
Fan Zhongyan
Fan Zhongyan (989-1052) was from Wu County (吳縣, present-day Suzhou City [蘇州] in Jiangsu Province [江蘇省]). Known by his courtesy name Xiwen (希文) and ratified as the Duke of Wenzheng (文正) posthumously, Fan was a politician, writer, military strategist, and educator in the Northern Song dynasty (北宋).

The Diverse Culture of Yuan
The Yuan dynasty refers to the period when China was ruled by the Mongol Empire. As nomadic tribes, the Mongol rulers were free-spirited and embracing, contributing to the free development of diverse cultures. During its expansion, the empire embraced cultures of various ethnic groups, making the Yuan dynasty a state with splendid culture.

The Development of Confucianism in the Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan dynasty was founded by the nomadic Mongols who adopted many Han (漢) customs after taking the Central Plains. Chinese culture was long dominated by Confucianism. Many Khans, from Genghis Khan to Emperor Renzong (仁宗) of Yuan, learned about Han culture through translation.

范氏義莊如何成就儒學實踐?
儒學是闡釋、研究儒家思想的學術,表現的形式多着重於論述著作方面,往往卻忽略了德行的實踐。為了實踐儒學的德行,范仲淹創辦「范氏義莊」,承載了他救濟底層貧苦人民、齊家治國的社會理想。

范仲淹為何重視改革科舉?
范仲淹在任職應天府學時曾上書給朝廷宰執,指出要使國家有可用之材,必須辦學校來培養,而選取所培養的士人,在於謹慎選舉。對於科舉考試,范仲淹力圖改革長期以來存在的弊病,求得人才,振興學風士氣。