Fan Zeng (范增) | 24 Histories

Overview

Fan Zeng was a Chu general serving under King Huai.

PeriodQin and Han

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

c. BC 208 to c. BC 204 Xiang Yu at Xianyang
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 48, passage 14
BC 209 to BC 204 楚漢之際
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 163
BC 209 to BC 204 范增
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 58, passage 119
BC 209 to BC 204 項羽與范增時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 93, passage 58

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Rear Commander
Directly stated · Book of Han 1, passage 148

Places and affiliations

Polity Chu 楚 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 163
Polity Chu 項氏 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 58, passage 119

Events and relationships

Han spent gold to estrange him from Xiang Yu
Political intrigue · With Xiang Yu (項羽) · Mode quoted-memorial Source Person Id He Wu (何武)
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 60
Invoked as unused advisor parallel
Allusion · Exemplar · With Zu Ting (祖珽)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 163-164, 168
Joined Xiang Yu in planning Liu Bang's removal to Hanzhong
Political · Advisor · With Xiang Yu (項羽)
Directly stated · Book of Han 48, passage 14
Relation Adviser to · Person Xiang Yu (項羽)
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 58

Assessments and attributes

Assessment a worthy unused, causing Xiang's ruin · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Li Qi (李琪)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 58, passage 119

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 163

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 39Volume 39 Biographies 31: Cui Jishu; Zu Ting · 3 passages

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珽又曰：「陛下有一范增不能用，知可如何？」 Ting also said, "Your Majesty has a Fan Zeng you will not use—what does that tell you?"

帝又怒曰：「爾自作范增，以我為項羽邪！」 The emperor raged again. "You make yourself Fan Zeng and call me Xiang Yu!"

臣何止方於范增，縱張良亦不能及。 I am not merely Fan Zeng's equal—even Zhang Liang falls short of me.

Book of Han, Chapter 1Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 · 9 passages

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趙數請救，懷王乃以宋義為上將，項羽為次將，范增為末將，北救趙。 Zhao repeatedly requested rescue, so King Huai appointed Song Yi as supreme commander, Xiang Yu as deputy commander, and Fan Zeng as rear commander, to go north and rescue Zhao.

亞父范增說羽曰：「沛公居山東時，貪財好色，今聞其入關，珍物無所取，婦女無所幸，此其志不小。 Fan Zeng, the Second Father, advised Xiang Yu: "When Pei Gong was east of the mountains, he was greedy for wealth and fond of women. Now we hear that after entering the passes, he has taken no precious objects and favored no women. His ambitions are not small.

范增數目羽擊沛公，羽不應。 Fan Zeng repeatedly signaled Xiang Yu to attack Pei Gong, but Xiang Yu did not respond.

范增起，出謂項莊曰：「 Fan Zeng rose, went out, and told Xiang Zhuang, “

又獻玉斗范增。 He also presented a jade goblet to Fan Zeng.

增怒，撞其斗，起曰：「吾屬今為沛公虜矣！」 Fan Zeng was angry and smashed his goblet. He rose and said: "We and our clans will soon be Pei Gong's captives!"

亞父勸項羽急攻滎陽，漢王患之。 Prime Minister Fan advised Xiang Yu to urgently attack Xingyang. King Han was troubled by this.

陳平反間既行，羽果疑亞父。 Chen Ping's reverse espionage having succeeded, Xiang Yu indeed suspected Prime Minister Fan.

亞父大怒而去，發病死。 Prime Minister Fan was greatly angered and left. He fell ill and died.

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 1 passage

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項羽有一范增而不能用，此所以為我禽也。」 Xiang Yu had one Fan Zeng but could not employ him. This is why he was captured by me."

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 1 passage

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羽遂屠燒咸陽，與范增謀曰：「巴蜀道險，秦之遷民皆居蜀。」 Xiang Yu then sacked and torched Xianyang. With Fan Zeng he reasoned, “The routes into Ba and Shu are treacherous, and Qin’s exiles have been settled in Shu.”

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 2 passages

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忠臣，社稷之衛，魯以季友治亂，楚以子玉輕重，魏以無忌折衝，項以范增存亡。 Loyal ministers are what defend the altars of state: Lu rose or fell with Jiyou, Chu with Ziyu, Wei with Lord Xinling, and Xiang Yu with Fan Zeng.

百萬之眾，不如一賢，故秦行千金以間廉頗，漢散萬金以疏亞父。 A million soldiers count for less than one wise counselor—hence Qin spent a thousand in gold to drive a wedge beside Lian Po, and Han poured out ten thousand to estrange Fan Zeng from his lord.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 58Volume 58 Book of Later Tang 34: Biographies 10: Zhao Guangfeng, Zheng Jue, Cui Xie, Li Qi, Xiao Qing · 1 passage

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賦尾云：「得士則昌，非賢罔共，龍頭之友斯貴，鼎足之臣可重，宜哉項氏之敗亡，一范增而不能用。」 The closing lines read: "Win men and the state flourishes; without the worthy none may govern together. A friend at the dragon's head is precious; ministers who form a tripod are weighty. Small wonder the house of Xiang fell—one Fan Zeng, and still he could not use him."