sparhawk
January 6th, 2008, 05:44 PM
Later Han History
Fan Ying
Fan Ying, styled Chi-ch'i, was a native of Lu-yang in Nan-yang. As a youth, he was educated through the offices of the capital districts where he became skilled in the Book of Changes: Commentary of Ching Fang and thoroughly versed in the Five Classics. He was also adept in Wind Angles, Stellar Calculations, Yellow River Charts and Lo River Scripts, the Seven Apocrypha, and inductive interpretations of disasters and anomalies. He went into reclusion on the south face of Mount Hu, where students came to see him from every direction. Officials of all levels lined up, one behind another, to pay respects, beg instruction, and enlist his services. Ying however, would never accept their offers. though the highest lords accorded him the rank of Sage and Upright and the rank of Master of the Way, he still would not go to them.
Once a stormy wind blew up from the west and Ying told his disciples, "A fire in the city of Ch'eng-tu is raging fiercely." So he took a mouthful of water and spit it out toward the west, making a note of the day ad time. Later a traveler arrived from the Shu capital [Ch'eng-tu] and reported, "on that day, there was indeed a great blaze. But unexpectedly, heavy clouds arose from the east, and in no time there was a downpouring of rain so great that the fire was quickly put out." After this event, the entire empire spoke of Ying's esoteric skills.
At the beginning of Emperor An's reign [107], Ying was called t court as an Erudite. At the opening of the Chien-kuang period [121], another summons was issued. This time an official courier presented the actual document, all in an effort to draft the services of Fan Ying and five others--K'ung Ch'iao and Li Ping from the same commandery; Lang Tsung from Pei-hai; Yang Lun from Ch'en-liu; and Wang Fu of Tung-p'ing. Only Lang Tsung and Yang Lun were willing to travel to Lo-yang. Ying and the other three did not go.
In the second year of Yung-chien period [127], Emperor Shun issued an order to pay Ying the greatest respects, to increase vastly the rewards offered to him, and to bring i into imperial service. But again Ying refused, claiming that an illness he had was worsening. The emperor then issued a severe reprimand for the entire prefecture and commandery and dispatched carriages to bring Ying back by force. Ying could not resist, but when he arrived at the capital, he claimed illness and would not get up. He was forcibly carried into the palace, but even then refused to pay his respects to the emperor. Emperor Shun raged at Ying, "I can keep you alive or kill you! I can make you a noble or make you a commoner! I can make you wealthy or make you impoverished! How dare you evade my orders?"
Ying made the following reply:
Your servant received his lot from Heaven. If I live to complete a full measure of life, it is heaven's doing. If I die before then, it is also heaven's doing. In what way can Your Majesty keep me alive or kill me? In my eyes, a tyrannical lord is no different from and adversary. If I stand in his court against my will, how does this make me noble? I come from the ranks of plain cotton dress and live under the shelter of an old wall. The tranquility and satisfaction of my life is something I would not exchange for the prestigious rank of a lord of ten thousand chariots. Having this satisfaction, can one be base? If it were not appropriate, even if you offered me a salary of ten thousand bushels, I would not accept. If will is free to extend where it may, I do not at all resent subsisting on the poorest meal. So how can Your Majesty make wealthy? How can you make poor?
Unable to bend Ying's will, the emperor was obliged to pay him the respects his reputation demanded, So he sent Ying to his grand physician to regain his health and had a monthly stipend of wine and meat sent to him.
In the third month of the fourth year [129], the emperor went so far as to have a seat of honor made for Ying. He then went personally, in a procession led by the prefect of imperial carriages, to see him. The emperor approached, and, with the assistance of the secretary of the letters, made the ritual presentation of a cane and a stool to venerate an elder. Thus honoring Ying with the ceremony due a teacher, the emperor ventured to as of future successes and failures. Ying could no longer avoid service and was appointed leader of the gentlemen of the household. However, Ying soon claimed that his illness was worsening. In response the emperor made him imperial household grandee and granted him permission to return home. Each year to the people of his prefecture Ying presented one thousand bushels of grain, and in the eight month he gave them an ox and three kegs of wine. Should Ying die from some misfortune, the emperor would sacrifice calves and lambs on his behalf. Still Ying resigned and refused to accept the offer of a higher post; the emperor issued an edict refusing the resignation.
At Ying's first call to service by imperial edict, everyone assumed that he would refuse it, since he wuld have to abandon his desire to live in reclusion. On the later occasion, when he did respond to the emperor;s call, he apparently had no particular marvelous plans or profound strategies. Those who discussed this simply took it to mean Ying had lost his original vision. Chang K'ai of Ho-nan was called at the same time as Ying on an earlier occasion, and said to him:
"There are two paths one may take in life, either come forth and serve the emperor or retire and stay a recluse." Originally, I thought that your willingness to come forth was because you hope to serve this lord and give succor to the people. But early on you enraged our lord who rules over ten thousand chariots, claiming you yourself had remained beyond taint. You too came to enjoy the privileges and gains of high office, and still we have not heard of any secret arts by which you might provide effective aid to the empire. It is as if what you choose to do and what you choose not to do are without any basis.
Still, Ying was in fact skilled in the esoteric arts. Whenever the court experienced a disaster or an anomaly and the edict came down asking for suggestions on what might effect the corrective changes, Ying's explanations most frequently proved to be accurate.
Early in life, Ying wrote "Comments on the Changes", which were popularly called the "Theories of Mr. Fan." His instructions were based on charts and apocrypha.
Ch'en Shih of Ying-ch'uan as a youth studied with Ying. Once when Ying was ill, Ying's wife had her personal maidservant enter and make a courtesy call. Ying climbed out of his sickbed and ceremoniously greeted the maid. Shih thought this was very strange and asked for an explanation. Ying explained, "The word for 'wife' is a homonym for the word 'together.' In the ritual sacrifices the husband and wife are brought together. I would be a breach of rites not to greet my wife's servant in this way." This example s typical of Ying's meticulous observance of the rites.
At the age of seventy, he died in his home. During the reign of Emperor Ling [168-188], Ying's grandson Ling was called to serve the court eunuchs as minister of rites. Hsi Hsün of Ch'en commandery studied and transmitted Ying's techniques. Hsün himself reached the post of palace attendant.
Doctors, Diviners, and Magicians of Ancient China: Biographies of Fang-shih
Translated by
Kenneth J. DeWoskin
1983
Fan Ying
Fan Ying, styled Chi-ch'i, was a native of Lu-yang in Nan-yang. As a youth, he was educated through the offices of the capital districts where he became skilled in the Book of Changes: Commentary of Ching Fang and thoroughly versed in the Five Classics. He was also adept in Wind Angles, Stellar Calculations, Yellow River Charts and Lo River Scripts, the Seven Apocrypha, and inductive interpretations of disasters and anomalies. He went into reclusion on the south face of Mount Hu, where students came to see him from every direction. Officials of all levels lined up, one behind another, to pay respects, beg instruction, and enlist his services. Ying however, would never accept their offers. though the highest lords accorded him the rank of Sage and Upright and the rank of Master of the Way, he still would not go to them.
Once a stormy wind blew up from the west and Ying told his disciples, "A fire in the city of Ch'eng-tu is raging fiercely." So he took a mouthful of water and spit it out toward the west, making a note of the day ad time. Later a traveler arrived from the Shu capital [Ch'eng-tu] and reported, "on that day, there was indeed a great blaze. But unexpectedly, heavy clouds arose from the east, and in no time there was a downpouring of rain so great that the fire was quickly put out." After this event, the entire empire spoke of Ying's esoteric skills.
At the beginning of Emperor An's reign [107], Ying was called t court as an Erudite. At the opening of the Chien-kuang period [121], another summons was issued. This time an official courier presented the actual document, all in an effort to draft the services of Fan Ying and five others--K'ung Ch'iao and Li Ping from the same commandery; Lang Tsung from Pei-hai; Yang Lun from Ch'en-liu; and Wang Fu of Tung-p'ing. Only Lang Tsung and Yang Lun were willing to travel to Lo-yang. Ying and the other three did not go.
In the second year of Yung-chien period [127], Emperor Shun issued an order to pay Ying the greatest respects, to increase vastly the rewards offered to him, and to bring i into imperial service. But again Ying refused, claiming that an illness he had was worsening. The emperor then issued a severe reprimand for the entire prefecture and commandery and dispatched carriages to bring Ying back by force. Ying could not resist, but when he arrived at the capital, he claimed illness and would not get up. He was forcibly carried into the palace, but even then refused to pay his respects to the emperor. Emperor Shun raged at Ying, "I can keep you alive or kill you! I can make you a noble or make you a commoner! I can make you wealthy or make you impoverished! How dare you evade my orders?"
Ying made the following reply:
Your servant received his lot from Heaven. If I live to complete a full measure of life, it is heaven's doing. If I die before then, it is also heaven's doing. In what way can Your Majesty keep me alive or kill me? In my eyes, a tyrannical lord is no different from and adversary. If I stand in his court against my will, how does this make me noble? I come from the ranks of plain cotton dress and live under the shelter of an old wall. The tranquility and satisfaction of my life is something I would not exchange for the prestigious rank of a lord of ten thousand chariots. Having this satisfaction, can one be base? If it were not appropriate, even if you offered me a salary of ten thousand bushels, I would not accept. If will is free to extend where it may, I do not at all resent subsisting on the poorest meal. So how can Your Majesty make wealthy? How can you make poor?
Unable to bend Ying's will, the emperor was obliged to pay him the respects his reputation demanded, So he sent Ying to his grand physician to regain his health and had a monthly stipend of wine and meat sent to him.
In the third month of the fourth year [129], the emperor went so far as to have a seat of honor made for Ying. He then went personally, in a procession led by the prefect of imperial carriages, to see him. The emperor approached, and, with the assistance of the secretary of the letters, made the ritual presentation of a cane and a stool to venerate an elder. Thus honoring Ying with the ceremony due a teacher, the emperor ventured to as of future successes and failures. Ying could no longer avoid service and was appointed leader of the gentlemen of the household. However, Ying soon claimed that his illness was worsening. In response the emperor made him imperial household grandee and granted him permission to return home. Each year to the people of his prefecture Ying presented one thousand bushels of grain, and in the eight month he gave them an ox and three kegs of wine. Should Ying die from some misfortune, the emperor would sacrifice calves and lambs on his behalf. Still Ying resigned and refused to accept the offer of a higher post; the emperor issued an edict refusing the resignation.
At Ying's first call to service by imperial edict, everyone assumed that he would refuse it, since he wuld have to abandon his desire to live in reclusion. On the later occasion, when he did respond to the emperor;s call, he apparently had no particular marvelous plans or profound strategies. Those who discussed this simply took it to mean Ying had lost his original vision. Chang K'ai of Ho-nan was called at the same time as Ying on an earlier occasion, and said to him:
"There are two paths one may take in life, either come forth and serve the emperor or retire and stay a recluse." Originally, I thought that your willingness to come forth was because you hope to serve this lord and give succor to the people. But early on you enraged our lord who rules over ten thousand chariots, claiming you yourself had remained beyond taint. You too came to enjoy the privileges and gains of high office, and still we have not heard of any secret arts by which you might provide effective aid to the empire. It is as if what you choose to do and what you choose not to do are without any basis.
Still, Ying was in fact skilled in the esoteric arts. Whenever the court experienced a disaster or an anomaly and the edict came down asking for suggestions on what might effect the corrective changes, Ying's explanations most frequently proved to be accurate.
Early in life, Ying wrote "Comments on the Changes", which were popularly called the "Theories of Mr. Fan." His instructions were based on charts and apocrypha.
Ch'en Shih of Ying-ch'uan as a youth studied with Ying. Once when Ying was ill, Ying's wife had her personal maidservant enter and make a courtesy call. Ying climbed out of his sickbed and ceremoniously greeted the maid. Shih thought this was very strange and asked for an explanation. Ying explained, "The word for 'wife' is a homonym for the word 'together.' In the ritual sacrifices the husband and wife are brought together. I would be a breach of rites not to greet my wife's servant in this way." This example s typical of Ying's meticulous observance of the rites.
At the age of seventy, he died in his home. During the reign of Emperor Ling [168-188], Ying's grandson Ling was called to serve the court eunuchs as minister of rites. Hsi Hsün of Ch'en commandery studied and transmitted Ying's techniques. Hsün himself reached the post of palace attendant.
Doctors, Diviners, and Magicians of Ancient China: Biographies of Fang-shih
Translated by
Kenneth J. DeWoskin
1983