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Fan Ye

398 – 445

5th century Chinese historian

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About Fan Ye

Lived 398 – 445 (aged 46–47). Fan Ye was a Chinese historian and politician.

Fan Ye (398 – 23 January 446 ), courtesy name Weizong , was a Chinese historian, philosopher, and politician of the Liu Song dynasty during the Southern and Northern dynasties period. He was the compiler of the historical text Book of the Later Han, which he compiled during his tenure as Administrator of Xuancheng (宣城太守). The fourth son of Fan Tai , Fan Ye was born in present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang, but his ancestral home was in Nanyang, Henan. After his birth, he was made heir of his father's cousin Fan Hongzhi .

He was a noted atheist who heavily criticised Buddhism, Yin and Yang, and the concept of the Mandate of Heaven. To this end, he cited Zhang Heng's scientific studies as evidence.

In January 446, Fan Ye was accused of rebellion and executed, along with many associates including his son Fan Ai .

Appearance and personality The Book of Song described Fan as "less than seven chi in height, fat and dark in complexion, with no eyebrows or beard".

When Fan Ye was young, his elder brother Fan Yan (范晏) frequently mentioned that Fan Ye was drawn towards advancing his interests and that this habit would bring disaster to their clan, which was what eventually happened.

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Important facts

Born
398, Jin dynasty
Birth century
Died
445
Nationality

People in Fan Ye's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Fan Ye's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Fan Ye?

5th century Chinese historian

When was Fan Ye born?

Fan Ye was born in 398 in Jin dynasty.

When did Fan Ye die?

Fan Ye died in 445.

What was Fan Ye's occupation?

Fan Ye was a historian and politician.

What nationality was Fan Ye?

Fan Ye was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Fan Ye

· Wikidata: Q740373

· DBpedia: Fan Ye (historian)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Fan Ye. https://biography.guide/fan-ye/

MLA: "Fan Ye." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/fan-ye/.

Chicago: "Fan Ye." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/fan-ye/.

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