Life

Ran Geng was a native of the State of Lu, and was only seven years younger than Confucius. He was from the same clan as Ran Yong and Ran Qiu, two other prominent disciples of Confucius. When Confucius served as the Minister of Justice of Lu, Ran became the magistrate of Zhongdu. He contracted a vile disease, possibly leprosy, and died young. Confucius lamented his early death with great pain.

Legacy

In Confucian temples, Ran Geng's spirit tablet is placed the fourth among the Twelve Wise Ones, on the west.

Ran Geng's offspring held the title of Wujing Boshi (五经博士; 五經博士; Wǔjīng Bóshì).

生平簡述

伯牛與顏淵、閔子騫、冉雍同屬孔門十哲的德行科哲人。伯牛與冉雍同宗。

伯牛患有惡疾時，不願見人。孔子於其病危時，特地去探望他，從屋外窗口握住他的手，邊歎息邊說：「死，是命中註定的啊！可是這樣的人怎麼會有這樣的病，這樣的人怎麼會害這樣的病啊！」伯牛的德行，與顏淵、閔子騫等並駕，無怪乎孔子哭說這是天命。伯牛以德行見稱於孔子，惜全無事跡可考。僅知其是染患惡疾而逝，可能是染上麻瘋病。

歷代追封

• 唐朝開元二十七年（739年）封「鄆侯」。

• 宋朝追封為「東平公」，後又改稱「鄆公」。