Wáng Fán, appellation Yǒngyuán, was a Lújiāng man. He read and studied extensively, and was also skilled in calendar calculation and the arts. He began as a Secretariat official, but resigned his office. When Sūn Xiū ascended, he and Hè Shào, Xuē Yíng, and Yú Sì were all appointed Scattered Cavalry Regular Internal Attendants, and all made Imperial Relative Commandant. At the time he was said to be elegant and refined. He was sent as envoy to Shǔ, the people of Shǔ praised him, and he returned as Supervisor of the Army of Xiàkǒu.

王蕃字永元，廬江人也。博覽多聞，兼通術藝。始為尚書郎，去官。孫休即位，與賀邵、薛瑩、虞汜俱為散騎中常侍，皆加駙馬都尉。時論清之。遣使至蜀，蜀人稱焉，還為夏口監軍。

At the beginning of the reign of Sūn Hào, he returned as a Regular Attendant, with the same office as Wàn Yù. Yù had known Hào for a long time, but was a common person recently come to power, and said that Fán had made light of him. There was also a Internal Documents Deputy Chén Shēng who was one of Hào’s favored ministers, who repeatedly slandered Fán. Fán by nature was of high and noble character who could not calmly bear follow certain orders, and so at times would stubbornly refuse some, and over time he accumulated criticisms.

孫皓初，復入為常侍，與萬彧同官。彧與皓有舊，俗士挾侵，謂蕃自輕。又中書丞陳聲，皓之嬖臣，數譖毀蕃。蕃體氣高亮，不能承顏順指，時或迕意，積以見責。

Gānlù second year [266], Dīng Zhōng the envoy to Jìn returned. Hào summoned a great banquet with his ministers. Fán became very intoxicated and fell over, and Hào was suspicious [that he was being disrespectful] and very displeased, and had Fán carried out. Shortly afterward he asked to return, but the effects of the wine could not have ended, yet Fán’s expression was very dignified and his movements were composed. Hào was extremely angry, and called for his attendants to drag him outside the palace and behead him. General of the Guard Téng Mù and General Attacking the West Liú Píng plead on his behalf, but were unsuccessful. (1)

甘露二年，丁忠使晉還，皓大會群臣，蕃沈醉頓伏，皓疑而不悅，轝蕃出外。頃之請還，酒亦不解。蕃性有威嚴，行止自若，皓大怒，呵左右於殿下斬之。衛將軍滕牧、征西將軍留平請，不能得。〔一〕

• (1) Jiāngbiǎozhuàn states: Hào followed the words of a shaman who said that the Jiànyè palace was unfavorable, and therefore went west to Wǔchāng, but though he planned to move the capital he was afraid the various ministers would not follow, so he called together a great banquet and bestowed invitations to the officials. He asked Fán: “When an arrow does not pierce leather, it is because the strength was not sufficient. What do you say of that?” Fán thought long without answer, so he ordered Fán be brought up to the palace and beheaded. He went out and climbed Lái mountain, and had his trusted general throw Fán’s head over, and the sound of the crash was like the leap of tigers or fighting of wolves. The head was completely shattered, as a demonstration so that none would dare offend him.
• This is in contradiction to the base biography.
• Wúlù states: Every time Hào was at a banquet, he would become intoxicated and then order his attendants to ridicule the high ministers, and laugh and make merry. Wàn Yù was Left Chancellor, and Fán ridiculed Yù: “Whenever a fish dives into deep abyss, from the water comes foam. Why is this? Everything has its own nature, and one cannot cross boundaries and overstep bounds. Yù came from creeks and grain fields, has the heart of a sheep beneath the skin of a tiger, is empty but receives bright favor, stepping past the seats of the Three [Excellencies] and the Nine [Ministers]. Even dogs and horses known how to be useful, but what has he done to receive such heavy favor?” Yù said: “The Court of Táng Yú had no talents that were falsely raised. The doors of Zàofù had no lame worn out horses. Fán at most falsely slanders wise choices of selection, and at least mocks our foundations. What injury to our times. He has seen much but does not know how to judge and that is all.”
• Your Servant Sōngzhī remarks: The base biography Dīng Zhōng the envoy to Jìn had returned, Hào called a great banquet, and during the banquet killed Fán. Checking that Zhōng returned from the north in the spring of that year, Yù at that time had not yet become Chancellor. It was not until autumn that he became Chancellor and that is all. What Wúlù had said is in contradiction.

〔一〕　江表傳曰：皓用巫史之言，謂建業宮不利，乃西巡武昌，仍有遷都之意，恐群臣不從，乃大請會，賜將吏。問蕃「射不主皮，為力不同科，其義云何」？蕃思惟未答，即於殿上斬蕃。出登來山，使親近將（跳）〔擲〕蕃首，作虎跳狼爭咋齧之，頭皆碎壞，欲以示威，使眾不敢犯也。此與本傳不同。吳錄曰：皓每於會，因酒酣，輒令侍臣嘲謔公卿，以為笑樂。萬彧既為左丞相，蕃嘲彧曰：「魚潛於淵，出水煦沫。何則？物有本性，不可橫處非分也。彧出自谿谷，羊質虎皮，虛受光赫之寵，跨越三九之位，犬馬猶能識養，將何以報厚施乎！」彧曰：「唐虞之朝無謬舉之才，造父之門無駑蹇之質，蕃上誣明選，下訕楨幹，何傷於日月，適多見其不知量耳。」臣松之按本傳云丁忠使晉還，皓為大會，於會中殺蕃，檢忠從北還在此年之春，彧時尚未為丞相，至秋乃為相耳。吳錄所言為乖互不同。

Chancellor Lù Kǎi presented a memorial: “Regular Attendant Wáng Fán is reasonable and logical within the Palace, understands the Heavens and all things, and serves the Court loyally to exhaustion, is a crucial support for the State Altars, a dragon that came to our Great Wú! In the past he served our Imperial Jǐng [Sūn Xiū], offered comment on all things, and Jǐng praised his excellence and sighed that he was remarkable. But Your Majesty Descending the Throne was angry at his bitter remarks, hated his frank answers, beheaded him in the Palace Hall, and threw his body away [without burial]. Within the commandaries all are pained in heart, and one should make note of all the sorrowful mourning.” The sorrow for Fán was like this.

丞相陸凱上疏曰：「常侍王蕃黃中通理，知天知物，處朝忠蹇，斯社稷之重鎮，大吳之龍逢也。昔事景皇，納言左右，景皇欽嘉，歎為異倫。而陛下忿其苦辭，惡其直對，梟之殿堂，尸骸暴棄，郡內傷心，有識悲悼。」其痛蕃如此。

Fán died at age thirty-nine. Hào exiled Fán’s family to Guǎngzhōu. His two younger brothers Zhù and Yán were both skilled makers of tools. When Guō Mǎ rebelled, they would not join Mǎ, and so came to harm.

蕃死時年三十九，皓徙蕃家屬廣州。二弟著、延皆作佳器，郭馬起事，不為馬用，見害。