It is widely acknowledged that Fan Zhongyan was not a native of Boxian, but rather from Suzhou’s Wu County. So, why was a memorial temple built in Boxian? According to historical records, Boxian was the hometown of Fan Zhongyan’s maternal grandmother, Lady Xie. When Fan Zhongyan was two years old, his father passed away, and his young mother, breaking free from societal constraints, remarried him to the Zhu family in Changshan County (now Changshan Town, Zoucheng County, Shandong Province). During his youth, Fan Zhongyan often suffered abuse at the Zhu household, which deeply saddened his mother. She then sent him to Jingshan Temple in Boxian to study, and later generations, in admiration of his political achievements and integrity, built a temple in the place where he studied during his youth.
Fan Gong Ci is an ancient architectural complex centered around Fan Quan, originally constructed during the Ming Dynasty. Although the area is not extensive, it is well-arranged with a reasonable layout, interspersed with highs and lows, and exudes an antique and elegant charm. The temple is open to visitors from 7:00 to 18:00 all year round.
