Translation:
Fan Jingren’s name is Fan Zhen, and he is from Huayang, Yizhou. He passed the Jinshi examination when he was young and was good at literature and poetry. People in his hometown regarded him as their teacher. He was approachable and cautious, and he was highly regarded by Xue Jiansu, a former political advisor, and Song Jingwen, a bachelor of Duanming Palace. He was recommended as a top candidate to be a supervisor of the Imperial Academy and an academician of the Gongyuan Academy. According to the old calendar, after the emperor has called out three names in the palace examination, the first person recommended will definitely be recommended by Chen Gongyuan to pray for the emperor's favor. Even if he is at the bottom in the examination selection, the emperor will definitely promote him to the top. Even upright people like Wu Chunqing and Ouyang Yongshu cannot avoid following the herd. Fan Jingren was not like this. People standing on his left and right side urged him to report himself many times, but Fan Jingren did not respond. Everyone admired his quietness and comfort. From then on, scholars regarded self-reporting as a shame, and the old custom became extinct.
He has been the editor for four years and should be promoted to school manager. Prime Minister Pang Gong recommended that he had good talents and virtues and would not be eager to get a high position, so he specially appointed him as the Zhimi Pavilion. Not long after, he took charge of the Kanyuan as a daily living person. Renzong had a generous temperament, and some officials competed to gain fame by exposing and criticizing other people's secrets and faults fiercely and frankly. Some used trivial matters that could not be discussed in detail to frame others because of personal grudges and hatreds. Only Fan Jingren had a general idea, and as long as it was not related to the safety of the court or the interests of the people, he would omit it. When Chen Gonggong was the prime minister, his concubine Zhang killed a slave. The censor impeached and tried to get rid of him, but failed, so the censor framed him. Fan Jingren reported to the court that the purpose of setting up admonishment offices in the imperial court was to get rid of evil and treacherous people. If the facts are as the censor said, then Chen Gonggong can be beheaded; if what you said is not the truth, then the censor can also be beheaded. The censor was very angry, and the emperor impeached Jingren, thinking that he was dependent on the prime minister. Fan Jingren ignored it and tried his best to defend (Chen Gonggong) that this was not the case. This greatly helped the current situation, and knowledgeable people no longer mentioned these things.
Thirty-five years after Renzong took the throne, there is still no successor. In the early years of Jiayou's reign, Renzong suddenly fell ill and did not recognize anyone for more than ten days. All the officials inside and outside the court were panic-stricken, but in order to avoid suspicion, they all relied on each other and dared not speak out. Only Fan Jingren struggled and said: "For the sake of the ancestral family business, Your Majesty should choose a worthy person from the clan as his successor as soon as possible, improve his etiquette, test his political ability, and discuss world affairs with him, so as to stabilize the situation." The hearts of all people in the world." The memorial was submitted many times, but was put on hold without any reply. Fan Jingren then stayed at home and asked to be killed.
After Fan Jingren retired, he still had a garden in the capital, where he enjoyed reading and writing poems. When guests come, no matter how high or low they are, they all wear coarse clothes to receive them and no longer respond to them. Sometimes he would take advantage of his interest to go out for fun, no matter the distance, he would go. He once returned to Shu in a carriage, drank happily with his relatives and friends, helped the poor people there, and visited the scenic spots there. He came back a year later. The older he gets, the more sensitive his vision and hearing become, and his body is especially strong. In the past, if Jingren had violated the right path and catered to the world to seek wealth and honor, he would have suffered humiliation and allowed the country to suffer misfortunes. How could he be happy now? "The Book of Songs" says: "If you have good moral character and are approachable, the gods will definitely bless you." It also says: "A gentleman is so happy. He lives long and lives as long as his eyebrows." Fan Jingren is such a gentleman.
Original text:
Fan Jingren is a famous town and a native of Huayang, Yizhou. Rarely promoted to Jinshi, good at writing and poetry, and a teacher in every field. He was a person who was willing to repair the imperial edict, so he participated in the political affairs of Xue Jiansu Gong and Song Jingwen Gong, a bachelor of Duanming Palace, and they all thought highly of him. He ranked first in the imperial examination and the Gongyuan memorial. The story goes that if the third person who sings in the palace is the first person to sing the name, he must protest and sing in order to pray for favors. Even if he is in the lower class in the examination, the emperor will definitely promote him to the upper class. Wu Chunqing and Ouyang Yongshu were so honest that they could not help but follow the crowd. Jingren alone is not like this, and those who stand on the left, right, and side by side have repeatedly asked themselves to tell themselves, but Jingren should not do it. Everyone admires his peace and tranquility. From then on, I began to feel ashamed of myself, and the old style ended.
For four years of revision, it should be moved to the school. Prime Minister Pang Gong recommended that Jingren was a talented person who was not eager to make progress, so he specially removed the Zhimi Pavilion. Not long after, he came to know Jianyuan as his living room. Renzong was a tolerant and benevolent person, and those who talked about things competed to provoke criticism in order to gain fame, or because of love and hatred, or to defile others with unexplained things. Jingren only quoted the general outline, since it was not related to the safety of the imperial court, but to the benefit of the people, so he did not say anything about it. When Chen Gonggong held the title of prime minister, his concubine Zhang had his maidservant beaten and killed.
Jingren said that the imperial court would set up an admonishment officer to eliminate slander and judge the officials as the censor said. The censor was angry and impeached Jingren as the prime minister. Jingren ignored it and tried his best to find out what was wrong and to save the disadvantages at that time.
Renzong ascended the throne for thirty-five years and had no heirs. Jiahu suddenly fell ill and did not know anyone for ten days. All the officials at home and abroad were heartbroken, and they were afraid to avoid suspicion, and no one dared to speak if they were dependent on each other. Jingren Dufen said: "Your Majesty should plan for the ancestral temple and the country. Select wise men in the ancestral family early, give priority to their etiquette, try them to govern, and plan the affairs of the world, so as to connect the people of the world." Zhang Ti went up and went to bed without reporting. Jingren wanted to be punished for keeping his house closed.
Since Jingren retired, his garden was in the capital, where he amused himself by reading and writing poems. When guests arrive, regardless of their status, they are all dressed in wild clothes and do not repay their thanks. The old friend may have summoned him, but he would not refuse even if he was a powerful person. If you are not summoned, you will not go to see them. If you take advantage of the opportunity to travel, you will go to both near and far. I tried to return to Sichuan in a blue carriage, drank with my relatives and friends, gave aid to the poor, visited the country and the country, and was rewarded even though I was poor. After a period of time, he returns, getting older and wiser in sight and hearing, and his limbs are especially strong. Alas? Jingren, the envoy, wasted his time to gain wealth, suffered humiliation, and suffered hardships. How could he have the happiness he has today? Then Jingren lost very little and gained a lot. The poem goes: A gentleman is a gentleman, and God has worked hard for him. He also said: A gentleman is only happy, but his eyebrows and longevity are not as good as his own. Jingren is there.
(Excerpt from "Collected Works of Wen Guo Gongzheng and Sima", with some deletions)