范

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Fan Li范蠡

Wu & YueHistory × Fiction

Minister of Yue, built city walls to resist Wu.

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DIRECT FIGURES
2
RELATION RECORDS
2
SOURCE WORKS
5

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Fan Li, and the people around them.

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01
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

2 figures · 2 records
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Feature550 Years, Told TwiceFrom the end of the Western Zhou to the Qin unification, the 550-year history of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods is recorded with rigor in official histories like the Records of the Grand Historian and the Zuo Commentary, and also popularized in the Ming dynasty novel Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms. For narrative coherence and excitement, the novel often embellishes and dramatizes historical details. This piece examines a few such instances side by side, noting for each how the official history records it and how the novel alters it.

In history · Records of the Grand Historian

A wealthy merchant, mentioned in the Grand Historian's commentary. Minister of Yue, helped Goujian destroy Wu, then retired after achieving merit and became wealthy through trade.

In fiction · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms · Discourses of the States · Strategies of the Warring States · Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition

Minister of Yue, built city walls to resist Wu. Minister of Yue, advocated holding firm. Minister of Yue, accompanied the King of Yue to Wu, offering strategies.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. 8 profile notes
    1 relations4 verified quotations
    • King Goujian of Yue→ ruler-subject →Fan Li
    Verified original text · 4
    1. 大夫范蠡字少伯，出班奏曰

      lord-minister · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 79

    2. 吴尚未可灭也，姑许成

      suggest · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 82

    2 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Official history

    Discourses of the States

    4 profile notes
    1 relations2 verified quotations
    • King Goujian of Yue→ ruler-subject →Fan Li
    Verified original text · 2
    1. 范蠡进谏曰

      remonstrate · Discourses of the States, 越语下

    2. 范蠡谏句践勿许吴成卒灭吴

      ruler-subject · Discourses of the States, 越语下

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  3. 3 profile notes
    2 relations3 verified quotations
    • King Goujian of Yue→ ruler-subject →Fan Li
    • Fan Li→ colleague →Wen Zhong
    Verified original text · 3
    1. 范蠡知之，超然辟世，长为陶朱公

      assist · Records of the Grand Historian, 范睢蔡泽列传

    2. 范蠡事越王句践

      assist · Records of the Grand Historian, 越王句践世家

    1 more verified quotation in the relationship records below.

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  4. 1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  5. 1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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Relationship network

3 figures · 6 links
Fan LiFan LiKing Goujian of YueKing Goujian of YueWen ZhongWen Zhong
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 77; Records of the Grand Historian, 秦始皇本纪; Discourses of the States, 吴语; Strategies of the Warring States, 秦／三; Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition, ch. 5; Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 79; Records of the Grand Historian, 范睢蔡泽列传; Discourses of the States, 越语下

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.