He Ji (1188–1268; some accounts give 1269) was a Southern Song Neo-Confucian scholar. His courtesy name was Zigong, and he was known as Beishan; scholars called him Master Beishan. He was a native of Jinhua in Wuzhou (present-day Jinhua, Zhejiang).
Life
As a young man, He Ji studied the examination curriculum with the local teacher Chen Zhen. At about twenty, he became a student of Huang Gan, a disciple of Zhu Xi, and received the Zhu Xi tradition. He later propagated Zhu Xi learning in Wuzhou, attracting many students; his pupils included Wang Bai, Jin Lixiang, Wang Kaizhi, Wang Ren, Yu Ze, Wang Kan, Ji Yong, He Ziju, Ni Gongwu, Ni Gonghui, Zhang Runzhi, Zhang Bida, Jin Lin, Tong Xie, and Tong Ju.
In 1244, Zhao Ruteng, prefect of Wuzhou, invited him to head Lizhe Academy, but he declined; Zhao also recommended him to the court, but he did not respond to the summons. Zhao Ru'an likewise recommended He Ji and Wang Bai to the court.
In the fifth year of the Jingding era, an imperial search for worthy men and a special recommendation led to his appointment as concurrently assigned Professor of Wuzhou and head of Lizhe Academy, but he declined. After Emperor Duzong's accession, early in the Xianchun era, he was appointed Collator in the Historiographical Institute and Lecturer in the Chongzheng Hall; he resisted the appointment. He was then redesignated a Chengwulang and put in charge of the Western Peak Shrine, with an allowance to be drawn from it, but again refused. He is also styled 主管往來國信所.
He died in the fourth year of the Xianchun era (1268), aged eighty-one; another tradition gives 1269. His posthumous title was Wending.
His grandfather was He Song (1134–1181); he had a brother, He Jian, a son, He Qin, and a nephew, He Feng (1250–1327).
Thought and works
Although rooted in Zhu Xi, his learning introduced many new interpretations. He held that scholarly resolve should be firm and intellectual scope broad; his learning was solid and earnest, in the manner of Han Confucians, and he did not make extensive writing his aim. His compilations were praised for their rigorous selection and arrangement and called a “bridge to Zhu Learning.”
His compilations include the fourteen-volume 《大學發揮》, the eight-volume 《中庸發揮》, the two-volume 《大傳發揮》, the two-volume 《易啟蒙發揮》, the three-volume 《太極通書西銘發揮》, and 《近思錄發揮》; he also produced the thirty-volume 《何北山文集》 and 《何北山先生遺集》. Other works attributed to him include 《金華何北山先生正學編》, 《語孟發揮》, and 《朱子感興詩解》; 《太極通書西銘發揮》 also appears under the separate titles 《太極發揮》, 《通書發揮》, and 《西銘發揮》. Twenty-two poems are recorded.
Afterlife
Wang Bai wrote 《何北山先生行狀》; Jin Lixiang composed sacrificial and blessing texts.
References
- CBDB He Ji (10727)
- 搜韵 何基 (25255)
- Wikidata He Ji (Q9387011)