Yuan Can 袁粲

Yuan Can 袁粲 (420-478), original name Minsun 愍孫, courtesy name Jingqian 景倩, from Yangxia 陽夏 in the commandery of Chenjun 陳郡 (today's Taikang 太康, Henan) was a high official of the Liu-Song dynasty 劉宋 (420-479), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589).

He grew up as an orphan and began his career as a retainer in the provincial government of Yangzhou 揚州, adjutant of Liu Jun 劉駿, the Prince of Wuling 武陵 (and eventual Emperor Xiaowu 宋孝武皇帝, r. 453-464). When Liu Jun mounted the throne, he was appointed Director of the Ministry of Personnel of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu libu lang 尚書吏部郎) and right commandant of the guard of the Heir Apparent (taizi you weishuai 太子右衛率). In 455, he was elevated to the position of Chamberlain for Law Enforcement (tingwei 廷尉), palace cadet in the Household of the Heir Apparent (taizi zhongshuzi 太子中庶子), General to the Right (youjun jiangjun 右軍將軍), Bulwark-of-the-State General (fuguo jiangjun 輔國將軍), head on the household staff (zhonglang zhangshi 中郎長史) of the Prince of Xiyang 西陽, and governor (taishou 太守) of Guangling 廣陵. In 457, he returned to the capital as palace attendant (shizhong 侍中) and commandant of the elite archers (shesheng xiaowei 射聲校尉) and was invested as District Viscount of Xingping 興平縣子. In 460, he was made governor of the commandery of Yuzhang 豫章, and three years later, Minister of Personnel (libu shangshu 吏部尚書). Once, at a court banquet, he insulted the minister Yan Shibo 顏師伯 (419-465), and nearly got executed, but he was finally demoted to governor of Hailing 海陵.

Under the First Deposed Emperor 宋前廢帝 (r. 464-465), he served as Right General of the Guards (you wei jiangjun 右衛將軍), palace attendant, and General of the Imperial Guard (xiaoji jiangjun 驍騎將軍). Upholding his duty while speaking frankly, he sometimes dared to offer criticism and remonstration to the emperor. Emperor Ming 宋明帝 (r. 465-472) used him as Aide to the Minister of the Masses (situo zuo zhangshi 司徒左長史), General Commanding the Troops (guanjun jiangjun 冠軍將軍) and governor of Nandonghai 南東海. In 466, he was made Director of the Palace Secretariat (zhongshu ling 中書令), Supervisor of the Household of the Heir Apparent (taizi zhanshi 太子詹事), Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu puye 尚書僕射), and metropolitan magistrate (yin 尹) of Danyang 丹陽. When Liu Xiufan 劉休范, the Prince of Guiyang 桂陽, rebelled and marched towards the capital, the whole court was frightened, but Yuan Can was able to comfort and restrengthen them, suggested that he himself took over the defence. Yuan Can defeated the rebel army.

Under the Later Deposed Emperor 宋後廢帝 (r. 472-476), he was Secretariat Supervisor (zhongshujian 中書監) and held the honorific title of Minister of the Masses (situ 司徒). In 477, he became commander of the Capital Garrison (zhen Shitou 鎮石頭). At that time, general Xiao Daocheng 蕭道成 (427-482; the eventual founder of the Qi dynasty 南齊, 479-502) prepared to overthrow the Liu-Song dynasty. Yuan, as a loyal minister, planned to kill Xiao as an internal response to the open rebellion of Shen Youzhi 沈攸之 (d. 478), the regional inspector 刺史 of Jingzhou 荊州, but the plan was revealed, and Xiao had Yuan Can killed.

Yuan's biographical collection Miaode xiansheng zhuan 妙德先生傳, an imitation of Ji Kang's 嵇康 (223-262) Gaoshizhuan 高士傳, has survived.