Zhu Xi’s personal information, Zhu Xi’s personal information

? Zhu Xi (1130.9.15～1200.4.23) was named Hui'an, Huiweng, Mr. Kaoting, Yungu old man, Cangzhou sick old man and Niweng. Han nationality, a native of Wuyuan County, Huizhou Prefecture (now Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province) on Jiangnan East Road in the Southern Song Dynasty. At the age of 19, he passed the Jinshi title and served as the pacifier of Jinghu South Road. He was appointed to Baowen Pavilion to wait for the system. During his reign, he issued edicts, punished traitors, and made outstanding achievements. A famous Neo-Confucian, thinker, philosopher, educator, poet, and representative of the Fujian School in the Southern Song Dynasty, known as Zhu Zi in the world, he was the most outstanding master in promoting Confucianism since Confucius and Mencius, and was also the turning point of Confucianism. He proposed the Neo-Confucian ideological system of "preserving heaven's principles and destroying human desires" and was the founder of Cheng (referring to Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi) Zhu School.

Character introduction

Zhu Xi (1130-1202), whose courtesy name was Yuan Hui, later changed to Zhong Hui, also known as Hui'an, also known as ***, was born in Wuyuan, Huizhou (now Jiangxi), and was famous in the Southern Song Dynasty. Neo-Confucian, thinker, philosopher, educator, writer.

He became a Jinshi at the age of 19 and held local official positions many times, but each time was short. During his time in power, he issued edicts, punished traitors, and was upright and upright. However, he was marginalized many times and his official career was bumpy and unsatisfactory. Zhu Xi was not only a famous Neo-Confucian, thinker, and philosopher, but also an educator, poet, and representative of the Fujian School. The world respected him as Zhu Xi and praised him as the most outstanding master in promoting Confucianism since Confucius and Mencius.

In the history of the development of Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Xi is the master of Neo-Confucianism. He inherited the Neo-Confucianism of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi in the Northern Song Dynasty and completed the system of objective idealism. The core category of this system is "Li", also known as "Tao" and "Tai Chi". "Principle" precedes all things and determines the existence of all things. It transcends all things in the world and is an eternal, immortal, objective and natural existence without intention or artificiality. Regarding the relationship between Li and Qi, Li and things, Zhu Xi advocated the unity of Li and Qi. He believed that Li produced all things through Qi and was the basis and essence of all things.

Biographies

In the fourth year of Jianyan reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi was born in Youxi, Nanjian Prefecture (now part of Youxi County, Sanming City, Fujian Province). My mother moved to Chong'an County, where the Ming Dynasty painter Guo Xu painted the "Portrait of Zhu Zi". In his later years, he settled in Kaoting, Jianyang, so he was known as the Kaoting School in later generations, and he traveled widely. Poet, philosopher, and educator in the Southern Song Dynasty. The master of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty inherited the Neo-Confucianism of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi in the Northern Song Dynasty and completed the system of Li-Qi monism.

Zhu Xi was a Jinshi in the 18th year of Shaoxing (1148). In the 21st year of Shaoxing, he was appointed as the chief registrar of Tong'an, Quanzhou. He took office in the 22nd year of Shaoxing. (In the five years before and after Zhu Xi became the chief administrator of Tong'an, he often traveled to various places in Quan to visit friends, seek talents, and find secluded places. The distance between Tong'an and Quanzhou is more than a hundred miles, and Anhai is located between Quan and Tong, so it is a must-go place. Therefore, Zhu Xi Traveling between the two places, he often stayed overnight in Anhai. Every time he passed by Anhai, he visited the relics of Zhu Song and recruited famous Confucian scholars in the town to give lectures on Confucian classics. He studied Neo-Confucianism, lectured everywhere, and promoted his "Tai Chi", which is the "natural principle" and the Neo-Confucian ideological system of "preserving the natural principle and destroying human desires", and became the founder of Cheng (referring to Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi) Zhu School.

In the second year of Chunxi (1175), another school of thought led by Lu Jiuyuan gathered at Ehu Temple in Xinzhou (now Shangrao) to debate the philosophical differences between the two schools.

In the fifth year of Chunxi (1178), Zhu Xi was appointed as the magistrate of Nankang (now Xingzi County, Jiangxi) on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shi Hao. From March to August of the eighth year, Zhu Xi was promoted to Changping, Chayan, Jiangnan West Road, and came to the official residence of Changping Division in Fuzhou. During his tenure, he raised money and grain to provide relief to the victims, so that the people could live in peace. It was planned to reorganize the Secret Pavilion, but those who donated money did not receive rewards and did not take office. Prime Minister Wang Huai recognized the great wilderness in eastern Zhejiang and recommended Zhu Xi to be promoted to Changping in eastern Zhejiang. After the donors received rewards, he went to Shaoxing to take up a job. The later official went to the Secret Pavilion to compile the book, and the Huanzhang Pavilion prepared it and served as a lecturer.

During the Shaoxi period (1190~1194), Zhu Xi was invited by Qiu Kui, a famous scholar who lectured in Zhishan, Xiangzhi, to visit Zhishan, sang with Qiu Kui, and left poems inscribed with Zhishan. , his poem said: "The headrest of the bed is the middle of the stream, and the spring at the bottom of the well leads to the pool under the stone. The guest has never missed the singing of birds, only hearing the rain on the mountains and the flowers." Later generations carved this poem into stone and erected a monument on Zhishan Mountain.

In the second year of Qingyuan (1196), in order to avoid the trouble caused by the powerful minister Han Xian's brother, Zhu Xi and his disciples Huang Qian, Cai Chen, and Huang Zhong came to the side of Shuanglin Temple in Fushan, Xincheng (now Zhushan Village, Sheping Township, Lichuan County) He gave lectures at Wuyitang and wrote the poem "Fushan". During this period, he traveled between Nancheng and Nanfeng. At the invitation of Li Yuanji and Deng Yueli in Nancheng, he wrote an article "Inscriptions of the Jinshi in Jianchang Army", in which he sincerely praised the numerous talents in Jianchang. At the invitation of brothers Wu Lun and Wu Chang of Toadwo Village, Shangtang, Nancheng County, he went to the village to give lectures. He wrote "Rongmuxuan" for the Wu family hall, "Book Building" for the reading pavilion, and the society founded by the Wu brothers. Cang wrote "She Cang Ji". He also wrote a famous poem in the village: "Ask the canal how clear it is, so that there is a source of living water" ("Guanshu Youfei"). After Zhu Xi left the village, the villagers changed Toadwo Village into Yuanyuan Village. During the Republic of China, Huoshui Township (now part of Shangtang Town) was established in memory of Zhu Xi. The two characters "Shu Yan" written by Zhu Xi are engraved on the rock wall of Zeng Gong's study in Nanfeng, and the two characters "Mochi" written by Zhu Xi are engraved on the wall of the small pool under the cave.

Zhu Xi also visited Le'an, Jinxi, Dongxiang and other places. A plaque was inscribed for the "Zhuangyuan Building" at the entrance of the village in Liukeng, Le'an. At the invitation of the Lu brothers, he went to Jinxi Chongzheng Academy to give lectures, and gave them the book "One family of brothers learns, and the heart of a sage will last through the ages." When passing Runxi (the name of the water) in Dongxiang, I left a poem "Crossing Runxi".

Died in the sixth year of Qingyuan. In the second year of Jiading (1207), he was given the posthumous title of Wen by imperial edict, and was given as a gift to a senior official, especially to the bachelor of Baomo Pavilion. In the third year of Emperor Lizong's Baoqing reign (1227), he presented it to the Grand Master, followed a letter to the Duke of Hui, and changed it to the Duke of Hui. In the ninth year of Chunxi's reign, Feng Quji promoted Jiangnan West Road and built Nanhu Academy (today's Fuchi Automobile Factory site) in memory of Zhu Xi.

Zhu Xi is the master of Neo-Confucianism and one of the main representatives of Confucianism in China's feudal era. His academic thoughts have always been the official philosophy of the feudal ruling class in China's Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, marking the more complete ideology of feudal society. In the second year of Emperor Qing's reign (1313) of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination was resumed. The imperial edict determined that Zhu Xi's "Collected Commentary on the Four Books" should be used to test the scholars, and Zhu Xue established it as the examination program. In the second year of Zhu Yuanzhang's Hongwu reign (1369), the imperial examination was based on Zhu Xi and others' annotations. Zhu Xuesui became a powerful spiritual pillar in consolidating the ruling order of feudal society. It strengthened the "Three Cardinal Principles and Five Constant Rules" and played a certain hindering role in the reform of later feudal society. Zhu Xi's academic thoughts also have an important influence in the history of world culture. Zhu Xi's major philosophical works include "Collected Commentary on Four Books", "Four Books or Questions", "Explanation of Tai Chi Diagram", "Explanation of Tongshu", "Interpretation of Ximing", "Original Meaning of Zhouyi", "Enlightenment of Yixue", etc. In addition, there is "Zhu Xi Yu Lei", which is a collection of questions and answers between him and his disciples.

As a famous Neo-Confucian scholar of his generation, Zhu Xi wrote many works, mainly including Annotations on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books, Annotations on Songs of Chu, and The Complete Works of Zhu Xi and Quotations of Zhu Xi compiled by his disciples.

Although his life could not be said to be rich, it could not be said to be poor, and he was generally at a moderately prosperous level.

Historical records

Zhu Xi was born in Youxi (originally part of Nanjianzhou and now part of Sanming), Jiangxi. He studied abroad and lived in Yanping and Jianzhou (now Jianou City, Fujian Province). , Jianyang, and Chong'an area (from today's Nanping City to Jianxi in Wuyishan City), and was buried in Dalin Valley, Huangkeng, Jianyang. His father, Zhu Song, named Qiao Nian and Wei Zhai, was born in Wuyuan, Huizhou in the fourth year of Shaosheng in the Song Dynasty. He died in Huanxi, south of Jianzhou City in the thirteenth year of Shaoxing in the Song Dynasty, and was buried in Wufuli, Chong'an. He was forty-six years old and the first year of Chonghe in the Song Dynasty. He was promoted to Jinshi in 1898, and during the Xuanhe period of the Song Dynasty, he was a captain of Zhenghe County, Fujian Province. He lived in Chong'an, Jianyang (now part of Fujian Province), and later moved to Kaoting. He successively held the posts of Zulang, Libulang, etc. He was known as the officiallangfujun in the world. He was given the title of Tongyi doctor, named the Duke of Guangdong, and was given the posthumous title of Jing and enshrined in the holy temple. He left Zhiraozhou because he opposed Qin Hui's compromise, but died before he arrived.

Zhu Xi's birthplace - Nanxi Academy At this time, Zhu Xi was 14 years old. Following his father's orders, he studied under Liu Zi and others, and settled with his mother in Wufuli, Chong'an (now Wuyishan City, Fujian). When he was 19 years old [the 18th year of Shaoxing (1148)], he took part in the provincial and tribute examinations with his Jianyang residence. Ranked on the Jinshi list. He served as an official in the four dynasties of Gaozong, Xiaozong, Guangzong and Ningzong. He once served as Zhi Nankang, and was appointed to the official affairs of Jiangxi Prison and secret pavilion compilation. Later, he was recommended by Zhao Ruyu and promoted to the position of minister and lecturer of Huanzhang Pavilion.

In the third year of Qingyuan (1197), Han Xiangmeng ostracized Zhao Ruyu, and Zhu Xi was dismissed from his post and returned home. He died of illness in the sixth year of Qingyuan. In the second year of Jiading (1209), he was given the posthumous title of Wen by imperial edict, and was given as a gift to a senior official, especially to the bachelor of Baomo Pavilion. In the third year of Emperor Lizong's Baoqing reign (1227), he presented it to the Grand Master, followed a letter to the Duke of Hui, and changed it to the Duke of Hui. During the reign of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty, he was granted the title of Duke of Qi. In the Ming Dynasty, Zhuang Lie (Chongzhen) was renamed the Xianxian. In the 51st year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, he was promoted from the East Wing to the Dacheng Hall to share the title of philosopher. He is the main representative of the Cheng-Zhu School, and his poems include "Reflections on Reading", "Spring Day", "Riding" and other famous poems.

Zhu Xi was the master of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty. He inherited the works of Cheng Hao and Cheng Hao in the Northern Song Dynasty. Yi's Neo-Confucianism completed the system of objective idealism. He believes that reason is the essence of the world, "reason comes first, Qi comes after", and proposes "preserving natural principles and destroying human desires". Zhu Xi was knowledgeable and had researched Confucian classics, history, literature, music and even natural science. The language of his lyrics is elegant, the style is handsome, and there is no excess or allusion. It can be seen that the wording in many works has been considered and considered carefully. However, the artistic conception of his poems is somewhat more rational than perceptual. This is because he pays attention to the philosophical thought of Neo-Confucianism.

Zhu Xi has been diligent and studious since he was a child, determined to be a saint. Li Tong once praised him: "He is an outstanding person in understanding, and his ability is formidable. He understands the difficulties that surprise him, and understands them closely. He has been traveling for many years, thinking carefully about the reality, and what he has learned is profound." He also said that Zhu Xi was "very diligent in studying, willing to do good and fearful of righteousness, which is rare in our party." (Volume 1 of Chronicles). His official career was difficult, but he was an upright and promising official. Zhu Xi devoted his life to the study of Neo-Confucianism and tried his best to advocate governing the country with Neo-Confucianism, but he was not understood by those in power. Zhu Xi is not only a famous thinker in Chinese history, but also a famous educator. He was enthusiastic about education throughout his life and tirelessly taught apprentices. He made significant achievements in both educational thought and educational practice. Judging from the development of Confucianism in later generations, he spared no effort to push Confucianism to the top (the next step is the cliff), and laid the groundwork for the ideological emancipation of the middle and lower class people in later generations (inhibiting ideological emancipation). He made valuable contributions and poems to the people.

Life story

Zhu Xi visited Buddhism and Taoism in his early years. At the age of 31, he officially became a disciple of Cheng Yi's third disciple Li Tong. He concentrated on Confucianism and became an important figure in Confucianism after Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi. In the second year of Chunxi (1175), Zhu Xi, Lu Zuqian, Lu Jiuyuan and others met at Ehu Temple in Qianshan, Shangrao, Jiangxi Province. This was the famous Ehu meeting, and the differences between Zhu Xi and Lu became clearer. On the basis of "Bailu Chinese Studies", Zhu Xi established Bailudong Academy, formulated the "Academic Rules", lectured and taught apprentices, and promoted Taoism. Yuelu Academy was restored in Tanzhou (today's Changsha, Hunan), and the lectures were based on the principles of learning through theory, practicing against practice, and respect. He inherited the second Cheng and developed it independently to form his own system, which was later known as Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. During his tenure as a local official, Zhu Xi advocated fighting against the Jin Dynasty, subsidizing the people and saving taxes, saving money on light labor, restricting land annexation and usury exploitation, and implementing certain reform measures. He also participated in the suppression of peasant uprisings. During his education, Zhu Xi dabbled in or wrote about Confucian classics, history, literature, Buddhism, Taoism, and natural sciences, and his writings were extensive.

It is said that Zhu Song once asked someone to tell his fortune. The fortune teller said: "You can only be so rich and noble. If you give birth to a child, you will be Confucius." Perhaps later generations will follow suit, but it is a fact that Zhu Xi became a great Confucian. There was Nanjianzhou (later Yanping Prefecture and now Nanping City) near Jianyang, which was the initial spread center of Taoism in the south. Zhu Xi was very keen on Taoism and had close contacts with local Taoists. This environment had a profound impact on Zhu Xi's life. He learned from the teachings of Li Tong, the "Mr. Nan Jiansan" of the Luo School at that time, founded the Fujian School, and collected the great achievements of Neo-Confucianism. Together with "Mr. Nan Jiansan", he was known as the "Four Sages of Yanping".

In his later years, Zhu Xi settled in Kaoting, Jianyang to give lectures. Students from all over the world came from far and wide to study, study Neo-Confucianism, and write books. Together with Cai Yuanding and others, he founded the eye-catching "Kaoting School" in academic history. Therefore, the pavilion is known as the "Southern Fujian Palace", Jianyang is called the "Hometown of Neo-Confucianism", and it is also known as the "Seven Sages of Confucianism" in history because of Zhu Xi, Cai Yuanding, Liu ~, Huang Qian, Xiong He, You Jiuyan and Ye Weiwei. "Hometown." Nowadays, around the Qingming Festival every year, descendants of Zhu Xi from as far away as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan come to pay homage to him. The Neo-Confucianism of the Southern Song Dynasty he founded is still respected by the United States, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and other countries.

Zhu Xi was taught by his father and was extremely smart. When he was four years old, his father pointed to the sky and said, "This is heaven." Zhu Xi then asked, "What is there in the sky?" His father was shocked. He was diligent in thinking and learning, and could read the "Book of Filial Piety" at the age of eight. He wrote an inscription in the book to encourage himself: "If this is not true, he is not a human being." When Zhu Xi was ten years old, his father died. His father's friends Liu Zi, Liu Mianzi, Hu Xian and other three are all Taoists. Some Taoists at that time rejected Buddhism, while others were obsessed with studying Buddhism. They all belonged to the latter. Therefore, Zhu Xi was not only keen on Taoism, but also had a strong interest in Buddhism. In the seventeenth year of Shaoxing (1147), Zhu Xi, who was eighteen years old, participated in the rural tribute. It is said that he was admitted based on the theory of Buddhism and Zen. The examiner Cai Zi also said to people: "I will take the next generation, and all three strategies will be used to deal with major events for the court. I will definitely be extraordinary in the future."

In the eighteenth year of Shaoxing (1148), Zhu Xi passed the exam. Jinshi, he was appointed as the registrar of Tong'an County, Quanzhou in three years, and his official career began from then on. On the way to his post, he met Li Dong, a disciple of the famous Taoist Cheng Yi named "Mr. Nan Jiansan". In the thirtieth year of Shaoxing (1160), thirty-year-old Zhu Xi was determined to learn from Li Dong. To show his sincerity, he walked several hundred miles from Chong'an to Yanping. Li Tong admired this student very much and named him Yuanhui. From then on, Zhu Xi began to establish his own set of objective idealist thoughts - Neo-Confucianism.

Zhu Xi believes that there is a standard above reality and society, which is the standard for all people's behaviors, that is, "natural law". Only by discovering and following the principles of nature can we find truth, goodness and beauty. What destroys this truth, goodness and beauty is "human desire". Therefore, he proposed "preserving heaven's principles and destroying human desires." This is the core of Zhu Xi's objective idealism thought. In the third year of Chunxi (1176), Zhu Xi met Lu Jiuyuan, a famous scholar at the time, at Ehu Temple in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, to exchange ideas. But Lu belongs to subjective idealism. He believes that truth, goodness, and beauty exist innately in people's hearts. He advocates "inventing the original mind", which requires people to discover truth, goodness, and beauty in their own hearts to achieve self-improvement. This is different from Zhu’s objective idealism. As a result, the two argued and quarreled, even ridiculed each other, and broke up unhappy. This is the famous "Ehu Meeting" in the history of Chinese thought. From then on, there were two major schools: "Neo-Confucianism" and "Xinxue".

In the autumn of the thirty-first year of Shaoxing (1161), the relationship between the Song and Jin Dynasties was tense. The ruler of the Jin Dynasty, Wan Yanliang, divided his troops into four groups and marched southward, riding on the north bank of the Yangtze River. Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty was planning to flee south across the sea, but he gave up because his right minister Chen Kangbo tried his best to dissuade him. Soon the Song army defeated the Jin army, and the news reached Yanping where Zhu Xi was studying at that time. Zhu Xi was ecstatic about the nation's victory and wrote a celebratory poem to express his uncontrollable joy. At the same time, he wrote a letter to the minister in charge of military affairs, pointing out that it was necessary to take advantage of the victory to attack, and that it would be unwise to sit back and watch the Central Plains without making progress. Not long after Gaozong abdicated, Xiaozong succeeded him. Under the pressure of the broad masses of the military and civilians, he appointed Zhang Jun from the anti-war faction, overturned Yue Fei's unjust case, and demoted the Qin Hui Party members. At this time, Zhu Xi reported to Xiaozong and made three suggestions. :

(1) Emphasis on the study of things to achieve knowledge;

(2) Deposition and peace negotiation;

(3) Appointment of talents. In the memorial, he clearly expressed his opposition to peace.

This memorial made Zhu Xi fortunate enough to be summoned. He rushed to Lin'an just as the Song army was defeated. The imperial court sent people to negotiate peace. Zhu Xi still strongly opposed it. When Xiaozong received him, he made several memorials and made impassioned speeches. Emperor Xiaozong felt Zhu Xi's loyalty and ordered him to serve as a doctor at the beginning of the school. This position was not his specialty, which was a bit ironic. Zhu Xi took the opportunity to meet with Zhang Jun and put forward specific ideas for the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains. But soon Zhang Jun resigned as prime minister and took up a post in another place. He died of illness on the way. Zhu Xi made a special trip to Yuzhang (today's Nanchang) to cry out and lamented the setback in his fight against the Jin Dynasty.

At this time, the He faction was rampant in the imperial court, and the Jin soldiers crossed the Huai River. Zhu Xi was worried about this, but it was difficult to do anything about it. In the first year of Longxing (1163), Zhu Xi returned to Chong'an, Fujian Province. Before leaving, he wrote in a letter to his friends: "Those who hinder the restoration of the country are talking about peace; those who damage the border areas are prepared for defense. Those who are conventional are talking about peace; those who internally (reveal) the loyalty of our people, but those who reject the hope of coming to the Soviet Union from their homeland are also talking about peace... sharply criticize those who negotiate for peace and surrender.

In 1164, the Jin Dynasty suppressed the Song Dynasty and after the Longxing Agreement, Song and Jin Dynasties became nephews and uncles. The relationship temporarily eased, and Zhu Xi dived into Neo-Confucianism. He built the "Hanquan Jingshe" in his hometown and lived here. For more than ten years, he wrote a large number of Taoist books and engaged in lectures. During this period, he responded to many imperial edicts. In 1178, Zhu Xi made a comeback and served as the "Knowledge of the Southern Kang Army". Although he returned to the official position, he did not forget his identity as a scholar. He established the "Bailudong Academy" in Lushan where Li Bo lived in seclusion during the Tang Dynasty to give lectures and formulate a set of academic regulations:

"Father and son are related, monarch and minister are righteous, husband and wife are distinguished, elders and young are in order, and friends are trustworthy" are the "objectives of the Five Religions". , "Practice it sincerely" is the "preface to learning".

"The key to self-cultivation is to be faithful in words, reverent in deeds, punish anger and suffocation, and correct one's mistakes."

"The principle of political power is not to seek its own benefits, and to understand its way is not to consider its merits."

"Don't do to others what you don't want others to do, and do what you don't want others to do to you." This "Bailudong Academy" later became one of the four famous academies in my country, and its "study rules" became a model for other academies and had a huge influence on later generations.

In 1181, Zhu Xi resigned from his post and returned to his hometown. He built the "Wuyi Jingshe" in Wuyi Mountain, recruited disciples, and spread Neo-Confucianism. In order to help people learn Confucian classics, he also carefully selected "Four Books" ("The Great Learning") from the Confucian classics. , "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius"), and were printed and published. This was a major event in the history of education. "The four books had a profound influence and later became the textbooks of feudal education, making Confucianism the ideology that fully controlled China's feudal society. .

In 1193, Zhu Xi took office in Hunan. Regardless of the government affairs, he presided over the restoration of another famous academy, Yuelu Academy, one of the four major academies. Like Bailudong Academy, it became a place where Zhu Xi lectured and taught disciples and spread Neo-Confucianism. Academies became popular in the Southern Song Dynasty, almost replacing official schools. This prosperity was directly related to Zhu Xi's advocacy.

Although Zhu Xi was not an official for a long time in his life, he always tried hard to ease social conflicts and do good things for the lower class people more or less. During his retreat to Chong'an, famine occurred in Chong'an due to floods, and a peasant uprising broke out. In view of this, Zhu Xi advocated the establishment of "social warehouses" based on official millet, "for those who are willing to lend money, they will earn an interest rate of 10%,... if they are unlucky and hungry, they will have half an interest rate, and those who are rich will have all their interest." The purpose of establishing social warehouses was to prevent landlords and gentry from exploiting farmers with usury during times of famine, which undoubtedly benefited the people. After that, Zhu Xi implemented it in many places. In 1178, Zhu Xi was appointed as the "Knowledge of the Nankang Army" (today's Xingzi area in Jiangxi Province). Shortly after taking office, a famine occurred, and Zhu Xi asked for tax relief. At the same time, he requested the Communist Party of China to build a stone embankment on the Yangtze River. On the one hand, it would solve the problem of disrepair of the stone embankment. On the other hand, it could employ hungry people and solve their problem of lack of food. The hungry people would praise him for his kindness.

In 1190, Zhu Xi learned about Zhangzhou, Fujian Province. At that time, land annexation was prevalent. Bureaucratic landlords took advantage of the situation to annex farmers' cultivated land. However, the tax amount was not allocated to the landlords everywhere, resulting in "uneven land tax" and landless farmers suffered even more. Heavy exploitation and intensified class conflicts. To this end, Zhu Xi proposed "jingjie", that is, verifying the acres of land and paying taxes anywhere. This suggestion was bound to reduce the burden on farmers and harm the interests of large landowners, so it was strongly opposed by the latter. "Jingjie" finally failed to be implemented. Zhu Xi was so angry that he resigned and left to show his independence.

Zhu Xi’s lifelong ambition was to establish Neo-Confucianism and make it the ruling ideology. But because Neo-Confucianism was just coming out, its influence was not deep.

At the same time, Zhu Xi offended powerful officials because of his upright character in the officialdom, which led to Zhu Xi's tragic ending in his later years.

In August 1181, there was a famine in eastern Zhejiang. Zhu Xi was recommended by Prime Minister Wang Huai to serve as a tea and salt official in Changping, Zhejiang East Road. Passing through Hangzhou, I wrote seven letters describing the current situation. After taking office, he visited incognito to investigate current malpractices and the misdeeds of corrupt officials, and impeached a number of corrupt officials and powerful right-wing officials. He did not show favoritism and implicated himself in attacking Wang Huai and others. Therefore, Wang Huai ordered people to write a letter criticizing Neo-Confucianism, denouncing it as "pseudo-science", and Zhu Xi was dismissed and returned home.

In 1187, Zhu Xi took charge of the criminal and prison affairs department of Jiangnan West Road, managing the judicial, criminal and prison, supervision, agricultural and other affairs in Ganzhou (Gan County) and Jiangzhou (Jiujiang). Soon after Wang Huai resigned, Neo-Confucianism gained momentum for a while, and Zhu Xi's official career was even smoother. A few years later, he was recommended by Zhao Ruyu, the prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, and became the emperor's advisor and teacher at Huanzhang Pavilion. Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty, who had just ascended the throne, fully affirmed Neo-Confucianism and called Zhu "Confucianism". This reflected the Southern Song Dynasty's attempt to use Neo-Confucianism to strengthen internal unity. Zhu Xi lectured on "The Great Learning" for Ning Zong, and he gave lectures in the morning and evening on even days. However, he took this opportunity to criticize the government affairs. In the end, Ning Zong was dissatisfied and was accused of interfering in the government affairs and was expelled from the court.

In the first year of Qingyuan (1195), Zhao Ruyu, Zhu Xi's supporter in the imperial court, was trusted by Han Fu and occasionally made many words to block Han's power. Because Zhu Xi had participated in Zhao Ruyu's attack on him, Han launched a campaign to attack "Neo-Confucianism". In the second year of Qingyuan, Ye Zhu wrote a letter requesting that the books of Taoists be "destroyed" and that scholars be selected through the imperial examination. Anyone involved in the process of Zhu Yili would not be selected. Shen Jizu, the supervisory censor, took the opportunity to accuse Zhu Xi of ten crimes and asked him to be executed. Cai Yuanding, Zhu Xi's favorite disciple, was arrested and sent to Daozhou. For a time, Neo-Confucianism lost its prestige and was denounced as "pseudo-study", Zhu Xi was denounced as "pseudo-teacher", and his students were denounced as "pseudo-disciples". Ning Zong changed his old attitude and issued an edict that no "pseudo-learned" people should be recommended as officials.

On the ninth day of March in the sixth year of Qingyuan (1200), Zhu Xi finally died of sorrow and anger at his home in Jianyang at the age of seventy-one. Before he died, he was still revising the "Chapter of Sincerity of the University", which shows how determined he was to establish his own Neo-Confucianism, but he never did so during his lifetime.

Zhu Xi’s major philosophical works include "Collected Commentary on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books", "The Four Books or Questions", "Explanation of Tai Chi Diagram", "Explanation of Tongshu", "Interpretation of Ximing", "Original Meaning of Zhouyi", "Yixue" Enlightenment" etc. In addition, there is "Zhu Xi Yu Lei", which is a collection of questions and answers between him and his disciples.