Zheng Xuan (29 August 127Taiping Guangji vol. 215– July 200According to Zheng Xuan's biography in Book of the Later Han, he died aged 74 (by East Asian reckoning) in the 6th month of the 5th year of the Jian'an era of Liu Xie's reign. This corresponds to 30 Jun to 28 Jul 200 in the Julian calendar. ([建安]五年春....疾笃不进，其年六月卒，年七十四。) Houhanshu, vol.35), courtesy name Kangcheng (), 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.(融才高博洽，为世通儒，教养诸生，常有千数。涿郡卢植，北海郑玄，皆其徒也。) Houhanshu, vol.60 part 1
Biography
Like his teacher, Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan was a member of the Old Text School, which challenged the state orthodox New Text School. His contemporary rival was He Xiu (, 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 interpreting 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. Neither school survived the chaos, but Zheng's conception of Confucianism would be the mainstream interpretation for centuries.
Zheng Xuan notably produced an annotation of the Classic of Poetry, building on the work of Mao Heng's Mao Shi, which would go on to be presented together in parallel together. Their collective work, while significant, would eventually become confused over time, which resulted in academics such as Kong Yingda making considerable effort to separate the two again. Zheng Xuan's work remains important in interpretation of the Classic of Poetry to this day.
In 200, during the Battle of Guandu, the warlord Yuan Shao ordered Zheng to Yuan's stronghold (in modern-day Daming County, Hebei Province), where he died of illness in around July of that year.
Legacy A commemorative shrine of Zheng Xuan in Shandong was rebuilt under the supervision of Ruan Yuan (阮元; 1764–1849) in 1793.Elman, Benjamin A. Classicism, politics, and kingship: the Chang-chou school of New Text Confucianism in late imperial China (e-resource). 1990:220.
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
References
Citations