During Emperor Gaozongs reign

It is not known when Fàn Lübing was born. Fàn passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class and served as Hucao Canjun(戶曹參軍) under Li Xian, Prince of Zhou son of Emperor Gaozong. During Emperor Gaozong's Shangyuan era (674–676), Fàn and several colleagues also known for literary talent—Liu Yizhi, Yuan Wanqing (元萬頃), Miao Chuke (苗楚客), Zhou Simao (周思茂), and Han Chubin (韓楚賓)—were asked to serve as advisors to Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), and they wrote a number of works on her behalf, including the Biographies of Notable Women (列女傳), Guidelines for Imperial Subjects (臣軌), and New Teachings for Official Staff Members (百僚新誡). Collectively, they became known as the "North Gate Scholars" (北門學士), because they served inside the palace, which was to the north of the imperial government buildings, and Empress Wu sought advice from them to divert the powers of the chancellors.

During Emperor Ruizongs first reign

Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was succeeded by his son Li Zhe (i.e. Li Xian, Prince of Zhou) the Crown Prince (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Empress Wu retained actual power as empress dowager and regent. In 684, after he showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his younger brother Li Dan the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but thereafter wielded power even more firmly. During her regency over Emperor Ruizong, Fàn Lübing served successively as Luantai Shilang (鸞臺侍郎)—the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (鸞臺, Luantai)—and deputy minister of civil service affairs (春官侍郎, Chunguan Shilang). As of 689, he was serving as the minister of civil service affairs (春官尚書, Chunguan Shangshu), when he was given the designation of Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. He was also in charge of editing the imperial history. In 690, however, he was accused of having recommended as an official someone who later committed treason, and Empress Dowager Wu ordered him arrested and executed.

Descendants

Fàn had three sons, each of whom passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class.

• Fàn Dongfen (范冬芬), also known as the ancestor of "the Fàns of Huizhou". His grandson Fàn Ping (范平) was the ancestor of another branch called "the Fàns of Jiangxi"

• Fàn Dongqian (范冬倩)

• Fàn Dongchang (范冬昌)

Fàn also had a 6th-generation grandson named Fàn Sui (范隋) who would serve as county magistrate of Lishui during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. Fàn Sui was better known as the 5th-generation ancestor of Fàn Zhongyan.

Notes and references

• New Book of Tang, vol. 201.https://web.archive.org/web/20080209133431/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/ntan22.htm

• Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 204.

生平

范履冰中進士，在周王李顯府任戶曹參軍，後來奉召入朝為官二十餘年。唐高宗上元年間（674年—676年），范履冰作為左史，和同樣以文才出名的給事中劉懿之、左史、弘文館直學士劉禕之、著作郎元萬頃、左史苗神客（或作苗楚客）、右史周思茂、右史韓楚賓、衛敬業等被任命為武后（即武則天）的顧問，為她撰寫《列女傳》、《臣軌》、《百僚新誡》等九千餘篇。范履冰等人在北門的內廷供職，被稱為「北門學士」，武后為了分宰相的權，也諮詢他們的意見。《字海》一百卷等武后所著的書，其實都是元萬頃、范履冰、苗神客、周思茂、胡楚賓、衛敬業等所撰。其中以范履冰和周思茂在宮中最受親遇，多參與政事。

新都尉盧照鄰因病辭官客居東龍門山，范履冰與太子舍人裴瑾之、韋方質、水部員外郎獨孤思莊、少府丞舍人內供奉閻知微、符璽郎喬侃等寫信問其疾病，並時時供其衣服財帛和藥物。

弘道元年（683年），唐高宗駕崩，太子李哲（即周王李顯）繼位，即唐中宗，實權掌握在攝政太后武后手中。嗣聖元年（684年）二月，武后廢黜了意圖獨立行權的中宗，改立皇弟豫王李旦為唐睿宗，進一步掌控了政權。垂拱元年（685年）七月，時任鳳閣舍人的元萬頃和范履冰等議請郊丘諸祠時增加唐高宗與唐高祖、唐太宗並列為三祖配享，獲准。垂拱年間武后攝政，范履冰歷任鸞臺侍郎、天官侍郎，不久遷春官尚書，永昌元年（689年）十月又被授同鳳閣鸞臺平章事，為實質宰相，兼修國史。但在載初元年（690年），他因所舉薦的官員謀反遭到彈劾，被武后逮捕下獄，于五月戊子遭酷吏處決。

子孫

范履冰有三個兒子，都中了進士。

• 范冬芬

• 范冬倩

• 范冬昌

范履冰的六世孫范隋在唐懿宗年間曾任浙江麗水縣丞。

注釋及參考文獻