Zhou Dunyi - Life

Life

Zhou Dunyi (Chou Tun-i) (1017–1073) Born in Yingdao county, Daozhou prefecture, the southern region of Hunan province. He was born under the name Zhou Dunshi to a scholar-official family. He changed his name to Zhou Dunyi in 1063 to avoid the former personal name of the new emperor, Zhao Zongshi (Emperor Yingzong). After his death he was commonly called Zhou Lianxi (周濂溪), a name he adopted in retirement based on the stream (Lianxi, or Lian Stream) that ran by his retirement home near Mount Lu (Lushan).

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), among others. He resigned from his last post one year before he died. He died in Lushan, Jiangxi province.