Qian Dehong
Encyclopedia
Qian Dehong, or Qian De-hong, Tsien Dehong (Traditional/Simplifed Chinese: 錢德洪/钱德洪), was a notable Chinese
philosopher, writer
, and educator during the mid-late Ming Dynasty
.
, Shaoxing Fu (紹興府/绍兴府; current Ningbo
), Zhejiang Province. His original name was Kuan (宽), and style name
was Hongfu (洪甫). Because his recent ancestry also had the same name, to avoid the taboo
, his name was changed from Kuan to Dehong.
When Qian was young, he settled in Lingxu Hill (霛緒山/灵绪山; aka Lingxushan) and systematically studied the I Ching
, so people also call him Mr. Xushan (緒山先生/绪山先生).
In the 11th Year of Jiajing Era
(嘉靖十一年; 1532), Qian joined the imperial examination
together with Wang Ji
, who was his classmate and also an important confucian philosopher during his time. Qian was qualified and ranked as Jinshi (進士/进士).
He was later matriculated as a local governmental official. Qian spent most of his life as a secretary
for Wang Yangming
, and a lecturer
in several school
s.
(or disciple) of the philosopher Wang Yangming
, together with his classmate Wang Ji. Qian spent most of his life studying confusian classics and developing the philosophy of the Yangming School of Mind (陽明心學/阳明心学; Japanese
: 陽明学; Japanese romanization
: Ōyōmei-gaku, Ō stands for the surname
"Wang", yōmei stands for "Yangming", gaku means "school of learning").
Qian collected and emended Wang's philosophical works. When Wang died, he also edited Wang's full biography
. Qian demonstrated and further developed Wang Yangming's philosophy, especially the explanation of Wang Yangming's influential Four-Sentence Doctrine (四句教), however his interpretation was quite different from his classmate and colleague Wang Ji's.
Qian wrote the preface
and postscript
for Wang Yangming's most important philosophical work - The Record of Teaching and Practising (《傳習錄》/《传习录》)
Modern materials:
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
philosopher, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and educator during the mid-late Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
Biography
Qian was born in YuyaoYuyao
Yuyao is a city in Zhejiang province, China, capital of Yuyao County, Ningbo. Administratively Yuyao is under the direct jurisdiction of Ningbo....
, Shaoxing Fu (紹興府/绍兴府; current Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
), Zhejiang Province. His original name was Kuan (宽), and style name
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
was Hongfu (洪甫). Because his recent ancestry also had the same name, to avoid the taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
, his name was changed from Kuan to Dehong.
When Qian was young, he settled in Lingxu Hill (霛緒山/灵绪山; aka Lingxushan) and systematically studied the I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
, so people also call him Mr. Xushan (緒山先生/绪山先生).
In the 11th Year of Jiajing Era
Jiajing Emperor
The Jiajing Emperor was the 11th Ming Dynasty Emperor of China who ruled from 1521 to 1567. Born Zhu Houcong, he was the former Zhengde Emperor's cousin...
(嘉靖十一年; 1532), Qian joined the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
together with Wang Ji
Wang Ji
Wang Ji may refer to:*Wang Ji , military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history*Wanshū, name borne by several katas in many systems of karate...
, who was his classmate and also an important confucian philosopher during his time. Qian was qualified and ranked as Jinshi (進士/进士).
He was later matriculated as a local governmental official. Qian spent most of his life as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
for Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian philosopher, official, educationist, calligraphist and general. After Zhu Xi, he is commonly regarded as the most important Neo-Confucian thinker, with interpretations of Confucianism that denied the rationalist dualism of the orthodox...
, and a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in several school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s.
Philosophy
Qian was an early studentStudent
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
(or disciple) of the philosopher Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian philosopher, official, educationist, calligraphist and general. After Zhu Xi, he is commonly regarded as the most important Neo-Confucian thinker, with interpretations of Confucianism that denied the rationalist dualism of the orthodox...
, together with his classmate Wang Ji. Qian spent most of his life studying confusian classics and developing the philosophy of the Yangming School of Mind (陽明心學/阳明心学; Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
: 陽明学; Japanese romanization
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
: Ōyōmei-gaku, Ō stands for the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
"Wang", yōmei stands for "Yangming", gaku means "school of learning").
Qian collected and emended Wang's philosophical works. When Wang died, he also edited Wang's full biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
. Qian demonstrated and further developed Wang Yangming's philosophy, especially the explanation of Wang Yangming's influential Four-Sentence Doctrine (四句教), however his interpretation was quite different from his classmate and colleague Wang Ji's.
Qian wrote the preface
Preface
A preface is an introduction to a book or other literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an author's preface...
and postscript
Postscript
A postscript, abbreviated P.S., is writing added after the main body of a letter . The term comes from the Latin post scriptum, an expression meaning "written after" .A postscript may be a sentence, a paragraph, or occasionally many paragraphs added, often hastily and...
for Wang Yangming's most important philosophical work - The Record of Teaching and Practising (《傳習錄》/《传习录》)
Other works
- Contributed to The Record of Teaching and Practising (《傳習錄》/《传习录》)
- Contributed to the Questioning to the Great Learning (《大學問》/《大学问》)
- Edited the A History of Horse and Posthouse Policies (《歷代馬政志》/《历代马政志》), 1 Volume
Main references
Historic records & books:- The Record of Teaching and Practising (《傳習錄》/《传习录》), Ming Dynasty
- The Collection of Xu AiXu AiXu Ai , was an important Chinese philosopher during the mid-late Ming Dynasty. He was also a magistrate and writer.-Biography:...
, Qian Dehong, and Dong YuanDong YuanDong Yuan was a Chinese painter.He was born in Zhongling . Dong Yuan was active in the Southern Tang Kingdom of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period...
(《徐愛錢德洪董澐集》/《徐爱钱德洪董沄集》), Ming Dynasty (Full collections of these three philosophers' works, plus their biographies) - The History of MingHistory of MingThe History of Ming is one of the official Chinese historical works known as the Twenty-Four Histories of China. It consists of 332 volumes and covers the history of Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644, which was written by a number of officials commissioned by the court of Qing Dynasty, with the lead...
(《明史》): Biography of Qian Dehong
Modern materials:
- Ethics in the Confucian Tradition: The Thought of Mengzi and Wang Yangming, by P. J. Ivanhoe, 2002
- Questions on the Great Learning Introduction by Qian Dehong