Fan Zuyu (范祖禹, 1041–1098)1 was a historian, scholar, writer, and official of Northern Song China. His courtesy name (字) was Shunfu (淳夫; also written 淳父, 純父, or 純甫), or alternatively Mengde (夢得). He was a native of Huayang County (華陽縣) in Yizhou (益州), and was known as Mr. Huayang (華陽先生) after his home county. He was also the son-in-law of Lü Gongzhu (呂公著), a chancellor of Northern Song.
Life
Fan Zuyu's given name and courtesy name are related to his birth. According to the story, when his mother was pregnant, she dreamed of Deng Yu (鄧禹), a great general of the Han dynasty. For this reason he was named Zuyu (祖禹), and his courtesy name was set as Mengde (夢得).2
In the eighth year of the Jiayou era (1063), he passed the jinshi examination.
He was well versed in history, and was especially excellent in the history of the Tang (唐書). He received high praise from Sima Guang. Beginning in the third year of the Xining era of Shenzong (1070), he cooperated with others to compile the Shenzong Zhengshi (神宗正史) and the Shenzong Shilu (神宗實錄). However, these works no longer survive.1
Fan Zuyu also assisted Sima Guang, together with Liu Shu (劉恕), Liu Fen (劉奉世) and others, in compiling the Zizhi Tongjian. It is said that Fan Zuyu was mainly in charge of the Tang section (唐紀) of the Zizhi Tongjian for fifteen years, and devoted himself to it without seeking any other advancement. The more than 600 volumes completed by Fan Zuyu were edited by Sima Guang into 81 volumes, which formed the Tang section of the Zizhi Tongjian.
When the Zizhi Tongjian was completed, on Sima Guang's recommendation he became a Secretariat Zhengzi (秘書省正字). Wang Anguo (王安國), the younger brother of Wang Anshi (王安石), was on friendly terms with him and proposed that he associate with Wang Anshi, but Fan Zuyu refused in the end. He also memorialized the throne about the abuses of the New Laws (新法).2
When his father-in-law Lü Gongzhu (呂公著) came to hold power, Fan Zuyu resigned on the grounds that he was Lü's son-in-law. He was then appointed Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites (祠部員外郎), which he declined. He was later appointed Assistant Secretary (著作佐郎) and took part in reviewing the Shenzong Shilu. Afterwards he served as Gei Shizhong (給事中), Reader-in-Waiting Academician of the Hanlin Academy (翰林院侍讀學士), Acting Director of the National History Office (知國史院事), and other posts.2
Compilation of the Tangjian
Afterwards, drawing on his experience in compiling the Zizhi Tongjian, Fan Zuyu wrote the Tangjian in 12 volumes, the Dixue (帝學) in 8 volumes, the Renhuang Zhuandian (仁皇政典?) in 6 volumes, the Fan Taishi Zhuan (范太史傳) in 53 volumes, and others. Among these, the Tangjian covers the history from Emperor Gaozu of Tang to Emperor Ai of Tang (Emperor Xuanzong, the posthumous title given to the last Tang emperor). In its preface, Fan Zuyu wrote: "Having received an imperial command to compile the Zizhi Tongjian together with Sima Guang, when I took charge of the portion on the Tang dynasty, I came to reflect on its rise and fall and on order and disorder. (Omitted.) Respectfully, I have collected the traces of gain and loss and the efficacy of good and evil of the Tang dynasty, beginning from Gaozu above and ending with Emperor Xuan below, in a total of 360 sections, compiled into 12 volumes, and named it Tangjian."
The compilation of the Tangjian is evaluated as one of the most important achievements of Fan Zuyu's life, and he was called Duke Tangjian (唐鑑公) by later scholars. Emperor Gaozong repeatedly praised this book, saying, "Reading the Zizhi Tongjian, one can see that Sima Guang had the bearing of a chancellor; reading the Tangjian, one can see Fan Zuyu's skill in remonstrance" (讀唐鑒, 知范祖禹有臺諫手段).3 Cheng Yi (程頤) remarked, "Since the Three Dynasties, there has been no such discourse."4 In Zhu Xi's Zhuzi Yulei (朱子語類), it is noted that "the argument is weak and lacks consistency" (議論弱, 又有不相應處). Zhu Xi criticized the Tangjian, saying, "The general outline of the discussions is good, but there are many parts that need more thought," and "Shunfu's (Fan Zuyu's) discussions mostly only skim the surface."
There is no clear record of when Fan Zuyu wrote the Tangjian. Fan Zuyu himself, in the preface Jin Tangjian Biao (進唐鑑表), dated the 28th day of the 2nd month of the first year of the Yuanyou era of Emperor Zhezong (1086), wrote: "臣昔在先朝，承乏書局，典司載籍，實董有唐，嘗於紬次之餘，稽其成敗之迹， 折以義理，輯成一書。……其《唐鑑》十二卷，繕寫成六冊，謹隨表上進以聞。"1 From this, it can be seen that he had already begun compiling the Tangjian during the period when he assisted Sima Guang in writing the general table of contents and the long chapters on the Tang section of the Zizhi Tongjian.5 The Songshi (宋史) annals of Emperor Shenzong state, "(Yuanfeng) in the eighth year, in the spring, first month, day wuxu (the third day), the emperor was ill....(in the third month) on day wuxu (the fifth day), the emperor died in the Funing Hall." Accordingly, the period of completion is estimated to be from the end of the seventh year of the Yuanfeng era (1084) to around the beginning of the eighth year (1085) of Emperor Shenzong.
Fan Zuyu is also said to have been an excellent teacher; from the night before lecturing, he would arrange his official robes in advance. The Northern Song writer Su Shi said: "范淳夫講書，為今經筵講官第一。言簡而當，無一冗字，無一長語，義理明白，而成文粲然，乃得講書三昧也。" (Fan Shunfu's lectures are the first among the present lecturers at the imperial classics sessions. His words are concise and apt, without a superfluous character or a long-winded phrase; the principles are clear and the sentences are brilliant. This is indeed the true art of lecturing on the classics.)
He died in the 10th month of the first year of the Yuanfu era (1098).
Tomb
Initially he was buried in a place on the southern slope of Shi Mountain (石牛江) at Xiashi Ziling (下西寺子嶺) in Huazhou (Huazhou, Guangdong), north of the People's Hospital, leaning on the rock of the Yong River and facing the Jinlian Ferry. Later, his eldest son Fan Chong (范沖) relocated the tomb to the family cemetery at Tiandi Yuan (天地原), Tuzhong Village, Luonan Township, Yanshi County, Henan, near Luoyang. During the Zhengde era of the Ming, his tomb was damaged.
When the Jingkang incident occurred and the Jurchen people occupied Luoyang, Fan Chong led his clan south to flee to Chuzhou. After Fan Chong died, he was buried in Huanggang Village, Xiajia Township, Changshan County, Quzhou City. In the eighth year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing, Fan's descendants re-erected his tombstone. Even after moving south, his clan for a long time referred to themselves as Luoren (洛人), meaning "people of Luo."
Genealogy
Fan Zuyu's ancestors originally lived in Chang'an (長安), but in the late Tang they moved to Sichuan to escape the Huang Chao rebellion (黃巢之亂), and thus made Chengdu their main family seat.2
- Ancestors of Fan Zuyu: Fan Fang (范滂, Eastern Han dynasty) … Fan Lübing (范履冰, Tang dynasty) – Fan Dongqian (范冬倩) – Fan Minghe (范鳴鶴) – Fan Jiming (范季明) – Fan Julun (范居倫)
- Remote ancestor of Fan Zuyu: Fan Julun (范居倫)
- Original ancestor of Fan Zuyu: Fan Long (范隆)
- Grand-ancestor of Fan Zuyu: Fan Yanlang (范彦朗)
- Ancestor of Fan Zuyu: Fan Shaowen (范紹温)
- Founding ancestor of Fan Zuyu: Fan Changyou (范昌祐)
- Great-great-grandfather of Fan Zuyu: Fan Shui (范璲)
- Great-grandfather of Fan Zuyu: Fan Du (范度)
- Grandfather of Fan Zuyu: Fan Kai (范鍇; paternal uncles: Fan Zhen (范鎡) and Fan Zhen (范鎮))
- Father of Fan Zuyu: Fan Baizhi (范百之)
- Brothers of Fan Zuyu: Fan Zuren (范祖仁), Fan Zuzhe (范祖哲)
- Distant cousin of Fan Zuyu: Fan Liao (范寥)
- Sons of Fan Zuyu: Fan Chong (范沖, son-in-law of Lü Xizhe (呂希哲)), Fan Wen (范温,6 son-in-law of Qin Guan (秦觀))
- Grandsons of Fan Zuyu: Fan Zhongxiong (范仲熊), Fan Zhongbiao (范仲彪), Fan Zhongyu (范仲愈), Fan Zhongbu (范仲補), Fan Zhongkao (范仲考), Fan Zhongjue (范仲覺)
- Great-grandsons of Fan Zuyu: Fan Hua (范華), Fan Lai (范萊)
- Great-grandsons of Fan Zuyu: Fan Zeyan (范擇言), (范擇中), (范擇庸), (范擇能)
Because of differences in places of residence, the names of Fan Zuyu's descendants sometimes differed slightly from those of the main family line in Chengdu. The following is an example of the descendants of Fan Baipeng:
- Fan Du — Fan Kai — Fan Baipeng (范百朋, Assistant Minister of the Court of Guard (衛尉寺丞)) — Fan Zudan (范祖旦) — Fan Yu (范洧) — Fan Zhongzu (范仲祖) — Fan Ziseng (范子升) — Fan Dongshou (范東叟, Director of the Longtu Pavilion (龍圖閣直學士); his tomb was excavated in Fengcheng, Jiangxi. Even today, a considerable number of Fan descendants still live in the Fengcheng area) — Fan Dayou (范大有, Gentleman of Service (承務郎))
(Fan Dongshou was the son of Ye Di (葉適) and a disciple of Ye Mei (葉楣), who was a student of Zhu Xi, so the Yongjia school of learning was introduced locally. At the same time, many scholars of the Fan family (such as Fan Dasheng and Fan Daye) migrated to the Jiangxi region, promoting the development of scholarship in the Yuan and Ming dynasties.)
Works
Fan Zuyu's works include the Fan Taishi Ji (范太史集, also called the Fan Zuyu Ji) in 55 volumes, of which the Qing Siku Quanshu edition has been transmitted.
- Shijie (詩解)
- Guwen Xiaojing Shuo (古文孝經說)
- Jiyi (祭儀)
- Sanjing Yaoyu (三經要語)
- Jingshu Yaoyan (經書要言)
- Jiaren Gua Jieyi (家人卦解義)
- Tangjian (唐鑑)
- Dixue (帝學)
- Renhuang Xundian (仁皇訓典)
- Fan Taishi Ji (范太史集)
Characteristics of the Tangjian Compilation
Fan Zuyu's political thought is well reflected in the Tangjian. In governing the state, he hoped that the emperor and his ministers would observe Confucian principles. In external affairs, he firmly upheld the defense distinction between the barbarians and the Chinese (夷夏之防) and opposed peace with foreign peoples, which shows the model of Fan Zuyu's reverence for Confucianism.7 The purpose of Fan Zuyu's compilation of the Tangjian was to enable the ruler to remember historical lessons and further improve the governance of the state, expressing the ruler's principle of "employing wise ministers and keeping petty men at a distance."8
Differences Between the Tangjian and the Zizhi Tongjian
Fan Zuyu once took part in the compilation of the Zizhi Tongjian, and was in charge of collecting and organizing the historical materials for the Tang section of the Zizhi Tongjian.8 In compiling the Tangjian, Fan Zuyu used the annalistic format (編年體), covering the period from Gaozu to Emperor Zhaozong of Tang.9
Although both the Zizhi Tongjian and the Tangjian adopt the annalistic format, their approaches differ from Sima Guang's in cases where more than two reign eras appear in a single year. The Zizhi Tongjian uses the era name that was last used in that year as the standard, whereas the Tangjian uses the era name that appeared first.
There is also a difference in narrative style. When recording the deeds of a ruler before he ascended the throne, the Zizhi Tongjian writes the emperor's personal name directly and only begins to call him "emperor" after his accession. The Tangjian, however, uses the emperor's temple name (廟號) and writes it directly in each record, without any difference in titles before and after accession.
In addition, the Tangjian does not specify exact dates when describing historical events. In the Gaozu section of the Tangjian, there is the statement "(Wude first year) In the fifth month, an edict said: 近世以來，時運遷革，前代親族，莫不誅夷，興亡之效，豈伊人力。其隋蔡王智積等子孫，并付所司，量才選用" ("In recent generations, with the shifting of fortune and changes of dynasty, the relatives of former dynasties have all been executed. The effects of rise and fall are not merely due to human effort. The descendants of Prince Cai Zhiji of Sui and others shall all be handed over to the proper authorities, and employed according to their talents."). The Tangjian records this edict as having been issued in the fifth month of the first year of the Wude era (618), but both the Xin Tangshu (新唐書) Gaozu annals and the Zizhi Tongjian state that this edict was promulgated on the day yiyou of the sixth month of the first year of Wude. Thus a chronological error can be seen in the Tangjian.10 This is because, from the start, the purpose of its composition was to evaluate the gains and losses of historical events, not to organize their historical context.
Biography
From the Chinese Songshi (宋史), vol. 337, Biographies 96: Fan Zhen, Zongzi Lu, Zu-zong Zuyu.
Notes