Zhou Dunyi 周敦頤

Zhou Dunyi 周敦頤 (Wade–Giles: Chou Tun-i; 1017–1073) was a Song dynasty Chinese Neo-Confucian philosopher. He conceptualized the Neo-Confucian cosmology of the day, explaining the relationship between human conduct and universal forces. In this way, he emphasizes that humans can master their qi ("vital life energy") in order to accord with nature. He was a major influence to Zhu Xi, who was the architect of Neo-Confucianism. Zhou Dunyi was mainly concerned with Taiji (supreme polarity) and Wuji (limitless potential), the yin and yang, and the wu xing (the five phases). He is also venerated and credited in Taoism as the first philosopher to popularize the concept of the taijitu or "yin-yang symbol".

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Zhou Dunyi 周敦頤 [504] Guangdong TZ, 15.3a. According to his nianpu, in 1031, when his father died, Dunyi's mother travelled to the home of her brother, Zheng(1) Xiang(5) [15288], in Kaifeng. Dunyi was 15 years old at this time. In 1036, Zheng(1) Xiang memorialized an office for Dunyi and in this year he married his first wife, surname Lu(5) (daughter of a Lu(5) San). In 1058, surname Lu(5) died a year after giving birth to Dunyi's first son, Shou [15291]. At this time he held office in Hezhou where Shou was born. In 1059, still in Hezhou, Pu(1) Zongmeng [1408] traveled from Sichuan to meet him and at this time arranged a marriage between Dunyi and his sister. In 1062, surname Pu, gave birth to Dunyi's second (and last son), Dao [16407], in Ganzhou where Dunyi held a post. See Zhou Dunyi, WJ, 185-197. CBD, 2, 1486-90. — RMH

原名惇實 字茂叔 號濂溪 營道人