A member of the prominent Xun clan of Yingchuan, he grew to become a chief official within the imperial court and was the Minister of Works at the time of the Disaster of Yongjia in 311.
Xun Fan remained behind in Luoyang, and together with the colonel-director, Liu Tun and Intendant of Henan, Zhou Fu, he was entrusted with managing political affairs in the city on behalf of the emperor.
[6] Late that year, Sima Yong issued an edict ordering Empress Yang Xianrong to commit suicide, as dissidents in Luoyang were using her name to rebel.
Xun Fan and the others opposed the decision, arguing that the empress was being closely monitored under house arrest with no intention herself to rebel, and killing her would only tarnish the prince's reputation.
At Yangcheng, Xun Fan and his followers were harassed by bandits, many who reportedly wanted to kill them for their flesh as they had been driven to starvation by the ongoing famine in the area.
The refugee leader in Xinzheng, Li Ju, defeated these bandits and helped Xun Fan by building residences and providing grain for his followers.
The intendant of Henan, Wei Jun, who was appointed to the position by the Inspector of Bing province, Liu Kun went to visit Xun Fan to discuss strategy.
[12] When Xun Fan was at Mi County, he had appointed a refugee leader from Tianshui Commandery, Yan Ding as the Inspector of Yu province as he commanded a sizeable following under him.
Around this time, news of Jin resistance on the brink of recapturing Chang'an in the Guanzhong region reached Xuchang, and Yan Ding had ambitions to bring Sima Ye back to his hometown and proclaim him as emperor.
Yan Ding made preparations to depart west with Sima Ye, but Xun Fan and his fellow officials, who were all natives of the east, were reluctant to follow him and decided to scatter.