Fan Zhongyan (August 29, 989 – May 20, 1052), courtesy name Xiwen, was of Han ethnicity. He was a native of Wuxian, Suzhou. He was an outstanding thinker, politician, and writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. Fan Zhongyan lost his father at a young age, and his mother remarried to Changshan Zhu, so he changed his name to Zhu Shuo. In the eighth year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1015), Fan Zhongyan studied hard and passed the imperial examination. [1] He was appointed as the assistant general of Guangde Army, brought his mother home to take care of her, and changed his name back to his original name. Later, he served as the magistrate of Xinghua County, the editor of the Secret Council, the judge of Chenzhou, and the governor of Suzhou. He was repeatedly demoted for his impartiality and outspokenness. In the first year of Kangding (1040), he and Han Qi served as deputy envoys of Shaanxi Jinglüe Anfu Zhaotao, and adopted the policy of “military farming for a long time” to consolidate the northwest border defense. In the third year of Qingli (1043), he was appointed as the assistant minister of state affairs and initiated the “Qingli New Deal”. Soon after, the new policy was frustrated and Fan Zhongyan was demoted from the capital. He served as governor of Bingzhou, Dengzhou, Hangzhou and Qingzhou. In the fourth year of Huangyou (1052), he was transferred to Yingzhou. Fan Zhongyan took office with illness and died on the way at the age of 64. He was posthumously awarded the title of Minister of War and Duke of Chu, and the posthumous title of “Wenzheng”. He was known as Fan Wenzhenggong. Fan Zhongyan had outstanding political achievements and outstanding literary achievements. His idea of ”worrying about the world before worrying about oneself and enjoying the world after enjoying oneself” and the integrity of benevolent people and people with lofty ideals have a far-reaching influence on later generations. The “Collected Works of Fan Wenzhenggong” has been handed down.
范仲淹（989年8月29日－1052年5月20日），字希文，汉族。苏州吴县人。北宋杰出的思想家、政治家、文学家。范仲淹幼年丧父，母亲改嫁长山朱氏，遂更名朱说。大中祥符八年（1015年），范仲淹苦读及第， [1] 授广德军司理参军，迎母归养，改回本名。后历任兴化县令、秘阁校理、陈州通判、苏州知州等职，因秉公直言而屡遭贬斥。康定元年（1040年），与韩琦共任陕西经略安抚招讨副使，采取“屯田久守”方针，巩固西北边防。庆历三年（1043年），出任参知政事，发起“庆历新政”。不久后，新政受挫，范仲淹被贬出京，历知邠州、邓州、杭州、青州。皇祐四年（1052年），改知颍州，范仲淹扶疾上任，于途中逝世，年六十四。追赠兵部尚书、楚国公，谥号“文正”，世称范文正公。范仲淹政绩卓著，文学成就突出。他倡导的“先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐”思想和仁人志士节操，对后世影响深远。有《范文正公文集》传世。
《赴桐庐郡淮上遇风·其一》 范仲淹
一棹危于叶，傍观亦损神。
他时在平地，无忽险中人。
Stormy Weather on Huai River
Huan Chung Yan
A boat could be perilous as a leaf,
You will shock to look at shipside;
During the day you are on the land,
Never forget one’s dangerous agony.
