A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Fan Wên-ch'êng
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
546 Fan Wên-ch'êng 范文程 (T. 憲斗). Died A.D. 1665. A descendant of Fan Chung-yen, who joined the Emperor T'ai Tsu of the present dynasty in 1618, and became his secretary and confidential adviser. In 1632 he urged the invasion of China, and in 1637 he accompanied the army of invasion. On the capture of Peking he induced the Regent to attend before anything else to the proper burial of the last Ming Emperor and his consort. He successfully advocated reforms of government and the speedy restoration of the examination system, measures which won great popularity for the new dynasty. Trusted and consulted by four Emperors, he died loaded with honours. Canonised as 文肅.