a great era. His life is an indispensable link in understanding the founding process of the Western Han Dynasty.