Fa Zheng | |
|---|---|
| 法正 | |
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Fa Zheng | |
| Prefect of the Masters of Writing (尚書令) | |
| In office 219–220 | |
| Monarch | Liu Bei |
| Succeeded by | Liu Ba |
| General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) | |
| In office 219–220 | |
| General Who Spreads Martial Might (揚武將軍) | |
| In office 215–219 | |
| Administrator of Shu Commandery (蜀郡太守) | |
| In office 215–219 | |
| Succeeded by | Yang Hong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 176[a] Mei County, Shaanxi |
| Died | 220 (aged 44)[a] |
| Relations | |
| Children | Fa Miao |
| Parent |
|
| Occupation | Official, adviser |
| Courtesy name | Xiaozhi (孝直) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Yi (翼侯) |
Fa Zheng (176–220),[a] courtesy name Xiaozhi, was a key adviser to the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Born in a family of high social status and of noble descent, Fa Zheng travelled to Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) in the late 190s and became a subordinate of Liu Zhang, the provincial governor. However, his feelings of alienation and perception of Liu Zhang as an incompetent governor eventually led him to betray Liu Zhang and defect to Liu Bei in 211. Between 211 and 214, Fa Zheng assisted Liu Bei in overcoming Liu Zhang and seizing control of Yi Province, and became one of Liu Bei's most trusted advisers. In 217, he urged Liu Bei to launch the Hanzhong Campaign to capture the strategic Hanzhong Commandery from a rival warlord, Cao Cao, but died a year after Liu emerged victorious in the campaign.
Fa Zheng's keen foresight and brilliance in formulating strategies earned him praise from his contemporaries such as Zhuge Liang and Chen Shou. In less than a decade serving under Liu, Fa showed a near unmatched sense of timing where military geniuses like Cao Cao and his best advisers fell victim to his schemes. However, he was also notorious for his vindictive personality. When he held office, he abused his power by taking revenge against those who had offended him before, and by killing them without reason. Nevertheless, he was still highly regarded and trusted by Liu Bei – to the point where Zhuge Liang once said that Fa Zheng might have been the only person capable of preventing Liu Bei's defeat at the Battle of Xiaoting in 221 if he were still alive.
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