In the fourth year of Zhenzong’s Dazhong Xiangfu reign (1011), 23-year-old Fan Zhongyan came to Suiyang Yingtianfu Academy (now Shangqiu County, Henan). Yingtianfu Academy is one of the four famous academies in the Song Dynasty. It has 150 school buildings and a collection of thousands of volumes. What's more important is that there are many teachers and students with great ambitions and talents gathered here. To study in such a college, you can have famous teachers to consult with, many classmates to learn from each other, and a large number of books to read. Moreover, the college is free to study, which is what Fan Zhongyan, who is financially strapped, can only dream of. Yingtianfu was later renamed Nanjing, and Yingtianfu Academy was also called Nandu Academy.
Fan Zhongyan cherished the new learning environment and studied day and night. Once, Emperor Zhenzong passed by Nanjing. Everyone rushed to watch, but Fan Zhongyan stayed behind closed doors and sat there as before. A classmate blamed him for missing the opportunity to see the emperor, but he replied: "It's not too late to see you again in the future." One of Fan Zhongyan's classmates and the son of Nanjing Liushou (the highest official in Nanjing) saw that he ate porridge all year round, so he gave some to him. Give him good food. He didn't even taste it and allowed the food to get moldy. It wasn't until people began to blame him that he bowed his head and thanked him and said: "I have settled down to a life of eating porridge. Once I enjoy a good meal, I am afraid that I will not be able to eat bitterly in the future." Fan Zhongyan's difficult life is a bit like Confucius's wise disciple Yan Hui; a bowl of With rice and a ladle of water, in a back alley, others complained endlessly, but Yan Hui did not change his joy.
Fan Zhongyan studied hard for years, from spring to summer, through autumn and winter; he danced with his sword in the early morning and slept with his clothes on in the middle of the night. Others look at flowers and the moon, but he only seeks pleasure in the Six Classics. Occasionally, he also recited poems to express his feelings; "The white clouds are not far away from the emperor's hometown. Who is playing the cave Xiao in the Han Garden? The wind bird has not answered the song despite the adversity, but the poor talent can still sing the song of the wren. I still feel happy thinking about the face in my heart, and I meet the piano If you understand your hatred, it will be gone. But if Si Wentian is not dead, why should Jiansong blame the mountain seedlings?" A few years later, Fan Zhongyan reviewed Confucian classics such as "The Book of Songs", "The Book of Changes", "The Book of Changes", and "The Three Rites". The main themes of books such as "The Book of Music" and "Spring and Autumn" can be said to be universal: reciting poems and writing compositions, and generously taking the world as one's own responsibility.
In the seventh year of Dazhong Xiangfu (AD 1014), Song Zhenzong, who was superstitious about Taoism, led hundreds of officials to Haozhou (now Hao County, Anhui) to worship the Taiqing Palace. A huge number of carriages and horses passed through Nanjing (today's Shangqiu, Henan Province, the same below), and the whole city was in a sensation. People rushed to see the emperor, but there was only one student who stayed behind closed doors and was still immersed in studying. A good classmate came to him specifically: "Go and see, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, don't miss it!" But the student just said casually: "It's not too late to see you in the future," and didn't even look up. and continued reading his book. Sure enough, the next year he won the imperial examination and met the emperor. This student was Fan Zhongyan, the future great reform thinker of the Northern Song Dynasty.
In the autumn of the seventh year of Dazhong Xiangfu (1014) and the spring of the eighth year (1015), he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. When attending the imperial examination in Chongzheng Hall, he saw Emperor Zhenzong, who was nearly fifty years old, for the first time. Later, he was honored to attend the banquet given by the emperor. In February, Bianjing (now Kaifeng City) was filled with spring flowers. Scholars rode on horses and paraded through the streets amidst the sound of drums: "Changbai and Hanru were famous for more than two years." He chanted such verses, thinking that he was already twenty-seven years old. Compared with Teng Zongliang and others next to him, he looked much older.
Soon, he was appointed as the manager of the Guangde Army (Guangde Army is located in today's Guangde County, Anhui Province. The manager is an official in charge of litigation prisons and hearing cases, from the ninth grade). Then, he was transferred to the Jieditui official of the Jiqing Army (the jurisdiction of the Jiqing Army is in the area of ??Bozhou, Anhui today, and the Jieditui official is an official in the bureaucracy, from the eighth rank). He brought his mother to support him, and officially restored the surname Fan, changing her name to Zhongyan and her courtesy name Xiwen. This began a nearly forty-year political career.
2. Coaching enthusiastically for the people's governance
In the fifth year of Tianxi (1021), Fan Zhongyan was transferred to Xixi Town, Hailing, Taizhou (near today's Dongtai County, Jiangsu Province) to make salt. Warehouse supervisor - responsible for supervising the storage, transportation and marketing of Huai salt. Xixi Town is close to the coast of the Yellow Sea. Although peonies can occasionally be seen in the town, its remote scene is different from that in the mainland.
At first hearing the roar of the wind and waves and the cry of wild cranes, Fan Zhongyan couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. Since the warehouse official was on idle duty, he temporarily laughed at himself by being lazy and enjoying the banquet: "I have never held up a chair, but I dare to talk about the long journey of ambition! Mengsou should be equal to black and white, why should I blame the Jianghu... When I'm drunk... How can the people of Xi believe that he is so lazy and lazy?”
However, he soon discovered that there were many things to do here. The local seawall, which has been in disrepair for many years, has collapsed. Not only have the saltworks and pavilions lost their barrier, but the vast farmland and residential buildings have also been repeatedly threatened by sea waves. When encountering sea tides, water even flooded the city walls of Taizhou, displacing thousands of victims. The government's salt production and rents all suffered losses. For this reason, he wrote to Zhang Lun of Jianghuai Water Transport, expounding the pros and cons of the sea dike, and suggested that a strong sea dike be rebuilt along the coasts of Tongzhou, Taizhou, Chuzhou, and Haizhou (today's Lianyungang to the north bank of the Yangtze Estuary). Zhang Lun enthusiastically agreed with this huge project and informed the imperial court to transfer Fan Zhongyan to be the magistrate of Xinghua County, with full responsibility for the management of the weir.
In the autumn of the second year of Tiansheng (1024), more than tens of thousands of civilians from four states rushed to the seaside under the leadership of Fan Zhongyan. However, not long after the weir control project started, there was a storm with snow, and then there was a sea tide, which swallowed up more than a hundred migrant workers. Some officials believed that this was God's will and that the embankment could not be completed. They advocated canceling the original proposal and suspending work completely. When the matter was reported to the capital, the courtiers were hesitant. Fan Zhongyan, on the other hand, was not afraid of danger and insisted on guarding the weir.
The strong wind rolled up the waves and rushed into his lap. The soldiers and civilians fled in panic, and the officials were panicked. However, Fan Zhongyan did not move. He deliberately looked at his friend Teng Zongliang of the same age next to him. Zongliang was calmly walking. Commenting on a section of standing embankment. Everyone found that the two of them were calm and calm. Thanks to the efforts and perseverance of Fan Zhongyan and others, the work of defending the sea and regulating the weirs was fully resumed. Soon, the long embankment stretching for hundreds of miles stood at the head of Huangtan Beach. The production of salt fields and farmland has been guaranteed since then. Countless households that were displaced by disasters in previous years have returned to their homes with the help of the elderly and the young. People were grateful for Magistrate Fan's achievements and called Haiyan "Fangong Dike". Many disaster victims in Xinghua County took his surname Fan.
"There are guests who are crazy and honest, and young people love fame." This is a poem written by Fan Zhongyan when he was thirty-six years old. He didn't get married until he was about thirty-four or five years old. This year he had a son and was transferred back to the capital to become the Prime Minister of Dali Temple. From then on, he entered the ranks of Beijing officials.
In the fourth year of Renzong Tiansheng's reign (1026), Xie died of illness. Fan Zhongyan mourned in tears and returned to Nanjing to live. At that time, Yan Shu, an official left in Nanjing, had already heard that Zhong Yan was proficient in Confucian classics, especially the Book of Changes. He invited Zhong Yan to assist Qi in presiding over the academic affairs of Yingtianfu School. Zhong Yan readily accepted the order and recommended another young friend, Fu Bi, to Yan Shu.
In order to facilitate work, Fan Zhongyan moved to the school. He formulated a work and rest schedule and taught students to study on time. At night, he often went deep into the dormitory to check and punish those who took time off to sleep. Whenever he writes essays on life questions, he must write an essay first to grasp the difficulty of the questions and the key points of writing, so that students can quickly improve their writing skills.
The academic style of Yingtianfu Academy soon took on a new look. People from all over the world come to study and study with Fan Zhongyan. Fan Zhongyan warmly received these scholars who came from afar and tirelessly taught them books. Sometimes, he used his meager salary to entertain them, causing his family to be in dire straits. Once, Sun Xiucai, who was traveling to study and beg, came to pay homage to Duke Fan. Fan Zhongyan immediately gave him a thousand pence. A year later, Sun Xiucai came to visit Mr. Fan again. While giving him money, Fan Zhongyan asked him why he was rushing to ask for money instead of sitting down and studying quietly. Sun Xiucai said sadly, "I have an old mother at home and it is difficult to support me. If I have a fixed income of one hundred yuan a day, it will be enough."
Fan Zhongyan said to him: "Listen to your tone, you don't look like a beggar. . Let me help you find a job in this school, so that you can earn three thousand yuan a month to support the elderly. In this way, can you study with peace of mind?" Sun Xiucai was overjoyed and accepted his orders. From then on, he studied "Spring and Autumn" with Fan Zhongyan. 》. The next year, Fan Zhongyan left Nanjing: Sun Xiucai also resigned from his post.
Ten years later, it was said that a highly respected scholar gathered students in Mount Tai and taught "Spring and Autumn". His surname was Sun Mingfu. Even the famous Mr. Shi Jie from Shandong Province also studied under him. This scholar was the Sun Xiucai back then. Fan Zhongyan said with emotion: "Poverty is really a terrible disaster. If Sun Fu had been begging until he was old, wouldn't this outstanding talent have been lost?"
In addition to Sun Fu, Fan Zhongyan also contacted and helped Many famous scholars. Such as Hu Ai, Li Gou, Zhang Zai, Shi Jie, etc. Either invite them to take charge of academic affairs in their own administrative circles, or recommend them to serve as academic officials in the imperial court, or guide them on the path of academic study. From Hailing to Gaoyou, from Suzhou to Fenzhou (today's Binxian County, Shaanxi Province), wherever Fan Zhongyan went, he always first set up schools and hired teachers and cared about education. Later, when he became prime minister, he ordered all prefectures and counties to run schools. Many people who have been taught and influenced by him have often achieved success.
3. Several ups and downs but perseverance
In the sixth year of Tiansheng (1028), Fan Zhongyan’s mourning ended. After Yan Shu's recommendation, he was promoted to the Collector of the Secret Pavilion - responsible for the collation and arrangement of royal books and classics. The secret pavilion is located in the Chongwen Hall of the Capital Palace. The position of director of the secret pavilion actually belonged to the emperor's literary attendant. Here, not only can you often see the emperor, but you can also hear many court secrets. To ordinary Song Dynasty bureaucrats, this was a rare shortcut to success.
Once Fan Zhongyan learned some of the inside stories of the imperial court, he boldly intervened in the dangerous political struggle. He discovered that Emperor Renzong was already twenty years old, but all major military and political affairs in the court were handled by the sixty-year-old Empress Dowager Liu. Moreover, he heard that on the winter solstice this year, the Empress Dowager wanted Renzong to go to the front with hundreds of officials. The palace kowtowed to her to celebrate her birthday. Fan Zhongyan believed that family etiquette and national etiquette should not be confused, and things that harmed the dignity of the monarch should be stopped. He wrote a chapter to criticize this plan.
Fan Zhongyan's memorial made Yan Shu panic. He hurriedly called Fan Zhongyan and blamed him for being so frivolous. Aren't he afraid of injuring the leader? Fan Zhongyan always respected Yan Shu, but this time he refused to give in and protested with a stern face: "Just because I received your recommendation, I was often afraid that I would not be able to fulfill my duties and make you embarrass me. Unexpectedly, today I was convicted for my upright comments. You." Yan Shu was speechless. After returning home, Fan Zhongyan wrote to Yan Shu, explaining in detail, and simply asked Empress Dowager Liu to withdraw from power and return the power to Renzong.
The imperial court did not respond silently, but issued an edict to demote Fan Zhongyan to live in Beijing and transfer him to Hezhong Prefecture (today's Yongji County in southwestern Shanxi Province) as deputy chief - a colleague of Tongmi Pavilion sent him. When they arrived outside the city, everyone toasted with wine and said, "Fan Jun's trip is extremely glorious! " Three years later, Empress Dowager Liu died. Renzong recalled Fan Zhongbi to the capital and appointed You Sijian, an official who specializes in commenting on court affairs. With the status of an official, he was even more fearless in writing letters and speaking out.
In the second year of Ming Dynasty (1033), there was a severe drought and locust plague in Jingdong and Jianghuai areas. In order to calm the people, Fan Zhongyan petitioned Renzong to send people to rescue the disaster immediately. Renzong ignored it, and he asked Renzong: "What should your majesty do if there is no food in the palace for half a day?" Renzong was shocked and realized that he asked Fan Zhongyan to go to deal with the disaster. When he returned, he brought back a few handfuls of weeds for the victims to eat and gave them to Renzong and Houyuan Palace. .
The prime minister at this time, Lu Yitong, had made his fortune by trying to please Empress Dowager Liu. As soon as the Empress Dowager died, he quickly spoke ill of the Empress Dowager. This cunning behavior was once exposed by Empress Guo of Renzong, and his position as prime minister was also broken. He was deposed, but Yi Jian's relationship in the court was still deep-rooted. Soon, he regained power through his chamberlain Yan Wenying and others, and colluded with Yan Wenying to use Renzong's family disputes to depose Empress Guo. , Shangmei Renqing, the young emperor finally decided to abolish the imperial edict, and based on Lu Yijian's premeditation, he explicitly prohibited all officials from participating in the matter.
Fan Zhongyan understood that there was a profound and complicated hidden behind this palace household dispute. He and Kong Daofu, the imperial censor in charge of the inspection, went to the palace to ask for an interview. They appealed for a long time, but no one paid attention: the door of the palace was slammed shut.
Fan Zhongyan and others held copper rings in their hands, knocked on the golden door, and shouted through the door: "The Queen has been deposed, why didn't you listen to the advice from the stage!" Seeing that it was to no avail, everyone decided on a plan by the steel tiger, preparing to go to court tomorrow morning. He left all the officials behind and debated with Prime Minister Lu in public.
In the early morning of the next day, his wife Li held Fan Zhongyan's clothes and repeatedly warned him not to cause trouble. But he went out without looking back. As soon as he arrived at Dailu Courtyard and waited to go to court, he suddenly heard the imperial edict and demoted him to go far away from the Yangtze River to become the magistrate of Muzhou (near today's Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province). Then, the court sent people to his home again, urging him to escort him out of Beijing immediately. Kong Daofu and others were either demoted or punished, and no one was spared.
There were not many people going to the outskirts of the city to see him off this time, but there were still people who raised their glasses with wine and said in praise: "Fan Jun has become more and more glorious during this trip!" On the way to Zhejiang after leaving the post of admonishment, Fan Zhongyan was deeply moved. No regrets, just a slight sense of injustice: "If you respect your father, you must respect your mother. If you respect your father, you must respect your mother. To rectify the country, you must rectify the family. If you change your mind with one heart, your ten mouths will go to the end of the world!" Some people laughed at him like the unfortunate Qu Yuan, but he thought that he was more like Meng Ke: "Five points." "When he went outside the river, people smiled like a poet" and "Ke's ideas were profound and broad, and he was leisurely and light"!
A few years later, he moved from Muzhou to Suzhou. Because of his merits in flood control, he was transferred back to Suzhou. The capital, and obtained the honorary title of Tianzhang Pavilion to be made, and became the prefect of Kaifeng. Kong Daofu and others who had been demoted together also returned to the court. Fan Zhongyan vigorously reorganized the bureaucracy in the capital, eliminated bad governance, and arranged work in an orderly manner. In just a few months, the Kaifeng Mansion, known as a complex drama, was "awe-inspiring".
Fan Zhongyan saw that Prime Minister Lu Yijian had opened the back door, abused his private life, and made the government extremely corrupt. Based on the investigation, Fan Zhongyan drew a "map of hundreds of officials" and presented it to Renzong in the third year of Jingyou (1036). He pointed to the promotions of officials listed in the picture and made sharp criticism of the prime minister's employment system. Not to be outdone, Lu Yijian ridiculed Fan Zhongyan for being pedantic. Fan Zhongyan wrote four chapters in a row, criticizing the cunning of Lu Yijian. Lv Yijian even falsely accused Fan Zhongyan of colluding with cronies and alienating the emperor and his ministers.
Many people can clearly see the merits of the dispute between Fan and Lu. However, Lu Yijian was scheming and good at taking advantage of the monarch's power and finally won. Renzong was twenty-seven years old and had no heirs. It is said that Fan Zhongyan was once concerned about the issue of Renzong's successor, and perhaps talked about establishing some kind of emperor's younger brother or nephew. Although this incident was out of the sincerity and loyalty of the prosperous Song Dynasty, it inevitably damaged Renzong's self-esteem. In addition to Lu Yijian's slander, Fan Zhongyan was deprived of his official title and demoted to Raozhou magistrate. Later, he was almost demoted to Lingnan.
In order to cater to the prime minister's wishes, Taiwan official Han Du asked Fan Zhongyan to write a list of names of his comrades and hang them in the court. Yu Jing, Yin Zhu, Ouyang Xiu and others were also exiled to remote places because they complained on behalf of Fan Zhongyan. From then on, the upright ministers in the DPRK lost their power and the upright people were speechless.
There are only a few relatives and friends who went to see Fan Zhongyan outside the capital this time. But the upright Wang Zhi took care of his illness and came with wine, and praised "Fan Jun's trip is particularly glorious!" Fan Zhongyan, who had been ups and downs, laughed and said: "Zhongyan has been three times before and after. I will send you again next time." I, please prepare a whole sheep as a sacrifice!" The next day, someone warned Wang Zhi that every word and action he sent to Fan Zhongyan yesterday were recorded by the monitors, and he would be examined as a Fan Party member. When Wang Zhi heard this, he showed no fear and was proud of it.
Raozhou is located on the bank of Duyang Lake. To get here by water from Kaifeng, you have to pass through at least a dozen states. Except for Yangzhou, no one went out to receive Fan Zhongyan along the way, and Fan Zhongyan didn't mind this. He was used to being demoted from the capital to a local official. He twirled his gray mustache and recited a poem in the official residence of Raozhou: "Three times I left Qingcheng, my temples were as silky, and I passed the master of Shanting in the studio." ”