1. Zhou Dunyi was a Chinese cosmologist, philosopher, and writer during the Song dynasty.
20 Facts About Zhou Dunyi
1. 2.
Zhou Dunyi conceptualized the Neo-Confucian cosmology of the day, explaining the relationship between human conduct and universal forces.
3.
Zhou Dunyi was a major influence to Zhu Xi, who was the architect of Neo-Confucianism.
4.
Zhou Dunyi was mainly concerned with Taiji and Wuji, the yin and yang, and the wu xing.
5.
Zhou Dunyi's father died when he was fourteen and he was taken in by his uncle Zheng Xiang.
6.
Zhou Dunyi received his first posting in government through his uncle.
7.
Zhou Dunyi resigned from his last post one year before he died.
8.
Zhou Dunyi died near Mount Lu in Jiangxi province in 1073.
9.
Zhou Dunyi was nicknamed the "Poor Zen Fellow" by Cheng Yi and posthumously honored as the "Duke of Yuan" in 1200.
10.
Zhou Dunyi's offspring held the title of Wujing Boshi.
11.
Zhou Dunyi fused Confucian ethics and concepts from the Book of Changes with Daoist naturalism.
12.
Zhou Dunyi postulated that human beings receive all these qualities and forces in their higher excellence and, hence, are the most intelligent of all creatures.
13.
Zhou Dunyi believed that the five agents corresponded directly to the five moral principles of ren, yi, li, zhi, and xin.
14.
Zhou Dunyi is known to have said that the best quality of life is that of a pure lotus growing out of dirty waters, where the lotus is the natural equivalent of the noble person.
15.
Zhou Dunyi is known for pulling many ideas from Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
16.
Zhou Dunyi had two students who made major contributions to Confucianism: his nephews Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao.
17.
Zhou Dunyi is considered the founding father of that school although there are no references in the Cheng brothers' writings to his contributions.
18.
Zhou Dunyi was a major influence on Zhu Xi, who was considered one of the greatest Confucian thinkers since Confucius himself.
19.
Zhu Xi was known to have said that Zhou Dunyi was the first great sage of the Song dynasty, particularly for his emphasis on the concept of Wuji.
20.
Zhou Dunyi had great insight into the Way of Heaven.