Zhu Xi

Name: Zhu Xi
ISBN: 9787512510135

梁新宇International Culture Publishing Corporation · ChinaJul 2020

2.9

Word count: 47K words
Chapters: 36
ISBN: 9787512510135

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Summary

Zhu Xi (1130–1200): philosopher and educator of the Southern Song dynasty. Courtesy names Yuanhui and Zhonghui; pseudonym Hui'an, also known as Ziyang. Ancestral home in Wuyuan, Huizhou (present-day Wuyuan, Jiangxi); born in Youxi, Nanjian Prefecture (present-day Youxi, Fujian); later resided in Jianyang (present-day Jianyang District, Nanping, Fujian). He held posts including Auxiliary Compiler of the Imperial Library. He advocated resistance to the Jin and stressed the need for preparation. He studied under Li Tong and was a fourth-generation disciple of the two Cheng brothers (Hao and Yi). Widely read and extensively annotating classical texts, he contributed in varying degrees to classical studies, historiography, literature, musicology, and the natural sciences. In philosophy he developed the Cheng brothers' doctrine of the relationship between principle (li) and material force (qi), synthesized the School of Principle, and built a complete system of objective idealism, known as the Cheng-Zhu school. He emphasized the opposition between "heavenly principle" and "human desire," requiring people to abandon "private desires" and submit to "heavenly principle." His philosophy long served as the theoretical instrument by which the feudal landlord class ruled the people, and in the Ming and Qing dynasties it was elevated to the status of orthodox Confucianism. His erudition and rigorous analytical style greatly influenced later scholars.

Editor's review

Liang Xinyu's Zhu Xi is an accessible intellectual biography that combines scholarship with readability. Rather than simply listing Zhu Xi's life events, it takes the development of Neo-Confucian thought as its main thread, examining this great synthesizer of Confucianism against the grand background of political change and scholarly debate during the Northern and Southern Song. The author focuses on how Zhu Xi, building on his predecessors, constructed a vast philosophical system centered on "principle" (li) that connects heaven, human nature, and destiny, and shows the inner logic linking his method of learning, "investigating things to extend knowledge," with his self-cultivation practice of "preserving heavenly principle and eliminating human desire." The book's accounts of intellectual-historical controversies such as the Zhu-Lu debate and the Goose Lake meeting are especially compelling, revealing the intellectual tensions within Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. As an introductory guide, the book succeeds in clearly outlining the contours of Zhu Xi's thought without avoiding its complexity, and is of considerable value for understanding the spiritual core and intellectual character of traditional Chinese culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Introductory readers interested in the history of Chinese philosophy, especially Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism
Culture enthusiasts who want a systematic understanding of Zhu Xi's life, thought, and historical influence
General readers seeking resources in traditional culture to inspire contemporary reflection
Undergraduate students in the humanities and social sciences, as supplementary reading

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting novelistic narrative or sensational historical stories
Professional researchers seeking frontier academic monographs or deep philosophical analysis

Reading tips

While reading, consult selections from the Reflections on Things at Hand or the Collected Annotations on the Four Books to compare and understand core concepts
Pay attention to the book's presentation of historical context, which helps in understanding the specific circumstances in which the ideas arose
Do not rush; dwell on key categories such as principle, material force, mind, and nature

About the publisher

International Culture Publishing Corporation China · Founded in 1984

International Culture Publishing Corporation is a publisher known for introducing foreign literature and world classics, with about 283 relevant titles in the database. Its representative books include Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, Hesse's Siddhartha, Jiménez's Platero and I, and Gibran's The Prophet, as well as cultural readings such as Zhu Guangqian's Twelve Letters to Youth and Common Talk on Classics. In psychology, it offers the nine-volume Collector's Edition of C. G. Jung's Works, covering social psychology and applied psychology. Its author resources include Goethe, Hesse, Jiménez, Jung, and Zhu Guangqian, along with Chinese authors involved in translation and compilation. Its publishing focus is on foreign literature, classic works, psychology, and culture, serving both academic and general readers. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the database.

版权信息
“中小学课本里的名人传记丛书”前言
少年求学
出生于乱世
在临安的见闻
年少丧父
寄人篱下
多处虚心求学
对禅学的迷恋
考中进士
多位亲友离世
步入仕途
接任同安县主簿
拜谒李侗
初次断案
整顿赋税、县学
领略到治学的甘甜
全身心投入学术研究
为抗金建言献策
作《东归乱稿》
再获“己丑之悟”
收获学术硕果
仕途多舛
到南康军赴任
重建白鹿洞书院
努力改善当地经济
转赴浙东赈灾
与官场黑暗做抗争
做漳州知州
定居于建阳考亭
兴复岳麓书院
被宋宁宗罢黜
考亭晚景
处于党祸之中
残年退休
千古大家

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?

A check shows that this book currently has no rating information on the Douban Books platform. As an intellectual biography published by International Cultural Publishing Company, its audience is relatively specific.

What is the background of the author Liang Xinyu?

Liang Xinyu is a scholar-author who focuses on writing about traditional Chinese culture and historical figures. His style tends toward accessible interpretation grounded in solid historical sources, making profound ideas more readily acceptable to the general public.

Is this book suitable for readers with no philosophical background at all?

Basically yes. The book is positioned as a popular biography, and the author deliberately lowers the barrier to reading, explaining ideas in relatively plain language. Readers should still have a basic interest in traditional culture and some patience.

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About the author

梁新宇 Author

Liang Xinyu is an author about whom little public information is available; existing records contain no details on nationality, dates of birth and death, or educational background. Judging from the 38 works held in the collection, the writing is aimed mainly at young readers. The representative "Interest Mini-Classroom" series covers subjects such as science, history, geography, art, music, Chinese, composition and mathematics. These books tend to begin by sparking an interest in learning, combining factual content with classroom extension; the language is accessible and the structure clear, making them suitable for primary and secondary school students as extracurricular reading and introductory study. The collection classifies the works under examination preparation, social psychology and inspirational growth, suggesting that beyond cultivating interest, the writing also touches on study methods and personal growth. Overall, Liang Xinyu is an author known for popular, engaging reading materials with wide-ranging subjects, emphasis on readability and practicality, and a substantial body of work in the field of extracurricular reading for young people.