Li Zhi (simplified Chinese: 李贽; traditional Chinese: 李贄; pinyin: Lǐ Zhì, 1527–1602) was a prominent Chinese philosopher, historian and writer in the late Ming dynasty.
He was born in Jinjiang, Fujian province, the descendant of a Persian woman whom his seventh-generation ancestor married. He is also often referred to by his courtesy name Zhuowu (卓吾).
His ancestor was Li Nu, the son of Li Lu. Li Nu visited Hormuz in Persia in 1376, converted to Islam upon marriage to a Persian or an Arab girl, and brought her back to Quanzhou.[1][2][3] However, the new faith didn't take root in his lineage and the family stopped practising Islam during the time of his grandfather.
His philosophy was based upon Neo-Confucianism. Strongly disagreeing with assimilating oneself to conventional behavior, Li Zhi tried to spread his ideas. He can be seen as having been influenced by Wang Yangming (1472–1529), and he preached a form of moral relativism. He denied that women were inferior to men in native intelligence, and that many historical women such as Empress Wu were actually superior. However, he did not believe women should be emancipated and commended widows who chose suicide over remarriage.[4] However, he was accused for his attempt to spread "dangerous ideas" along with other guilts by Zhang Wenda and was ultimately jailed. He committed suicide in prison in 1602.[5]
L. Carrington Goodrich and Chanying Fang, eds., Dictionary of Ming Biography 1368-1644, 2 vols. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1976), II: 807-818
Ray Huang, 1587: A Year of No Significance (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981), pp. 189-221.
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