Misplaced Pages

#516483

25-582: The Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu (資治通鑑綱目, "Outline and Details of the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Government "), also known as the Tongjian Gangmu or Gangmu , is an 1172 Chinese history book based on Sima Guang 's 1084 book Zizhi Tongjian . The credited author is the neo-Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi , but its compilation was in fact by Zhu's students. In the words of J. W. Haeger,

50-495: A 'biographical style' ( 紀傳體 ; jìzhuàntǐ ) to a 'chronological style' ( 編年體 ; biānniántǐ ). Guang wrote in a memorandum to the Emperor: Since I was a child I have ranged through histories. It has appeared to me that in the annal-biography form the words are so diffuse and numerous that even an erudite scholar who reads them, again and again, cannot comprehend and sort them out. ... I have constantly wished to write

75-657: A chronological history roughly in accordance with the form of the Tso-chuan ( 左傳 ), starting with the Warring States and going down to the Five Dynasties, drawing on other books besides the Official Histories and taking in all that a ruler ought to know—matters which are related to the rise and fall of dynasties and connected with the joys and sorrows of the people, and of which the good can become

100-486: A model and the evil a warning. Initially, Sima Guang hired Liu Shu ( 劉恕 ) and Zhao Junxi as his main assistants, but Zhao was soon replaced by Liu Ban ( 劉攽 ), a Han history expert. In 1070 Emperor Shenzong approved Guang's request to add Fan Zuyu ( 范祖禹 ), a Tang history expert. Because the Zizhi Tongjian is a distillation from 322 disparate sources, the selection, drafting, and editing processes used in creating

125-623: A project to compile a universal history of China, and granted him funding and the authority to appoint his own staff. His team took 19 years to complete the work and in 1084 it was presented to Emperor Yingzong's successor Emperor Shenzong of Song . It was well-received and has proved to be immensely influential among both scholars and the general public. Endymion Wilkinson regards it as reference quality: "It had an enormous influence on later Chinese historical writing, either directly or through its many abbreviations, continuations, and adaptations. It remains an extraordinarily useful first reference for

150-526: A quick and reliable coverage of events at a particular time", while Achilles Fang wrote "[Zizhi Tongjian], and its numerous re-arrangements, abridgments, and continuations, were practically the only general histories with which most of the reading public of pre-Republican China were familiar." The principal text of the Zizhi Tongjian comprises a year-by-year narrative of the history of China over 294 scrolls, sweeping through many Chinese historical periods ( Warring States , Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Jin and

175-530: A thousand brave people attended his funeral. After the death of Han Tuozhou, Zhu's successor Zhen Dexiu , together with Wei Liaoweng , made Zhu's branch of Neo-Confucianism the dominant philosophy at the Song Court. In 1208, eight years after his death, Emperor Ningzong of Song rehabilitated Zhu Xi and honored him with the posthumous name of Wen Gong ( 文公 ), meaning "Venerable gentleman of culture". Around 1228, Emperor Lizong of Song honored him with

200-721: The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing . This Manchu version was itself translated into French by the Jesuit missionary Joseph-Anna-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla . His twelve-volume translation, the Histoire générale de la Chine... , was published posthumously from 1777 to1783. This Chinese literature-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Zizhi Tongjian In 1065, Emperor Yingzong of Song commissioned his official, Sima Guang (1019–1086), to lead

225-539: The Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu "is doubtless the most influential piece of historical writing in the later Imperial age". The book is sometimes described as a condensed version of Zizhi Tongjian , but it's in fact historical criticism containing copious didactic and ideological rhetoric. The book was later translated into Manchu as the Tung Giyan G'ang Mu ( ᡨᡠᠩ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᡬᠠᠩ ᠮᡠ ) upon the request of

250-645: The Chinese worldview. His works include his editing of and commentaries to the Four Books (which later formed the curriculum of the imperial examinations in China between 1313 and 1905), his writings on the process of the 'investigation of things' ( 格物 ; géwù ), and his development of meditation as a method for self-cultivation. Zhu was a scholar with a wide learning in the classics, commentaries, histories and other writings of his predecessors. In his lifetime, he

275-522: The French Jesuit missionary Léon Wieger . The Zhonghua Book Company edition contains textual criticism made by Yuan dynasty historian Hu Sanxing . The philosopher Wang Fuzhi also wrote a commentary on Tongjian , titled Comments After Reading the Tongjian ( 讀通鑑論 ; Du Tongjian Lun ). Historian Rafe de Crespigny has published annotated translations of chapters 54–59 and 59–69 under

SECTION 10

#1732765708517

300-493: The Sixteen Kingdoms, Southern and Northern dynasties, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties ), supplemented with two sections of 30 scrolls each—'tables' ( 目錄 ; mùlù ) and 'critical analysis' ( 考異 ; kǎoyì ). Sima Guang departed from the format used in traditional Chinese dynastic histories, consisting primarily of 'annals' ( 紀 ; jì ) of rulers and 'biographies' ( 傳 ; zhuàn ) of officials. Instead, Sima shifted from

325-803: The Song dynasty, Zhu Xi's teachings were considered to be unorthodox . Rather than focusing on the I Ching like other Neo-Confucians, he chose to emphasize the Four Books : the Great Learning , the Doctrine of the Mean , the Analects of Confucius , and the Mencius as the core curriculum for aspiring scholar officials. For all these classics he wrote extensive commentaries that were not widely recognized in his time; however, they later became accepted as

350-507: The following number describe each respective dynastic era: Zhu Xi Zhu Xi ( [ʈʂú ɕí] ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi , was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician of the Southern Song dynasty . Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism . He contributed greatly to Chinese philosophy and fundamentally reshaped

375-531: The incompetency and corruption of some influential officials. There were several instances of receiving an appointment and subsequently being demoted. Upon dismissal from his last appointment, he was accused of numerous crimes and a petition was made for his execution. Much of this opposition was headed by Han Tuozhou , the Prime Minister, who was a political rival of Zhu's. Even though his teachings had been severely attacked by establishment figures, almost

400-1291: The posthumous noble title Duke of (State) Hui ( 徽國公 ). In 1241, a memorial tablet to Zhu Xi was placed in the Confucian Temple at Qufu , thereby elevating him to Confucian sainthood . Today, Zhu Xi is venerated as one of the " Twelve Philosophers " of Confucianism . Modern Sinologists and Chinese often refer to him as Zhu Wen Gong ( 朱文公 ) in lieu of his name. Confucianism Persons Topics Neo Confucianism New Confucianism Daoism Persons Topics Legalism Mohism Military and Strategy Han Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism Maoism General topics Vedic philosophy Mimamsa Vedanta Samkhya Yoga Nyaya Navya-Nyāya Vaisheshika Nāstika (heterodox) Tamil Other General topics Jainism Buddhism Traditions Topics Japanese Buddhism Japanese Confucianism Kokugaku Modern Thought Statism Kyoto School Korean Buddhism Korean Confucianism Persons Topics Donghak Modern Thought Persons Topics During

425-532: The significance of the Classic of Filiality ( Xiaojing ). As a youth, he was inspired by Mencius' proposition that anyone could become a sage. Upon his father's death in 1143, he studied with his father's friends Hu Xian, Liu Zihui, and Liu Mianzhi. In 1148, at the age of 19, Zhu Xi passed the Imperial Examination and became a presented scholar ( jinshi ). Zhu Xi's first official dispatch position

450-656: The standard commentaries. The Four Books served as the basis of civil service examinations up until 1905, and education in the classics often began with Zhu Xi's commentaries as the cornerstone for understanding them. The sources of Zhu Xi's new approach to the Confucian curriculum have been found in several works of the Cheng brothers. Zhu Xi "codified the Cheng brothers' teachings and reworked them into his own philosophical program," moving "from philology to philosophy." Zhu Xi maintained that all things are brought into being by

475-518: The titles "Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling" and "To Establish Peace" respectively, covering 157–220 AD, building upon the publication of Achilles Fang 's annotated translation of the next ten chapters (70–79) covering up to 265 AD. There are also self-published translations into English of Chapters 1–8, covering the years 403–207 BC and some additional sections pertaining to the Xiongnu people. The book consisted of 294 chapters, of which

500-496: The union of two universal aspects of reality: qi ( 氣 , sometimes translated as vital – or physical, material – force); and li ( 理 , sometimes translated as rational principle or law). The source and sum of li is the taiji , meaning the Supreme Ultimate. The source of qi is not so clearly stated by Zhu Xi, leading some authorities to maintain that he was a metaphysical monist and others to maintain that he

525-549: The work as well as potential political biases of Sima Guang, in particular, have been the subject of academic debate. In the 12th century, Zhu Xi produced a reworked, condensed version of the Zizhi Tongjian , known as the Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu . This version was itself later translated into Manchu as Tung giyan g'ang mu , upon the request of the Qing Kangxi Emperor . This Manchu version

SECTION 20

#1732765708517

550-766: Was able to serve multiple times as a government official, although he avoided public office for most of his adult life. He also wrote, compiled and edited almost a hundred books and corresponded with dozens of other scholars. He acted as a teacher to groups of students, many of whom chose to study under him for years. He built upon the teachings of the Cheng brothers and others, further developing their metaphysical theories in regards to principle ( li ) and vital force ( qi ). His followers recorded thousands of his conversations in writing. Zhu Xi, whose family originated in Wuyuan County , Huizhou (in modern Jiangxi province),

575-535: Was as Subprefectural Registrar of Tong'an ( 同安縣主簿 ), which he served from 1153 - 1156. From 1153 he began to study under Li Tong, who followed the Neo-Confucian tradition of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi , and formally became his student in 1160. In 1179, after not serving in an official capacity since 1156, Zhu Xi was appointed Prefect of Nankang Military District ( 南康軍 ), where he revived White Deer Grotto Academy . and got demoted three years later for attacking

600-529: Was born in Fujian , where his father worked as the subprefectural sheriff. After his father was forced from office due to his opposition to the government appeasement policy towards the Jurchen in 1140, Zhu Xi received instruction from his father at home. Many anecdotes attest that he was a highly precocious child. It was recorded that at age five he ventured to ask what lay beyond Heaven, and by eight he understood

625-500: Was itself translated into French by Jesuit missionary Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla . His 12-volume translation Histoire générale de la Chine, ou Annales de cet Empire; traduit du Tong-kien-kang-mou par de Mailla (1777–1783) was published posthumously in Paris. The condensed Zizhi Tongjian Gangmu was also the main source for Textes historiques , a political history of China from antiquity to 906, published in 1929 by

#516483