Ouyang Shoudao (born in 1208 or 1209; usually said to have died in 1273, though one account leaves the death date unknown) was a Southern Song educator and thinker. He was originally named Xun, was styled Yufu and later Gongquan, and in later life used the sobriquet Xunzhai; scholars called him “Master Xunzhai.” He was from Luling, Jizhou (present-day Ji'an, Jiangxi), and was also known as Ou Xun. His direct ancestor was Ouyang Cong, and his son was Ouyang Jun.
Life
Orphaned young and poor, without a teacher, he educated himself. Local people hired him to teach their children; his moral conduct made him a leading Confucian in the commandery, and he became known as the “Pure Confucian of Luling.” In the first year of the Chunyou era (1241), he passed the jinshi examination. He was appointed registrar of Yudu and transferred to Ganzhou as a household officer. After his mother’s death, he returned home to observe mourning.
Jiang Wanli founded Bailuzhou Academy and was the first to invite him to lecture to its students. He later accepted Wu Ziliang’s invitation to serve as deputy head of Yuelu Academy. At Yuelu, he expounded the Mencian teaching of “rectifying the mind” and “carrying on the Three Sages.” After Jiang Wanli entered government as director of the National Academy, he recommended Ouyang as a proofreader in the Historiography Institute. At the beginning of the Jingding era, Ouyang was summoned to sit for the examination for an academy post and was appointed Corrector in the Secretariat. He was then promoted to 校書郎兼景憲府教授 and later to 秘書郎; he was dismissed after speaking out.
In the third year of the Xianchun era under Emperor Duzong (1267), a recommendation led to his appointment as an additional concurrent vice-prefect of Jianchang Commandery, but he declined the post. He was later promoted to 著作佐郎. He concurrently served as 崇政殿說書 and acting 都官郎官, and ended his official career as 著作郎. He died in the ninth year of the Xianchun era (1273), at the age of sixty-five.
Thought and teaching
His teaching ranged widely, but he paid particular attention to the rise and fall of government in earlier periods. Among his pupils were Zhao Mengxian, Song Wu and Liu Qi. Wen Tianxiang also came from his school. Deng Guangjian and Liu Chenweng likewise came from his school.
Works
His works include *易故* and *巽齋文集*. The *巽齋文集* is a twenty-seven-volume collection.
References
- CBDB Ouyang Shoudao (20765)
- 搜韵 歐陽守道 (28766)
- 上海图书馆 ouyangshoudao (fux5a2v0a4ndiuqr)
- Wikidata Ouyang Shoudao (Q45396276)