Wei Yifan (韋貽範) (died December 16, 902), courtesy name Chuixian (垂憲), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor in 902, while Emperor Zhaozong was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen the military governor (Jiedushi) of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han Quanhui. Background Little is known about Wei Yifan's family background, and it is not known when or where he was born. His family was described as "of Jingzhao" (京兆, i.e., the special municipality containing the Tang Dynasty imperial capital Chang'an), but was not known to be connected to the families of other chancellors named Wei throughout Tang history. Neither his grandfather Wei Zongli () nor his father Wei Shi () was listed with any official offices. He had at least three older brothers — Wei Kuangfan (), Wei Zhaofan (), and Wei Changfan (); Wei Changfan was also an imperial official. Wei Yifan's early official career was also not given in detail in traditional histories. He had, at one point, served as the prefect of Long Prefecture (龍州, in modern Mianyang, Sichuan) but was demoted to be the prefect of the less important Tong Prefecture (通州, in modern Dazhou, Sichuan). As chancellor After then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong was forcibly taken from Chang'an to Fengxiang Circuit in late 901 by the powerful eunuchs, led by Han Quanhui, Wei Yifan, along with another demoted prefect, Su Jian, went to Fengxiang and was made an imperial attendant (給事中, Jishizhong). Shortly after, in spring 902, apparently at the insistence of the eunuchs' ally, Fengxiang's military governor Li Maozhen, Wei was made the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang) and a chancellor, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (). Shortly after Wei became chancellor, there was a banquet that included Emperor Zhaozong, the chancellors, the imperial scholars, and the leading eunuchs. After Li and Han left the banquet, Emperor Zhaozong questioned Wei about the current predicament the emperor was in, and Wei gave no substantive response, drawing Emperor Zhaozong's anger and rebuke. It was said that at the same banquet, Wei insisted on offering Emperor Zhaozong large amounts of wine, and when Emperor Zhaozong would not drink, Wei would go as far as taking the cup and force it on Emperor Zhaozong's lips. Several months later, Wei's mother died. Pursuant to Confucian principles, he