Fan Zongyin

Life

His great-grandfather was Fan De, his grandfather Fan Chang, and his father Fan Yu; his younger brother was Fan Zongji, his junior agnatic cousin Fan Zongwen, his wife Zhang Shi, his son Fan Zhen, and his grandsons Fan Jie, Fan Ji, and Fan Quan.

In 1121, the third year of the Xuanhe era, he passed the shangshe examination and rose through the offices of Investigating Censor, Right Admonition Grand Master, Drafter in the Secretariat, and Vice Director of the Censorate. At the beginning of Jingkang, he advocated abandoning Taiyuan, Zhongshan, and Hejian, was dismissed, and was restored to office after Zhang Bangchang's usurpation before being sent to the Kang Prince to urge his accession.

In the first year of Jianyan (1127), he became governor of Shuzhou, but was posted to Ezhou after accepting an appointment from a pseudo-regime. He was later recalled as a Drafter in the Secretariat, promoted to Vice Director of the Censorate, and appointed Vice Chief Councillor. In the third year of Jianyan (1129) he became Vice Chief Councillor, succeeded Lü Yihao as chancellor the following year, and was elevated to Shangshu You Pushe and Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (尚書右僕射、同中書門下平章事). His concurrent office is given as either Commissioner of the Imperial Camp or director of the Bureau of Military Affairs.

His other titles included You Pushe jian Menxia Shilang (右僕射兼門下侍郎), Chancellor (丞相), Minister of Rites (禮部尚書), Tongyi Dafu and Right Tongyi Dafu (通議大夫、右通議大夫), several palace-academy posts, and appointments at Dongxiao Palace in Hangzhou, Songshan Chongfu Palace in Xijing, and external palace institutions; Fensi and Fengbosi (分司、封駁司) are also listed among his offices.

After Qin Hui returned from Jin, he recommended Fan's loyalty, but in early Shaoxing pushed him out of the chancellorship. Fan then held the Guanwen dian Xueshi and Dongxiao Palace appointments, was impeached by Shen Yuqiu, stripped of office, and soon appointed governor of Wenzhou. He retired to Tiantai in the sixth year of Shaoxing (1136) and died in the eighth month at the age of thirty-seven.

Literary work and networks

Fan was described as skilled in prose, and six poems by him are recorded. He acted as patron to Zhang Zhiyuan, Jin Anjie, and Lu Tang, and recommended Zhang Zhiyuan, Yue Fei, and Bian Daheng. Lu Tang was described as broadly learned and received the rank of Digonglang at the end of Xuanhe; because of his old association with Fan, he obtained a subordinate post in the Guangdong Judicial Commissioner's office after Fan became chancellor.

After Fan's death, Zhang Nie, Wang Zhiwang, Zhang Shou, and Qi Chongli composed memorial texts for him; Lou Yue, Zhou Bida, and Hong Zikui wrote postscripts to his poetry and prose.