Zhou Dunyi
Zhou Dunyi (Chinese: 周敦頤; Wade–Giles: Chou Tun-i; 1017–1073) was a Song dynasty Chinese Neo-Confucian philosopher and cosmologist born during the Song Dynasty. He conceptualized the Neo-Confucian cosmology of the day, explaining the relationship between human conduct and universal forces. In this way, he emphasizes that humans can master their qi ("vital life energy") in order to accord with nature. He was a major influence to Zhu Xi, who was the architect of Neo-Confucianism. Zhou Dunyi was mainly concerned with Taiji (supreme polarity) and Wuji (limitless potential), the yin and yang, and the wu xing (the five phases). He is also venerated and credited in Taoism as the first philosopher to popularize the concept of the taijitu or "yin-yang symbol".
Born in 1017 in Yingdao County, Daozhou prefecture, in present-day Yongzhou, southern Hunan, Zhou was originally named Zhou Dunshi. Raised by a scholar-official family, he was changed his name in 1063 to avoid a character in the personal name of the new Emperor Yingzong.
His father died when he was fourteen and he was taken in by his uncle Zheng Xiang. He received his first posting in government through his uncle. Although very active in his civil service career, he never did achieve a high position or get the "Presented Scholar" degree (jinshi). Some of the positions that he held were district record keeper (1040), magistrate in various districts (1046–1054), prefectural staff supervisor, and professor of the directorate of education and assistant prefect (1061–1064). He resigned from his last post one year before he died. He died near Mount Lu in Jiangxi province in 1073. After his death, Zhou was commonly called Zhou Lianxi for a name he adopted in his retirement that honored the Lian stream near his home. He was nicknamed the "Poor Zen Fellow" by Cheng Yi and posthumously honored as the "Duke of Yuan" (Yuangong) in 1200.
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