Yuan An
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Yuan An (袁安) (died 9 April 92[1]), courtesy name Shaogong (邵公), was a Chinese politician. At the Han dynasty courts of Emperor Zhang and Emperor He, Yuan was regarded as the founder of the powerful Yuan clan of Runan, one of the leading aristocratic families of the Eastern Han.
Born in Ruyang (汝陽), Runan Commandery (near modern Shangshui, Henan province) to a gentry family, Yuan An inherited knowledge in the Book of Changes from his grandfather Yuan Liang (袁良), who had reached the position of magistrate around 25. With this learning, Yuan An established a reputation for himself in his native commandery. After some minor clerical experience, he was recommended as "Filially Pious and Incorrupt" by the Magistrate of Ruyang in 60 and travelled to Luoyang to serve at the imperial court. In 62, he left the capital and for the next eight years, he held the relatively insignificant positions of Chief and then Magistrate in the eastern provinces.
On 2 February 71,[2] Yuan An received his first major assignment as Grand Administrator of Chu Commandery, to investigate Liu Ying, the King of Chu, who was accused of heresy and treason,[3] and thousands of locals were accused of being involved in the plot. In Chu, Yuan An saved four hundred innocent households, despite warnings that this act may label him as a "sympathizer of the rebels". The subsequent administrative and judicial proceedings were regarded with satisfaction by Emperor Ming.[4] On 18 September 74,[5] Yuan was recalled to the capital to serve as Intendant of Henan, with executive responsibilities in the territory surrounding Luoyang. In this role, the Hou Han Shu states that "the masters of the capital respected him and his name weighed heavily at the imperial court."
