背景及效力王建

潘炕出生時間和地點都無載，祖上來自河西地區。潘炕為人有器量，家人不曾看到他喜怒。

武成三年（910年）二月，潘炕在前蜀開國皇帝王建手下任宣徽南院使時，王建之子太子王宗懿和內樞密使唐道襲的衝突公開化，都彈劾對方有罪，王建意圖派唐道襲離開都城成都任山南節度使以化解糾紛，要唐道襲推薦替任者，唐道襲最初提名潘炕的同僚宣徽北院使鄭頊。但鄭頊受到委任的第二天就開始著手調查唐道襲的兄弟們盜用內庫金帛之事。唐道襲驚懼，對王建奏稱鄭頊性格褊急，不可大任。王建聽信了，出鄭頊為果州刺史，任潘炕為內樞密使。

永平元年（911年），王建任潘炕為武泰節度使兼侍中，改任其弟宣徽南院使潘峭為內樞密使。潘炕、潘峭同掌機要，號大樞小樞。

三年（913年），已被召回成都的唐道襲和已改名王元膺的王宗懿之間的舊怨白熱化。七夕節前夕，王元膺召諸王大臣宴飲，王建養子集王王宗翰、潘峭、翰林學士承旨毛文錫沒到場。王元膺發怒了，認為是潘峭和毛文錫讓王宗翰疏遠了自己。次日，他向王建彈劾二人離間兄弟，王建起初信了，下令貶逐二人，再任潘炕為內樞密使。但後來，唐道襲彈劾王元膺謀反，兩人最終兵戎相見，唐道襲被殺，但王建在潘炕勸說下面諭大將，王元膺軍崩潰，王元膺本人也被一士兵所殺。

王元膺死後，十月，潘炕一直請求王建立新太子。王建誤以為幼子鄭王王宗衍得絕大多數官員支持，選立為太子。此事後，潘炕稱朝廷無事，請求退休。王建本不同意，但潘炕哭泣再請，王建同意了。但即使潘炕退休了，王建也常派使者諮詢他重要事務。

王建死後

光天元年（918年），王建崩，王宗衍繼位，隨即改名王衍。儘管其子內皇城使潘在迎成為王衍的知名狎客之一，潘炕卻沒有回歸朝廷，也沒有他繼續介入國政的記載。咸康元年（925年），前蜀被東北鄰國後唐所滅後，潘炕也降後唐，被任為蜀州刺史。大約天成二年（927年），潘炕在夔州刺史任上被罷官。這是史籍對潘炕的最後記載，他的卒年不詳。

軼事

潘炕有一至愛美妾名叫趙解愁，有國色，善為新聲。王建曾來潘炕官邸，對他說：「朕的宮裡沒有她這樣的人。」希望潘炕把她獻給他。潘炕答：「這隻是臣下的賤人，不敢讓她玷污了至尊。」潘峭舉西晉石崇和其寵妾綠珠的例子勸他獻出解愁以免災禍，潘炕說：「人生貴在適意，豈能因為怕死而不隨心所欲？」人們因此敬仰他的操守。然而潘炕也正是因為寵愛解愁而得了花柳病。

評價

• 《十國春秋》論曰：兩潘敏于吏事，頗知大體，洵所謂玉友金昆者也。

注釋及參考文獻

Background and service under Wang Jian

It is not known when or where Pan Kang was born. It was said that his ancestors were originally from the Hexi region. Pan himself was said to be tolerant and mature, with his family members rarely seeing him happy or angry.

As of 910, Pan was serving as one of the directors of palace affairs (宣徽使, Xuanhuishi) under Former Shu's founding emperor Wang Jian. Early that year, after a conflict between Wang Jian's son and crown prince Wang Zongyi and the director of palace communications Tang Daoxi blew up into the open, with both of them accusing each other of crimes, Wang Jian tried to defuse the tension by sending Tang out of the capital Chengdu to serve as the military governor of Shannan Circuit (山南, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi). Wang Jian asked Tang for his recommendation for his replacement, and Tang initially endorsed Pan's colleague (as the other director of palace affairs) Zheng Xu (鄭頊). However, the day after Zheng was commissioned, he began to consider investigating embezzlement by Tang's brothers. Tang, in shock, informed Wang Jian that Zheng was intolerant and violent in disposition, unsuitable for the position. Wang Jian believed him, and so sent Zheng out of the capital to serve as a prefectural prefect, while making Pan the director of palace communications.

In 911, Wang Jian made Pan the military governor of Wutai Circuit (武泰, headquartered in modern Chongqing), while making Pan's younger brother Pan Qiao the new director of palace communications.

By 913, Wang Jian had recalled Tang to the capital, and the old rivalry between Tang and Wang Zongyi (whose name had been changed to Wang Yuanying by this point) flared up. This matter flared up on the eve of the Qixi Festival, when Wang Yuanying held a feast for the high-level officials. However, Wang Jian's adoptive son Wang Zonghan (王宗翰) the Prince of Ji, as well as Pan Qiao and the chief imperial scholar Mao Wenxi, did not attend. Wang Yuanying became angry, believing that Pan Qiao and Mao must have alienated Wang Zonghan from him. The next day, he accused to Wang Jian that Pan Qiao and Mao were alienating him and his brothers, and Wang Jian initially believed so, ordering Pan Qiao and Mao demoted while making Pan Kang the director of palace communications again. However, Tang later accused Wang Yuanying of plotting treason. Tang's accusations eventually led to a battle between imperial guards under him and the guards under Wang Yuanying's command. Tang was initially killed in battle, but after Wang Jian (at Pan Kang's urging) personally met the senior generals to encourage them, Wang Yuanying's army collapsed, and Wang Yuanying was killed by a soldier.

After Wang Yuanying's death, Pan Kang repeatedly requested Wang Jian to create a new crown prince. Wang Jian selected his youngest son Wang Zongyan the Prince of Zheng (after incorrectly concluding that Wang Zongyan had the most support by his officials). After he did so, Pan, citing the fact that there was nothing else that he considered urgent for him to remain in imperial service, sought to retire. Wang Jian, after initially declining to grant Pan retirement, eventually did so after Pan requested again tearfully. However, it was said that even in retirement, Wang Jian often sent messengers to consult him on important matters.

It was also said that Pan had a favorite beautiful concubine, named Jiechou (解愁), who was also talented in music. Wang Jian once visited Pan's mansion and stated to Pan, "Among my palace ladies, there is no one like she is," hoping that Pan would offer her to him. Pan responded, "This is but a dishonored person belonging to your subject. I do not dare to let her taint Your Imperial Majesty." When Pan Qiao urged that he offer Xianchou to the emperor, arguing that he might be bringing trouble for himself, Pan Kang stated, "In a man's life, he should treasure his happiness. How should one fear death and deny his heart?" It was said that for this stance, he was much admired.

After Wang Jians reign

In 918, Wang Jian died and was succeeded by Wang Zongyan (who then changed his name to Wang Yan). Pan Kang did not return to the imperial government, and there was no reference suggesting that he continued to have input on imperial governance, although his son Pan Zaiying (潘在迎) became one of the well-known Xiake (狎客) — someone who would attend feasts that Wang Yan held to write poems and talk with him at those feasts — for Wang Yan. After Former Shu's destruction by its northeastern neighbor Later Tang in 925, Pan also surrendered to Later Tang and was made the prefect of Shu Prefecture (蜀州, in modern Chengdu). That was the last historical reference to Pan Kang, and it is not known when he died.

Notes and references

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms (十國春秋), vol. 41.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 267, 268.