Fan Chi is a disciple of Confucius who, in the Analects, asks about benevolence. In the story, Su Xun tests his sons on the same passage: “Fan Chi asked about benevolence, and Confucius said, ‘Benevolent people first endure hardship and then obtain reward.’” Fan Chi’s question serves as the basis for the Confucian lesson used by Su Xun. Although he does not appear as a character, his referenced role highlights the curriculum of Song learning, where such dialogues were memorized and interpreted by candidates for the imperial examinations.
