Chen Fuliang

Chen Fuliang (陳傅良) (1137-1203) was a Chinese historian, academician, and philosopher. He was known by the courtesy name Junju (君舉) and had a style name of Zhizhai Xiansheng (止齋先生). He was part of the Yongjia School of the early Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279).

As a direct disciple of Xue Jixuan and mentor to Ye Shi, he was influential in spreading the Yongjia learning. He focused on the restoration of North China and believed that institutional reform was essential to regain national power and recover lands taken by the Jurchen Jin. In his teachings, he emphasized history as a way to address current social issues rather than just for ethical development.

He also conducted extensive research on history and institutional evolution, which he offered unique ideas on military systems, tax reduction, land reforms, and government operations. His focus on institutional changes solidified his status in the Yongjia School and was his main contribution to the school of thought.

Biography

Chen Fuliang came from Wenzhou (modern Rui'an, Zhejiang) from a deprived family. He entered a state university and made acquaintance with the scholar Zhang Shi and writer and philosopher Lu Zuqian (1137-1181). He earned his jinshi degree in 1172. He held various important government positions, starting at Taixue serving as a gentleman for attendance. He then became the controller-general of Fuzhou, military prefect of Guiyang, judicial commissioner in Zhexi, examining editor at the True Records Institute, Vice Director of the Palace Library, houseman, and expositor-in-waiting in the Palace Secretariat. He was also an auxiliary Hanlin academician and an edict attendant (''daizhi'') in the Hall for Treasuring the Heritage (寶謨閣).

Philosophy

Chen was a student of Xue Jixuan (1134-1173) and mentor and follower of Ye Shi (1150-1223).

Education

During the Southern Song period, the structure of the civil examination system stayed mostly the same after its expansion to recruit officials during the reign of Emperor Taizong. During this period, there were disagreements among scholars and intellectuals about what content should be included in the exams. Chen, along with Ye Shi, advocated using history and classical learning to guide writing on government policies and issues. However, they faced opposition from the Chinese Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi and his followers, who argued that moral character is more valuable and should come from deep reading of the Four Books ( Analects, Mencius, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) and engaging in deep inner reflection for self-cultivation.

Governance

Chen studied the Confucian Classics and history to develop a practical philosophy for his role as an administrator in the Sourthern Song dynasty. He was influenced by the ideas of the "human way" (''ren dao'') and "human affairs" (''ren shi''), which he believed should guide honest officials. He thought it was the government’s duty to regain control of the Yellow River plain, an important area lost to the Jurchen Jin. To reclaim the north, the government needed to unite the "people's hearts" and ease their burdens, including reducing taxes.

He believed that practical changes were necessary in administration to achieve success. He reinterpreted the ancient classics to argue that good government relies on strong checks and balances among central and local governments, state institutions and social organizations, public and private sectors, as well as military power and economic resources. He developed his own constitutional theory focused on tension and balance, which shifted the understanding of a good government focused on "wealth and power" (''fuqiang'') to one that is centered on "governance and stability" (''zhi’an''). Chen supported the practical ideas of Chen Liang in a debate with the philosopher Zhu Xi about the moral responsibilities of rulers.

Historiography

Chen Fuliang built on Lu Zuqian's research methods for interpreting the Zuo Zhuan and developed a guideline called the "Penetration of Worldly Changes" (通世變) from the Yongjia School. In his work ''Chunqiu Houzhuan'' (Later Commentary on Spring and Autumn Annals), he used these guidelines to narrate and interpret events from the Spring and Autumn Period, focusing on clarifying textual differences in the Chunqiu and seeking its true meanings in praise and criticism of the chronicle. Using this approach, Chen continued the tradition of interpreting the Classics from the Han Dynasty but also reflected the unique academic style of the Yongjia School in studying both the Classics and history. He was motivated by his dissatisfaction with Neo-Confucian scholars who emphasized metaphysical concepts like "heavenly principles vs. human desires" in relation to the Chunqiu. Instead, he focused on understanding the Chunqiu through practical changes in the world.

By addressing the problematic interpretations of the Cheng Sect, his ideas became widely accepted and helped improve his reputation in academia.

Works

*Chunqiu houzhuan (春秋後傳), 12 volumes
*Lunzu (論祖), 4 volumes
*Aolun (奥論), 5 volumes
*Zhizhai wenji (止齋文集) collected writings which still exists in 52 volumes
*Military System of Past Dynasties, 8 volumes
*Mr. Yongjia's Eight Faces, 13 volumes

Chen also wrote articles for the imperial examinations.

References

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Song dynasty philosophers
12th-century Chinese philosophers
12th-century Chinese historians
Chinese political philosophers