Zhan Ruoshui

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

湛若水 (Zhan Ruoshui)
湛若水 (Zhan Ruoshui)

Zhan Ruoshui (Chinese: 湛若水; pinyin: Zhàn Ruòshuǐ; Wade-Giles: Chan Joshui, 1466–1560), was a Chinese philosopher, educator, and a Confucian scholar.

Zhan was born in Zengcheng, Guangdong. He was appointed the president of Nanjing Taixue (南京國子監, Nanjing Guozijian, the Imperial Nanjing University) in 1524. He was later appointed the Minister of Department of Li (禮部, Li Bu, which mainly administers imperial examination, national sacrifice, ceremony, diplomacy and education), Minister of Governmental Personnel (吏部), and then Minister of Military Affairs for War (兵部) at Nanjing of Ming Dynasty.

As a scholar, Zhan is famous for mind theory. He was also a famous educator. In his life he founded and jointly founded more than 40 Shuyuan (書院, Confucian academies).

Zhan was a lifelong friend of the philosopher, general, and administrator Wang Yangming. He shared an appreciation of Lu Xiangshan idealism (xinxue), Daoism, and Buddhism with Wang, although their intellectual paths ultimately diverged.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mote, F.W. Imperial China 900-1800. p. 678.
 This Chinese biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.