Gongsun Fan was an official during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 period of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

.

As a result of the fallouts that followed the dissolution of the coalition against Dong Zhuo, Gongsun Zan

Gongsun Zan

Gongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...

 used the death of Gongsun Yue

Gongsun Yue

Gongsun Yue , was a younger cousin of the warlord Gongsun Zan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:Emperor Xian, held hostage by Dong Zhuo secretly sent Liu He to appeal for help from Liu He's father, Liu Yu -- the governor of You Province...

, another relative of his, as pretext to wage war on Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao

Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...

. At the time, Gongsun Zan led the strongest army with the most ferocious reputation in northern China. Concerned, Yuan Shao handed over the Bohai's Grand Administrator seal to Gongsun Fan as a gesture of reconciliation. Gongsun Fan promptly took the commandery's army and joined up with Gongsun Zan.

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms