Yuan Can (420–477), originally named Yuan Minsun, courtesy name Jingqian, was a high-level official of the Liu Song dynasty who, near the end of the dynasty, made a futile attempt to prevent the general Xiao Daocheng from gaining sufficient power to take the throne. Background Then-Yuan Minsun was born in 420 into an aristocratic clan, albeit not one that was always powerful. His uncle Yuan Shu (袁淑) was a general who later was praised for having died in a futile attempt in 453 to stop Emperor Wen's crown prince Liu Shao from assassinating Emperor Wen. His father Yuan Zhuo (袁濯) died early before becoming an official, and his grandmother, in mourning, named her grandson Minsun, meaning "a child born into disaster." While Yuan Minsun's uncles were famed officials and generals, his household was poor, and his mother Lady Wang, while born from a clan that was even higher in status, had to sew to maintain the household. Yuan Minsun was known for studiousness and virtues, and as a result, he was much favored by his uncle Yuan Xun (袁洵) -- and whenever officials wanted to consider marrying their daughters to Yuan Xun's son Yuan Yi (袁顗), Yuan Xun would always state, "Yuan Yi is not worthy of you. Consider Yuan Minsun." Service under Emperor Xiaowu After Yuan Minsun became an adult, he served on the staff of Emperor Wen's son Liu Jun the Prince of Wuling. When Liu Shao assassinated Emperor Wen in 453, Liu Jun rose to oppose him, and Yuan participated in the strategy. After Liu Jun defeated Liu Shao and took the throne himself (as Emperor Xiaowu), Yuan served in the imperial administration, but after he was accused of eating fish and pork during a vegetarian fast that Emperor Xiaowu held, he was removed from his post, although he returned to the government sometime after, although throughout Emperor Xiaowu's reign he would never hold a high-level post. Service under Emperor Ming After the reigns of Emperor Xiaowu and his son Emperor Qianfei, Emperor Xiaowu's brother Emperor Ming became emperor in 465. He had higher opinion of Yuan Minsun, and he gradually promoted him. It was during Emperor Ming's reign that Yuan, who admired the Three Kingdoms-era scholar Xun Can, obtained permission from Emperor Ming to change his name from Minsun to Can. (He also gave himself the courtesy name Jingqian (景倩), to show further admiration for Xun