Xu Gan

Xu Gan
Xu Gan
Traditional Chinese	徐幹
Simplified Chinese	徐干
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Xú Gàn
Weichang; (courtesy name)
Traditional Chinese	偉長
Simplified Chinese	伟长
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wěicháng

Xu Gan (Chinese: 徐幹, pinyin Xú Gàn, 171 – March or April 218?^[1]), courtesy name Weichang (偉長), was a Chinese philosopher and poet of the late Eastern Han dynasty. He was also one of the "Seven Scholars of Jian'an". He is best known in the West for his discourse on the relationship between the names and actualities, preserved in his treatise Zhonglun (中論), or "Balanced Discourses".

^ (文义未究，年四十八，建安二十三年春二月遭厉疾，大命陨颓，...) Quan Sanguo Wen, vol.55 (section: "Zhonglun Xu" (preface to the Zhonglun)). The month corresponds to 15 Mar to 12 Apr 218 in the Julian calendar. However, volume 21 of Sanguozhi indicate that Xu Gan died in 217 (22nd year of the Jian'an era), along with Chen Lin, Ying Yang (nephew of Ying Shao) and Liu Zhen ([徐]幹、[陈]琳、[应]玚、[刘]桢[建安]二十二年卒。).

[1] (文义未究，年四十八，建安二十三年春二月遭厉疾，大命陨颓，...) Quan Sanguo Wen, vol.55 (section: "Zhonglun Xu" (preface to the Zhonglun)). The month corresponds to 15 Mar to 12 Apr 218 in the Julian calendar. However, volume 21 of Sanguozhi indicate that Xu Gan died in 217 (22nd year of the Jian'an era), along with Chen Lin, Ying Yang (nephew of Ying Shao) and Liu Zhen ([徐]幹、[陈]琳、[应]玚、[刘]桢[建安]二十二年卒。).

[1]