Zheng Xuan (127– July 200),

courtesy name A courtesy name ( zh, s=字, p=zì, l=character), also known as a style name, is an additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. This tradition is prevalent in the East Asian cultural sphere, particula ...

Kangcheng (), was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and writer who lived towards the end of the

Eastern Han The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

dynasty. He was born in Gaomi, Beihai Commandery (modern Weifang, Shandong), and was a student of Ma Rong, together with Lu Zhi. Like his teacher, he was a member of the Old Text School that was challenging the state orthodox New Text School. His contemporary rival was He Xiu (, 129–182). Zheng is notable for his syncretic attempt to bridge the two centuries of rivalry between the two schools. He adopted the strengths of each school in the interpretation of the

Confucian classics The Chinese classics or canonical texts are the works of Chinese literature authored prior to the establishment of the imperial Qin dynasty in 221 BC. Prominent examples include the Four Books and Five Classics in the Neo-Confucian traditi ...

although he usually favoured the Old Text teachings. He was very influential, but the government never officially adopted his teachings. The Han dynasty was already in decline during his lifetime and collapsed a decade after his death. Both schools did not survive the chaos, but Zheng's conception of

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...

would be the mainstream interpretation for centuries. In 200, during the Battle of Guandu, Zheng was ordered by the warlord

Yuan Shao Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred tow ...

to Yuan's stronghold (in modern-day Daming County, Hebei Province), where he died of illness in around July of that year. The commemorative shrine of Zheng Xuan in Shandong was rebuilt under the supervision of

Ruan Yuan Ruan Yuan (; 1764–1849), courtesy name Boyuan (伯元), art name Yuntai (芸臺), posthumous name Wenda (文達), was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer of the Qing dynasty who was the most prominent Chinese scholar during the first ...

(阮元; 1764–1849) in 1793.Elman, Benjamin A. ''Classicism, politics, and kingship: the Chang-chou school of New Text Confucianism in late imperial China'' (e-resource). 1990:220.

In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

Zheng Xuan appears in Chapter 22 of the novel ''

Romance of the Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD and ...

'', which dramatises the end of the Han dynasty and the subsequent Three Kingdoms era. Zheng is depicted as living in

Xuzhou Xuzhou ( zh, s=徐州), also known as Pengcheng () in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 Chinese census, 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in ...

Liu Bei Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a China, Chinese warlord in the late Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty who later became the founding Emperor of China, emperor of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms of ...

asks Zheng to write to Yuan Shao to propose an alliance against the warlord

Cao Cao Cao Cao (; ; ; 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty (), ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation f ...

References

Citations

* 127 births 200 deaths 2nd-century Confucianists 2nd-century Chinese philosophers Chinese Confucianists Han dynasty essayists Philosophers from Shandong Poets from Shandong Writers from Weifang {{Confucianism-stub

In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

See also

References

Citations