Liu Fang 劉放

Liu Fang 劉放 (d. 250 CE), courtesy name Ziqi 子弃 (or 子棄), was a high official of the Wei period 曹魏 (220-265).

He hailed from Zhuojun 涿郡 (today's Zhuoxian 涿縣, Hebei) and was in the late years of the Eastern Han period 東漢 (25-220 CE) recommended for appointment because of his filial and incorrupt conduct (xiaolian 孝廉). He soon decided to serve the warlord Cao Cao 曹操 and was appointed military adjutant (canjunshi 參軍事) and record keeper (zhubu jishi 主簿記室). When Cao was made king of Wei, Liu Fang was promoted to assistant in the Palace Library (bishulang 祕書郎). Soon thereafter he was made secretariat supervisor (zhongshu jian 中書監) and palace steward (jishizhong 給事中) and given the title of Marquis within the Passes (guanneihou 關內侯).

Under Cao Cao's son, Emperor Wen 魏文帝 (r. 220-226) of the Wei dynasty, and his successor, Emperor Ming 魏明帝 (r. 226－239 CE), Liu Fang was one of the most influential court officials. He served as cavalier attendant-in-ordinary (sanji changshi 散騎常侍) and was given the title of Township Marquis of Xixiang 西鄉侯. Liu Fang participate in critical decisions and was more or less the right hand of Emperor Ming.

On his deathbed, the Emperor entrusted Liu Fang with the care for his young successor, and Liu decided to make Cao Shuang 曹爽 and Sima Yi 司馬懿 regents for the underage ruler. The latter, known to historians as the Prince of Qi 齊 (r. 239-254), raised the status of Liu Fang and gave him the honorific title of Right Grand Master for Splendid Happiness (zuo guanglu dafu 左光祿大夫).

In 246 Liu retired. His posthumous title was Marquis Jing 西鄉敬侯.