Fan Zhongyan

Fan Zhongyan (范仲淹)

a block print portrait from Sancai Tuhui (1609)
Monarch Emperor Renzong
Personal details
Born (989-09-05)September 5, 989
Wu, Sū Prefecture, Song Dynasty
Died June 19, 1052(1052-06-19)
Xú Prefecture, Song Dynasty
Resting place in modern Yichuan County, Henan, China
34°29′32″N 112°32′53″E / 34.49222°N 112.54806°E / 34.49222; 112.54806
Spouse(s)
  • Lady Li (李)
  • Lady Zhang (張)
Children
  • Fan Chunyou (范純祐), son
  • Fan Chunren (范純仁), son
  • Fan Chunli (范純禮), son
  • Fan Chuncui (范純粹), son
  • 3 daughters
Mother Lady Xie (謝)
Father
  • Fan Yong (范墉)
Posthumous name Duke of Wénzhèng (文正公) and Duke of Chu (楚国公)
Fan Zhongyan
Chinese 范仲淹
Zhu Yue
Traditional Chinese 朱說
Simplified Chinese 朱说
Fan Xiwen / Zhu Xiwen
Chinese 范希文 / 朱希文
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Fan.

Fan Zhongyan (Chinese 范仲淹) (5 September 989 – 19 June 1052, courtesy name Xiwen 希文, ratified as the Duke of Wenzheng 文正公 posthumously, and conferred as Duke of Chu 楚国公 posthumously), is one of the most prominent figures in the history of China, as a founder of Neo-Confucianism, and a great statesman, philosopher, writer, educator, military strategist, and philanthropist. Fan lived almost 1,000 years ago during the Song Dynasty, when China was at the peak of its economic, social, and cultural development, with the world’s largest economy and biggest population at the time. After serving the central government of China for some years, Fan rose to a seat of Chancellor over the entire Chinese empire. Fan’s legacy has exerted profound and indelible impact on the Chinese civilization, and his philosophies and advocacy have become a core and significant component of the Chinese culture, ideology and moral values. While Fan spent most of his time governing China, his teachings, including "Be the first to worry about the world before the world starts to worry, and be the last to enjoy its comfort", have been inspiring Chinese people for a thousand years. Fan is considered a Saint in China by some people, after the other two Saints Confucius and Mencius from almost 2,500 years ago.

Family History

Fan Zhongyan is a descendant of Emperor Yao (帝尧). Emperor Yao is a 5th generation descendant of Emperor Huang (or Yellow Emperor，黄帝), and the second son of Emperor Ku (帝喾). Often extolled as the morally perfect and intelligent sage-emperor, Emperor Yao became the founding father of the “Power Bestowing System” (禅让制), by abdicating his throne and bestowing the Emperor-hood to Sun (舜) instead of his own children to make Sun the Emperor Shun (帝舜), an act appraised by Confucianism as “Power Bestowing” for several thousand years. Emperor Yao's benevolence and diligence served as a model to future Chinese monarchs and emperors.

During the Zhou Dynasty (周朝), Dubo (杜伯), a 51st generation decedent of Emperor Yao, the monarch of the TangDu Kingdom and an Earl by hereditary, exhorted the then King Zhou Xuan, and was killed by King Zhou Xuan. His family left Kingdom Zhou to other Kingdoms subsequently. Shihui (士会), a descendant of Dubo, later became the grand marshal and governed the Jin Kingdom (see Jin dynasty) （晋国）. Shihui is the first person to have “Fan” (范) as family name. He was conferred the name Fan with the territory of Fan (in Henan Province today) by the King of the Jin Dynasty, and has been called Fan Wuzi (范武子，BC 660 - BC 583, see Fan Clan) since. From there, the Fan clan became one of the most prominent governing families in the Jin Dynasty, and the No.1 of the six controlling families of the Jin Dynasty at the end of the Spring and Autumn period.

Among Fan Zhongyan’s famous ancestors, there is Fan Li (范蠡) from the Spring and Autumn period, who was a prominent statesman, military strategist, and the founding father of the Chinese commercial business who is worshiped as the "God of Wealth" by the Chinese. Fan Li was the lover and husband of Xi Shi (西施), the No.1 of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China, and said to be the most beautiful Chinese woman of all time. Fan Zhongyan is also a descendant of Fan Lübing (范履冰), a Grand Chancellor (see Grand councilor) of the Tang Dynasty. Fan Zhongyan’s close ancestors all served as officials in the imperial governments. His grandfather Fan Zanshi (范赞时) famously passed the Imperial examination at age nine as a child prodigy.

All four sons of Fan Zhongyan served as officials in the imperial government of the Song Dynasty, and two of them Fan Chunren and Fan Chunli also became Chancellors of China. Among Fan Zhongyan and his sons, and the families married to Fan Zhongyan's family, together there were eight Chancellors of the Song Dynasty, indicating the powerful influence of Fan zhongyan's family on the Song Dynasty at the time.

Early life

Fan Zhongyan was born in Sū Prefecture, and his father died the subsequent year; his mother then remarried a man named Zhu in Zizhou, Shandong. When Fan eventually learned about his real parentage, he left home; in 1011 he arrived at Suiyang and spent his time studying, while living an austere lifestyle. In 1015, he successfully passed the Imperial Examination and became a jinshi, after which he returned to using the Fan surname and received his mother again to provide for her.

Early official career

In the 1020s, Fan served a variety of regional posts, including as magistrate for the Jiqing Army (in modern-day Bozhou, Anhui), and as a salt store inspector in Taizhou. He then became the county magistrate of Xinghua County (in modern-day coastal Jiangsu), where with his colleague and friend Teng Zongliang he engaged in a series of dyke-building activities along the coastal counties. Not long after the completion of this project, Fan's mother died and he resigned his post for filial mourning.

In the 1030s, Fan served as the prefect of Kaifeng. While there, he took on a young Ouyang Xiu as a disciple; a partnership that would become very important a decade later. However, after criticizing the Chief Councillor of the Song state when he submitted a proposal to reform criteria used in the advancement and demotion of officials, he was demoted to regional government.

In 1038, faced with the revolt of Li Yuanhao, the court dispatched Fan along with Han Qi to Shanxi, to inspect the defences; they rendered effective support to the ending of the revolt. Fan was recalled in 1040 when the Liao and Western Xia once again threatened Song borders from the north. Fan, who had long favored a strong defense, was brought back to devise a response to the northern threat.[1]

Qingli Reforms

Main article: Qingli Reforms

After the Song granted Western Xia indemnities similar to those granted the Liao in the Treaty of Shanyuan, Fan, along with other advocates of Confucian ideals, sought reform at the court. He presented a ten-point proposal covering various aspects of government administration, including reforms to the recruitment system, higher pay for minor local officials to discourage corruption,[2] and wider sponsorship programs to ensure that officials were drafted more on the basis of their intellect and character. However, many of the reforms that he introduced met with the opposition of conservative ministers who felt the system did not need drastic changes (and who felt threatened by the prospect of change halfway through their careers as state bureaucrats). The emperor rescinded the reforms in 1045,[3] after Fan and his friend and colleague Ouyang Xiu had been charged with forming a faction, which was considered subversive by definition.[4] Nevertheless, his idealist approach to governance inspired others, like the later Chancellor Wang Anshi.

Educational reforms

Fan also began educational reforms in the 1040s. In the early Northern Song era, prefectural schools were neglected by the state and were left to the devices of wealthy patrons who provided private finances.[5] While Chancellor, Fan Zhongyan issued an edict that would have a combination of government funding and private financing to restore and rebuild all prefectural schools that had fallen into disuse and abandoned since the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960).[6] Fan attempted to restore all county-level schools in the same manner, but did not designate where funds for the effort would be formally acquired and the decree was not taken seriously until the later Emperor Huizong of Song who expanded the county-level school system dramatically.[7] Fan's trend of government funding for education set in motion the movement of public schools that eclipsed private academies, which would not be officially reversed until Emperor Lizong of Song in the mid 13th century.[8]

Literary works

Fan Zhongyan's most famous work of literature is Yueyang Lou Ji 岳陽樓記. The descriptive prose piece was composed at the invitation of Teng Zongliang, who was then the local prefect and had rebuilt the famed ancient tower. Yueyang Lou, a city gate by the side of Dongting Lake, was known as one of the three great towers in Southern China, due to their association with famous literary works (the others being Huanghe Lou 黃鶴樓 and Tengwang Ge 滕王閣).

This commemorative Ji was written in prose, with extensive usage of phrases in four, and culminates in the oft-quoted "先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂" (translated as "Feel concern for others under heaven before others, and rejoice after others under heaven have rejoiced" or "Be the first to feel concern about the country and the last to enjoy oneself" or "Bear the hardship and bitterness before others, enjoy comfort and happiness after others")[9][10][11]

寧鳴而死，不默而生 (Better remonstrate and die, than keep silent and live) is also a quotation. This quote comes from Ling Wu Fu 《靈烏賦》 in 1036, which was written in reply to a friend (Mei Yaochen 梅堯臣)'s advice. This friend, Mei Yaochen, tried to persuade him to stop bearing so much concern for others "under heaven" (tianxia) and to start caring for his own career and life. In response, Fan told a fable about a spirit bird, using the metaphor to express his aspirations. It embodies the moral integrity, sound conscience, and responsibility for others required of a Shi Da Fu, called "The Moral Responsibilities of Intellectuals".[9][12][13]

Fan Zhongyan was known for his ci (詞賦) poetry. Among the most famous are Su Mu Zhe (蘇幕遮) and Yu Jia Ao (漁家傲). Together with Su Shi (蘇軾), he was considered one of the founders of the haofang (豪放) school of ci.

Family

Fan Zhongyan had four sons, all of whom also entered the government:

Notes

See also

References

External links

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