Ouyang Zhan's family had resided for several generations in the southeast (Jinjiang, Fujian in China), then, Ouyang Zhan completed the Jinshi degree in 792, and later became an assistant lecturer at the College of the Four Gates at the Imperial Academy in 799 and held it until his death.
His family had resided for several generations in the southeast and included magistrates and assistants in Quanzhou who came to service without examination. Ouyang was born in Panhu village (), Chidian (), Jinjiang, Fujian. Jinjiang (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Jinjiang; Peh-oe-ji: Chin-kang) is a county-level city of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China. Ouyang Zhan completed the jinshi degree in 792, alongside Han Yu and many other notable scholars in the year that came to known as the "list of tigers and dragons" (). Ouyang became assistant lecturer at the College of the Four Gates at the Imperial Academy in 799 and held it until his death. 
