Kong Fanci

Kong Fanci (1861–1911), courtesy name Heting, pseudonym Hecheng, was born in Tai Gu County, Shanxi Province. He was the 74th-generation descendant of Confucius. His father, Kong Xiangxi, was a jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination) and earned his living through teaching. From a young age, Kong Fanci was diligent and eager to learn, extensively reading poetry and books, with excellent calligraphy skills. He once passed the imperial examination to become a jinshi during the Qing Dynasty but was unable to continue his studies due to family ancestral teachings restrictions. Instead, he turned to engage in business activities. Later, he pursued a career in teaching and served as a clerk at Yihechang in Beijing. During his return to his hometown, he presided over two local institutions, Tai Gu Yiyuan Shenghe and San Jin Yuan.

In 1879, Kong Fanci married San Nu, the daughter of Pang Baoheng from Nanzhang Village. Throughout his life, he admired Kang Youwei's reform ideas, actively promoted the benefits of reform and the drawbacks of conservatism, earning a high reputation locally. His scholarly interests and political thoughts reflected the reform-minded spirit of the late Qing period.

During the political and intellectual movements, Kong Fanci demonstrated a certain level of activity. Although he did not directly participate in political movements, he paid attention to national affairs, advocated new ideas, and influenced the societal environment of his time. Throughout his life, Kong Fanci prioritized scholarship and valued education.

In the autumn of 1911, Kong Fanci died of illness at the age of fifty. His life experiences reflect the scholarly pursuits and ideological shifts among the literati in the late Qing Dynasty, and his family background also demonstrated a deep cultural foundation.