Zheng Xuan

This article is about a Chinese philosopher. For the PLA general, see Zheng Xuan (general).

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zheng.

Zheng Xuan (127– c.July 200^[1]), courtesy name Kangcheng (Chinese: 康成), was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and writer who lived towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was born in Gaomi, Beihai Commandery (modern Weifang, Shandong), and was a student of Ma Rong, together with Lu Zhi.^[2]

Zheng Xuan
Traditional Chinese	鄭玄
Simplified Chinese	郑玄
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhèng Xuán Wade–Giles Cheng4 Hsüan2 IPA [ʈʂə̂ŋ ɕɥɛ̌n] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jehng Yùhn Jyutping Zeng6 Jyun4 IPA [tsɛŋ˨ jyn˩] Southern Min Tâi-lô Tēnn Hiân

Fragment from the manuscript of Lunyu, a text by Kong Anguo with commentary by Zheng Xuan. This fragmentary manuscript was found at the Mogao Caves. It is dated to era Longji, 2nd year (i.e. 890 CE), but it could have been copied in the middle of the 8th century. Bibliothèque nationale de France

Like his teacher, he was a member of the Old Text School that was challenging the state orthodox New Text School. His contemporary rival was He Xiu (Chinese: 何休, 129–182). Zheng is notable for his syncretic attempt to bridge the two centuries of rivalry between the two schools. He adopted the strengths of each school in the interpretation of the Confucian classics although he usually favoured the Old Text teachings. He was very influential, but the government never officially adopted his teachings. The Han dynasty was already in decline during his lifetime and collapsed a decade after his death. Both schools did not survive the chaos, but Zheng's conception of Confucianism would be the mainstream interpretation for centuries.

In 200, during the Battle of Guandu, Zheng was ordered by the warlord Yuan Shao to Yuan's stronghold (in modern-day Daming County, Hebei Province), where he died of illness in around July of that year.

The commemorative shrine of Zheng Xuan in Shandong was rebuilt under the supervision of Ruan Yuan (阮元; 1764–1849) in 1793.^[3]

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Zheng Xuan appears in Chapter 22 of the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which dramatises the end of the Han dynasty and the subsequent Three Kingdoms era. Zheng is depicted as living in Xuzhou. Liu Bei asks Zheng to write to Yuan Shao to propose an alliance against the warlord Cao Cao.

See also

• Three Kingdoms
• Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
• Records of the Three Kingdoms
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms