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Yu Fu 羽父 Gongzi Hui 公子翬

Oct 20, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald

Yu Fu 羽父, also called "Ducal Son" Gongzi Hui 公子翬 (also written 公子揮), was a high noble in the state of Lu 魯 during the Spring and Autumn period 春秋 (770-5th cent. BCE). He serve the dukes Yin 魯隱公 (r. 723-712) and Huan 魯桓公 (r. 712-694).

In 719, several other regional states attacked the state of Zheng 鄭. The duke of Song 宋 asked Duke Yin of Lu for military support. The army of Lu was commanded by Yu Fu.

In 715, the Minister of Works (sikong 司空), Wuhai 無駭, died. Upon Yu Fu's request Duke Yin bestowed upon his descendants the family name of Zhan 展. In 713 Yu Fu took over the highest command of an allied army attacking Song. He also managed the visit of the lesser regional rulers (zhuhou 諸侯) of the states of Teng 滕 and Xue 薛 to Lu in 712. It was not clear who of the two lords should be received first by the duke of Lu, but Yu Fu explained that the lord of Teng was to be first because he was related to the royal house of Zhou 周 (11th cent.-221 BCE).

In the same year, Yu Fu initiated a quarrel about the throne succession. He secretly recommended to the duke killing Crown Prince Yun 允, a young, yet righteous son of late Duke Hui 魯惠公 (r. 769-723), while Duke Yin was an older son but born from a secondary wife. Duke Yin refused to kill his half-brother. Fearing revenge by the Prince, Yu Fu alleged that the Duke planned to kill Prince Yun and in turn suggested the Heir Apparent having the actual duke assassinated. Prince Yun thereupon sent some murderers, had Duke Yin killed and mounted the throne as Duke Huan.

Sources:
Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed. (1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 380.
Zhang Ke 張克, Huang Kangbai 黃康白, Huang Fangdong 黃方東, ed. (1991). Shiji renwu cidian 史記人物辭典 (Nanning: Guangxi renmin chubanshe), 53.