Page:A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.djvu/235

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
216
A Chinese Biographical Dictionary

赤眉 Red Eyebrows. After setting up a temporary claim to the sovereignty, he submitted to the Emperor Kuang Wu Ti.


537 Fan Hsüan Fan Hsüan 范宣 (T. 宣子.) 4th cent. A.D. A clever youth, fond of solitude and of studying the Book of Rites. Extremely poor, he supported himself by farming, and proudly declined aid from an admirer, the Prefect of Yü-chang in Kiangsi. His fame attracted Tai K'uei and others from great distances, and to him and to Fan Ning is attributed the taste for classical studies which developed in Kiangnan and Chehkiang. Author of a work on the Rites and Canon of Changes, entitled 禮易論難.


538 Fan Jan 范冉 or 范丹 Fan Tan (T. 史雲). Died A.D. 185. A native of 外黃 Wai-huang in Honan. When young, he and a friend had only a single coat between them; and in this they used to visit their friends, one waiting outside the door until the other came out. Upon receiving an official appointment he ran away and supported himself for some time by telling fortunes. Ultimately however he rose to be a Minister of State, and was canonised as 貞節先生.


539 Fan K'uai 樊噲. Died B.C. 189. A dog-butcher of P'ei in modern Kiangsu, who attached himself early to the fortunes of Liu Pang; and who, when the latter became Emperor, was raised to the highest honours and ennobled as Marquis. It was he who had prevented the attempt on Liu Pang's life, as planned by Fan Ts'êng; and as a further reward for his services, he was allowed to marry the daughter of a younger brother of the Empress. When the Emperor was failing, his Majesty shut himself up in his palace and refused admittance to all. But Fan K'uai forced his way in and found his master sleeping, pillowed upon a eunuch. He burst into tears and cried, "Sire, think of Chao Kao!" The Emperor smiled and rose up, and soon after appointed Fan K'uai to put down a rising in the Principality of Yen. Fan