Zhu Xi, whose courtesy name is Yuanhui, also known as Zhonghui, and whose nickname is Hui'an, is of Han nationality. His ancestral home is Wuyuan County, Huizhou Prefecture, Jiangnan East Road, Southern Song Dynasty (now Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province). He was born in Youxi, Nanjian Prefecture (now part of Fujian Province). Sanming City). Let me introduce to you Zhu Xi’s academic achievements!
Neo-Confucianist
In the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it has always been the official philosophy of the feudal ruling class, marking the trend of feudal society. Complete ideology. In the second year of Emperor Qing's reign (1313) of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination was resumed. The imperial edict determined that Zhu Xi's "Collected Commentary on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books" should be used as the standard for selecting candidates, and Zhu Xue was determined as the examination procedure. In the second year of Zhu Yuanzhang's Hongwu reign (1369), the imperial examination was based on Zhu Xi and others' annotations. Zhu Xuesui became the spiritual pillar to consolidate the ruling order of feudal society. It strengthened the "Three Cardinal Principles and Five Constant Rules" and played a certain hindering role in the reform of later feudal society. Zhu Xi's theory also had a profound influence on the later Ming Dynasty Wang Yangming's psychology. Wang Yangming's idea of ??integrating knowledge and action is a breakthrough based on Zhu Xi's philosophy. Zhu Xi's academic thoughts also have an important influence in the history of world culture.
During the Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi was the most accomplished and influential person in academic circles. He summarized the previous thoughts, especially the thoughts of Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism, and established a huge Neo-Confucian system, which became the culmination of Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism, and his achievements were praised by later generations. Huang Wei, one of his disciples, once summed it up: "Continuing on from the subtle thoughts of the saints and generals, uncovering the undiscovered opportunities of the previous sages, distinguishing the gains and losses of the Confucian scholars, refuting the fallacies of the heretics, clarifying the principles, rectifying people's hearts, and achieving great achievements. This is the case. "("Xingzhuang") also said: "Since the Zhou Dynasty, only a few people have been able to achieve the correctness of the Taoism, and only one or two people can write more. After Confucius, Zengzi and Zisi began to write after Mencius. Zhou, Cheng and Zhangzi followed after him and started to write after Mr. Quan Zuwang of the Qing Dynasty pointed out: "Zhi Guangda." , The study of Jiangxi and the study of Yongjia in eastern Zhejiang are not inconsistent, but they cannot be concealed. "("Song and Yuan Studies. Hui Weng Study") Although these comments are praiseworthy. , but truly reflects Zhu Xi’s status and influence in academia. After Zhu Xi's death, he was given the posthumous title of "Wen Gong", and was awarded the title of "Director of Baomo Pavilion". He was also granted the title of Duke of Hui State. His thoughts were revered as official scholarship. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Xi's annotations on Confucian classics became the basis for imperial examinations. And he himself is mentioned together with the sage Confucius and is called "Zhu Zi". It is for this reason that Zhu Xi's words have become unchangeable and absolute authority. This is especially true for Yi Xue. Zhu Xi wrote "Original Meanings of the Book of Changes" and listed Heluo and Xiantian pictures at the beginning of the volume. He also compiled "Yixue Enlightenment" with his disciples Cai Yuanding and Cai Chen, who believed in and interpreted Heluo and Xiantian studies. Later generations used this to establish and elaborate on Zhu Xi's philosophy. Heluo's innate thoughts. In this sense, Zhu Xi truly established the status of Heluo Studies and Xiantian Studies in the academic world and was recognized by most Yi scholars in later generations.
When Zhu Xi was fourteen years old, his father passed away. Following his father's wishes, he studied under his father's friends Hu Yuanzhong, Liu Zhizhong and Liu Chong. Later Liu Zhizhong offered his daughter to marry Zhu Xi. In the eighteenth year of Shaoxing (1148), Zhu Xi became a Jinshi at the age of nineteen. In the 21st year, he was appointed chief administrator of Zuo Di Gonglang and Quanzhou Tong'an. In the twenty-third year, Li Tong, a member of Luo's disciples, became his disciple. Only then did I realize that what Shi Lao said was wrong, and his knowledge led to plainness. In the 27th year, Zhu Xi abandoned his official position in Tong'an and returned to his hometown, where he devoted himself to academic studies for more than 20 years. When Xiaozong came to the throne, he was summoned many times, but he refused. In the fifth year of Chunxi (1178), the forty-nine-year-old Zhu Xi came to know the Nankang Army. In the eighth year, he changed the promotion of salt affairs in Changping, eastern Zhejiang. After Guangzong ascended the throne, he also knew Zhangzhou and Tanzhou. After Ningzong ascended the throne, in addition to Huanzhang Pavilion, it was still waiting to be established and discussed. In short, Zhu Xi raised himself as a Jinshi in his life until his death. During his fifty years, he experienced the four dynasties of Gaozong, Xiaozong, Guangzong, and Ningzong. Talk about "University". The remaining forty years were spent giving lectures and writing books. His works include "Original Meaning of the Book of Changes", "Enlightenment", "Evaluation of the Hexagram", "Collected Poems", "The Doctrine of the Doctrine", "Four Books or Questions", "Collected Annotations of the Analects", "Collected Annotations of Mencius", "Explanation of Tai Chi Illustrations" ”, “Tongshu Jie”, “Xi Ming Jie”, “Annotations and Corrections of Chu Ci”, “Korean Text Research and Differences”, “Research on Similarities and Deeds”, “Compilation of Doctrine of the Mean”, “Mistakes in the Publication of Filial Piety Classic”, “Primary School” "Books", "Tongjian Gangmu", "Records of Words and Deeds of Famous Officials of the Song Dynasty", "Family Rites", "Records of Recent Thoughts", "Posthumous Letters of the Cheng Family in Henan", "Records of the Origin of Yiluo", etc. In addition, there are 100 volumes of "Collected Works", 11 volumes of "Sequel", 10 volumes of "Part Collection", and 140 volumes of "Zhu Xi Yulei" compiled by Lin Ren.
His Yixue thoughts are mainly concentrated in books such as "Original Meaning of Zhouyi", "Enlightenment of Yixue", and "Zhuzi Yulei". According to Zhu Xi's "Chronology", "The Original Meaning of Zhouyi" was written in the fourth year of Chunxi (1177 AD), and "Enlightenment" was written in the 13th year of Chunxi (1186 AD). According to the research of contemporary Zhu Bokun, "Original Meaning" was not written before "Enlightenment"." (History of Yixue Philosophy, Volume 2, Peking University Press, 1988) This statement is accurate. It should be noted that although "The Enlightenment of Yi Xue" is listed under Zhu Xi's name, it was not written by him alone. It was the result of the joint efforts between him and Cai Yuanding. Weng Yi, a student of Cai Yuanding, recorded in the seventh year of Chunyou (1247) of Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty: "Hui'an's commentary on the Four Books was not the only one who was inspired by Mr. Hui'an's commentary... The Six Classics, "Yu", "Mencius", "Mencius" "Xue" and "Yong", Mr. Hui'an discussed and explained the principles and made great contributions to the book "Yixue Enlightenment". "("The Practice of Cai's Confucianism" in the first volume of "Cai's Nine Confucian Books") This "sir" refers to Cai Yuanding. Weng Yi's record that "The Enlightenment of Yixue" was drafted by Cai Yuanding and edited by Zhu Xi is the same as in "History of the Song Dynasty". "History of the Song Dynasty. Biography of Cai Yuanding" says: "Xi's commentary on the Four Books, as well as the "Yi", "Shi Zhuan", and "Tongjian Gangmu", after all, went back and forth with Yuan Ding to edit it. The book "Enlightenment" belongs to Yuan Ding started the draft." This can also be confirmed in Wei Xi's remarks. Zhu Xi said in his letter to Cai Yuan: "Has the revision of "Enlightenment" been finished? I have long wanted to get it." ("Collected Works. Reply to Cai Jitong") He also said: "Is the revision of "Enlightenment"? And the heaven, the earth, the twenty-first section, and The number of heaven, the number of five, and the number of earth, are connected with five. This is Cheng Zi's modification. It was not revealed at that time. Now maybe it should be added to Cheng's theory. Is it Ming'er?" ("Sequel to the Collected Works. Reply to Cai Jitong") Zhu Xi also made it clear in the "Preface to Enlightenment": " Because he and his comrade compiled old news into four chapters to show the beginners, there is no doubt about what he said: "This "comrade" is Cai Yuanding. The "book" in "Four Parts of the Book" refers to "Enlightenment". From this we can see that what Weng Yi recorded is credible.
Research on Works
As a famous thinker, philosopher, and educator in China’s feudal society since the 13th century, Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucianism represented by him has played an important role in Chinese society and various nations in East Asia. It has considerable influence and effect on the Chinese society around the world. Issues such as Zhu Xi's philosophy and thought, as well as the textual research of Zhu Xi's works and the evaluation of Zhu Xi's historical status, all need to be fully and in-depth researched.
His research tentacles involve all fields of Confucian classics. When Quan Zuwang, a scholar of the Qing Dynasty, compiled "The Academic Cases of the Song and Yuan Dynasties", he said with emotion that Zhu Xi was a great scholar who "reached the vast, the subtle, and encompassed all generations." According to the bibliographic statistics of "Sikuquanshu", there are 25 kinds of Zhu Xi's existing works, more than 600 volumes, and the total number of words is about 20 million words. This is still a very incomplete statistic, but this set of figures alone is extremely impressive, enough to erect a monument to a hard-working thinker.
In addition to the richness of his works, Zhu Xi's writings also show the characteristics of diverse forms. "Telling without writing" is a Confucian tradition that started with Confucius. The so-called "statement" is essentially a creative method that uses annotations and interpretations of Confucian classics to elaborate one's own thoughts and theories. Zhu Xi was the most successful and lively scholar who used this method to construct his own Neo-Confucian system. His "Collected Commentary on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books", "Collected Poems", "Original Meaning of the Book of Changes", etc. are representatives of this type of works. But Zhu Xi was by no means a "non-author". He laid the cornerstone of his Neo-Confucianism building with a large number of rigorous theoretical works. "Explanation of Tai Chi Diagram" and "Interpretation of Xi Ming" are the high-level crystallization of his philosophical thoughts. "Tongjian Gangmu" and "Records of the Words and Deeds of Famous Officials" are concentrated displays of his historical theory, while a "Collected Works of Hui'an" is the concentrated display of his historical theory. It is the final collection of his Neo-Confucian thoughts. Another type of works by Zhu Xi, such as "Annotations to the Songs of Chu" and "Korean Text Research", are the compilation and research of the academic heritage of previous generations. This type of works not only shows Zhu Xi's profound and extensive academic skills, but also shows his academic orientation in different periods. The compilation of posthumous writings for former acting scholars is another type of Zhu Xi's writings. He compiled "Er Cheng Yi Shu" and "Er Cheng Wai Shu" for Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao, "Shang Cai Yu Lu" for Xie Liangzuo, and "Weizhai Collection" for his father Zhu Song. . Zhu Xi also wrote a work "Records of Recent Thoughts" written in collaboration with friends. This was compiled when he and Lu Zuqian were reading and editing the works of Zhou Dunyi, Cheng Yi, Cheng Hao and Zhang Zai while guarding his mother's tomb in Hanquan Jingshe during his mourning period.
This is an important work known as "my country's first philosophical anthology, the outline of Neo-Confucianism in the Northern Song Dynasty, and the outline of Zhu Xi's philosophy" (Chen Rongjie's introduction to "Reviews of Modern Thoughts").
Some people began to compile and print Zhu Xi’s works before his death. After Zhu Zi's death, the phenomenon of collecting and compiling Zhu Zi's works of different types and contents into books became more and more intense as Zhu Zi's status continued to improve. The Qing Dynasty was the most prosperous period for compiled works. Not only did the official show a strong interest in this, but the enthusiasm of the people was also very high. There are endless books like "The Complete Works". During the Kangxi period, the "Complete Book of Zhu Xi" edited by Li Guangdi, a great scholar, was the most influential one, but it was also an incomplete book. Therefore, to be precise, in the 800 years since Zhu Xi's death, there has not been a true complete collection of Zhu Xi's works published. This cannot but be said to be a pity.