Fan Zhongyan

Fan Zhongyan (范仲淹)
a block print portrait from Sancai Tuhui (1609)
Chancellor of Song Dynasty
Monarch	Emperor Renzong
Personal details
Born	(989-09-05)September 5, 989 Wu, Sū Prefecture, Song Dynasty
Died	June 19, 1052(1052-06-19) Xú Prefecture, Song Dynasty
Resting place	in modern Yichuan County, Henan, China 34°29′32″N 112°32′53″E / 34.49222°N 112.54806°E / 34.49222; 112.54806
Spouse(s)	Lady Li (李) Lady Zhang (張)
Children	Fan Chunyou (范純祐), son Fan Chunren (范純仁), son Fan Chunli (范純禮), son Fan Chuncui (范純粹), son 3 daughters
Mother	Lady Xie (謝)
Father	Fan Yong (范墉)
Posthumous name	Duke of Wénzhèng () and Duke of Chu ()

Fan Zhongyan (Chinese 范仲淹) (5 September 989 – 19 June 1052) from Wu County 吳縣 of Suzhou 蘇州 (Jiangsu Province, China), courtesy name Xiwen 希文, ratified as the Duke of Wenzheng 文正公 posthumously, and conferred as Duke of Chu 楚國公 posthumously, is one of the most prominent figures in the history of China, as a founder of Neo-Confucianism, and a great statesman, philosopher, writer, educator, military strategist, and philanthropist. Fan lived almost 1,000 years ago during the Song Dynasty, when China was at the peak of its economic, social, and cultural development, with the world’s largest economy and biggest population at the time. Fan rose to a seat of Chancellor over the entire Chinese empire, after serving the central government of China for some years. Fan’s legacy is so powerful that it has exerted profound and indelible impact on the Chinese civilization and changed the course of the Chinese history, and his philosophies and advocacy have become a core and significant component of the Chinese culture. While Fan spent most of his time governing China, his teachings, including "Be the first to bear the world's hardship, and the last to enjoy its comfort" (先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂), have been inspiring Chinese people for a thousand years. Fan is considered a Saint in China by some people, after the other two Saints Confucius and Mencius from almost 2,500 years ago.

Fan Zhongyan is a descendant of Emperor Yao (帝堯). Emperor Yao is a 5th generation descendant of Emperor Huang (or Yellow Emperor，黃帝), and the second son of Emperor Ku (帝嚳). Often extolled as the morally perfect and intelligent sage-emperor, Emperor Yao became the founding father of the “Power Bestowing System” (禪讓制), by abdicating his throne and bestowing the Emperor-hood to Sun (舜) instead of his own children to make Sun the Emperor Shun (帝舜), an act appraised by Confucianism as “Power Bestowing” for several thousand years. Emperor Yao's benevolence and diligence served as a model to future Chinese monarchs and emperors.