Zhen Dexiu (1178–1235), a Southern Song statesman and Neo-Confucian scholar. His courtesy name was Jingyuan, also written Xiyuan; it was later changed to Jingxi. He was styled Xishan and was also known as Zhen Xishan and Master Xishan, and he came from Jianzhou Pucheng (modern Pucheng, Fujian).
Life
One account holds that his original surname was Shen (慎), changed to Zhen to avoid the taboo on Emperor Xiaozong’s personal name Zhao Shen (眘). He was from Jianzhou Pucheng, now Pucheng, Fujian. In the fifth year of Qingyuan (1199), he passed the jinshi examination; in the first year of Kaixi he passed the erudite and literary examination and was appointed judge of Nanjian Prefecture. In the first year of Jiading, he was promoted to erudite of the Imperial University and served at the Classics Mat.
His subsequent career included the offices of Collationer (校書郎), Secretary (秘書郎), Junior Supervisor of Military Weapons (軍器少監), Palace Attendant (起居舍人), and Associate Libationer (太常少卿). He then served as vice commissioner of the Jiangdong Circuit and as prefect of Quanzhou, Longxing, and Tanzhou, with a separate appointment as prefect of Hongzhou. After Lizong took the throne, he was summoned as Secretariat Drafter (中書舍人), soon moved to Ritual Official (禮部侍郎) and Director of the Academy (直學士院), and served as Hanlin Academician and drafter of edicts (翰林學士、知制誥). In the first year of Duanping, he was summoned as Minister of Revenue (戶部尚書), again appointed Hanlin Academician and drafter of edicts, and made Participating Administrator (參知政事).
His official record also includes supervising the Ministry of Rites examination (知禮部貢舉事), as well as appointments as tu Xiu of the Jiying Hall (集英殿修撰), tu Xiu of the Youwen Hall (右文殿修撰), Director of the Huiyou Hall (直徽猷閣), Awaiting Commission at the Xianmo Hall (顯謨閣待制), Academician of the Zizheng Hall (資政殿學士), and Reader (侍讀). At court he gained a reputation for outspoken remonstrance, repeatedly submitted forthright proposals on current affairs, and wrote memorials amounting to no fewer than several hundred thousand characters. Shi Miyuan regarded him with apprehension; he was impeached and removed from office, then returned home, but was later reappointed and served as prefect of Quanzhou and Fuzhou. He died in the second year of Duanping (1235), aged fifty-eight, and received the posthumous name Wenzhong.
His mother was Wu, and his father-in-law was Yang Gui; his younger brother was Zhen Delin, his son Zhen Zhidao, his grandsons Zhen Shaozu, Zhen Tongzu, and Zhen Shanmin, and his great-grandsons Zhen Shusun and Zhen Yisun. A direct descendant named Zhen Zhen is also recorded. Zhen Dexiu was on friendly terms with Ye Shaoweng and recommended Zeng Qinian, Liu Kegang, Qian Xiang, and others.
Thought and scholarship
Zhen Dexiu followed Zhu Xi’s learning. After the Qingyuan prohibition of partisan teachings, he contributed substantially to the revival of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. He served at the Classics Mat, and his compilation The Extended Meaning of the Great Learning (《大學衍義》) was considered capable of supplementing Zhu Xi’s Daxue zhangju.
Works
His writings were extensive. Surviving works include the Collected Commentary on the Four Books (《四書集編》), The Extended Meaning of the Great Learning (《大學衍義》), Notes on Reading (《讀書記》), The Correct Canon of Literary Prose (《文章正宗》, compiled), and the Xishan Literary Collection (《西山文集》). Other compositions attributed to him include 《三禮考》, 《諭俗文》, 《心經》, 《西山題跋》, 《四書集編二十六卷》, 《西山先生真文忠公讀書記二十卷》, and 《真西山先生教子齋規一卷》; other transmitted titles include 《西山甲乙稿》, 《西山先生真文忠公集》, 《真文忠公全集》, and 《西山先生詩集》.
References
- CBDB Zhen Dexiu (10258)
- 搜韵 真德秀 (30569)
- 法鼓佛教人名规范数据库 眞德秀 (A003946)
- Wikidata Zhen Dexiu (Q11583182)