Zhan Ruoshui (, 1466–1560), was a

Chinese philosopher Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn period () and Warring States period (), during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and cultural developmen ...

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

and a

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...

scholar.

Biography

Zhan was born in Zengcheng, Guangdong. He was appointed the president of

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

Guozijian (南京國子監, the Imperial Nanjing University) in 1524. He was later appointed the Minister of Rites (禮部, which mainly administers national ceremony, sacrifice, imperial examination, education, diplomacy, etc.), Minister of Personnel (), and then Minister of War () at

of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

. As a scholar, Zhan is famous for mind theory. He was also a famous educator. In his life he founded and jointly founded more than 40

Shuyuan The ''Shuyuan'' (), usually known in English as Academies of Classical Learning or simply Academies, were a type of school in Imperial China. Unlike national academies and district schools, ''shuyuan'' were usually private establishments built away ...

(書院, Confucian academies). Zhan was a lifelong friend of the philosopher, general, and administrator Wang Yangming. He shared an appreciation of

Lu Xiangshan Lu Jiuyuan (; 1139–1192), or Lu Xiangshan (陸象山; Lù Xiàngshān), was a Chinese philosopher and writer who founded the school of the universal mind, the second most influential Neo-Confucian school. He was a contemporary and the main riv ...

idealism (xinxue), Daoism, and

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

with Wang, although their intellectual paths ultimately diverged.Mote, F.W. Imperial China 900-1800. p. 678.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhan Ruoshui Cantonese philosophers Ming dynasty philosophers 16th-century Chinese philosophers Chinese Confucianists Educators from Guangdong 1466 births 1560 deaths Politicians from Guangzhou Ming dynasty politicians Philosophers from Guangdong