Qin and Han · Scholar and Diviner

Fan Ying 樊英

Attested AD 107 - AD 129

Passages: 21
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Fan Ying was a scholar and Diviner.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Jiqi	季齊	Jiqi

Life and dates

Death

At at home 家 · Age Text: 年七十餘 · Value: 70 · Reckoning: Sui · Comparator: over
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 353

Attested activity

AD 121 建光元年
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 378
AD 127 永建二年
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 315
AD 129 至四年三月
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passages 315, 334
AD 107 安帝初，徵為博士
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 377

Family

Ancestor of Ling (陵)
grandson 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 354

Career and standing

supernumerary gentleman of the household 五官中郎將
AD 129 至四年三月 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passages 334-335
grand counselor of the palace 光祿大夫
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 336
Erudite 博士
AD 107 安帝初 · Summoned
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 377

Places and affiliations

At Luyang in Nanyang 南陽魯陽
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 305
At south slope of Mount Hu 壺山之陽 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 308

Learning and skills

Subject Five Classics 五經
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 306
Subject Jing family's Changes 京氏易
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 306
Skill wind-angle and star reckoning 風角、星算 · Level skilled
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 307

Works and attributed material

Explanatory Sentences on the Changes 易章句
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 346
Speech · Speaker · With Emperor Shun (順帝)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passages 323-332

Events and relationships

Extinguished Chengdu fire by rite
Divination · Diviner
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passages 311-314
Forced to capital
AD 127 永建二年 · Political · Summoned person
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passages 315-317
Refused summons
AD 121 建光元年 · Political · Summoned person
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 378

Assessments and attributes

Assessment disappointed contemporaries after taking office · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 340
Assessment highest name and worst slander among summoned recluses · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 359

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 92, passage 305

References in the histories

Search passages

History

21 passages

Book of Later Han, Chapter 92Volume 82a: Biographies of Alchemists 1 · 21 passages

樊英字季齊，南陽魯陽人也。 Fan Ying, styled Jiqi, came from Luyang in Nanyang.

嘗有暴風從西方起，英謂學者曰：「成都市火甚盛。」 When a gale blew from the west he told his class, 'Chengdu's market is burning hard.'

至建光元年，复詔公車賜策書，徵英及同郡孔喬、李昺、北海郎宗、陳留楊倫、東平王輔六人，唯郎宗、楊倫到洛陽，英等四人並不至。 In Jianguang 1 the court again sent imperial coaches with written summonses for Ying, Kong Qiao and Li Bing of his commandery, Lang Zong of Beihai, Yang Lun of Chenliu, and Wang Fu of Dongping. Only Lang Zong and Yang Lun reached Luoyang; Ying and the other three never came.

永建二年，順帝策書備禮，玄纁徵之，复固辭疾篤。 In Yongjian 2 Emperor Shun summoned him with full honors; Fan Ying pleaded grave illness again.

英不得已，到京，稱疾不肯起。 Fan Ying yielded, arrived, and stayed abed feigning sickness.

帝怒，謂英曰：「朕能生君，能殺君； The emperor thundered, 'I can spare or end you;

英曰：「臣受命於天。 Fan Ying answered, 'My life comes from Heaven.

至四年三月，天子乃為英設壇席，令公車令導，尚書奉引，賜几杖，待以師傅之禮，延問得失。 In the third month of the fourth year the emperor staged a dais for Fan Ying, had coaches and secretaries escort him, gave him a seat and cane, honored him like a teacher, and asked his counsel on state affairs.

英不敢辭，拜五官中郎將。 Fan Ying bowed and accepted rank as supernumerary gentleman of the household.

數月，英稱疾篤，詔以為光祿大夫，賜告歸。 Months later he pleaded worse health; the court named him grand counselor of the palace and let him go home.

英辭位不受，有詔譬旨，勿聽。 He tried to refuse the title; the emperor insisted he keep it.

英初被詔命，僉以為必不降志，及後應對，又無奇謨深策，談者以為失望。 At first everyone expected Fan Ying to defy the throne; when he took office without brilliant policy, chatter called him a letdown.

初，河南張楷與英俱徵，既而謂英曰：「天下有二道，出與處也。 Henan's Zhang Kai, summoned with him, later said, 'There are two paths—serve or withdraw.

英既善術，朝廷每有災異，詔輒下問變復之效，所言多驗。 Fan Ying's arts were real: whenever omens struck, the court asked him how to set the cosmos right, and he was usually right.

初，英著《易章句》，世名樊氏學，以圖緯教授。 He wrote Fan's Commentary on the Changes and taught with charts and apocrypha.

潁川陳寔，少從英學。 Chen Shi of Yingchuan studied under him as a boy.

嘗有疾，妻遣婢拜問，英下床答拜。 While Fan Ying was ill, Chen Shi’s wife sent a maid to pay her respects and ask after him; he rose from his sickbed and returned the bow.

英曰：「妻，齊也。 Fan Ying said, 'A wife is partner, not servant.

陳郡郤巡，學傳英業，官至侍中。 Xi Xun of Chen carried on Fan Ying's teaching and reached palace attendant.

及徵樊英、楊厚，朝廷若待神明，至，竟無他異。 Fan Ying and Yang Hou were awaited like gods; when they came they offered no marvels.

英名最高，毀最甚。 Fan Ying's reputation stood tallest—and drew the bitterest mockery.