Zhu Xi ([ʈʂú ɕí]; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician of the Southern Song dynasty.

His works include his editing of and commentaries to the Four Books (which later formed the curriculum of the imperial examinations in China between 1313 and 1905), his writings on the process of the 'investigation of things' (格物; géwù), and his development of meditation as a method for self-cultivation.

He built upon the teachings of the Cheng brothers and others, further developing their metaphysical theories in regards to principle (li) and vital force (qi).

[1] Zhu Xi, whose family originated in Wuyuan County, Huizhou (in modern Jiangxi province), was born in Fujian, where his father worked as the subprefectural sheriff.

In 1179, after not serving in an official capacity since 1156, Zhu Xi was appointed Prefect of Nankang Military District (南康軍), where he revived White Deer Grotto Academy.

[8][9] In 1208, eight years after his death, Emperor Ningzong of Song rehabilitated Zhu Xi and honored him with the posthumous name of Wen Gong (文公), meaning "Venerable gentleman of culture".

Rather than focusing on the I Ching like other Neo-Confucians, he chose to emphasize the Four Books: the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and the Mencius as the core curriculum for aspiring scholar officials.

The Four Books served as the basis of civil service examinations up until 1905,[14] and education in the classics often began with Zhu Xi's commentaries as the cornerstone for understanding them.

Zhu Xi "codified the Cheng brothers' teachings and reworked them into his own philosophical program," moving "from philology to philosophy.

According to Zhu Xi's theory, every physical object and every person has its li and therefore has contact in its metaphysical core with the taiji.

In the process of the waxing and waning, the alternation of these fundamental vibrations, the so-called five elements evolve (fire, water, wood, metal, and earth).

Where taiji is a differentiating principle that results in the emergence of something new, Dao is still and silent, operating to reduce all things to equality and indistinguishability.

Zhu Xi considered the earlier Confucian Xunzi to be a heretic for departing from Mengzi's idea of innate human goodness.

半畝方塘一鑑開， 天光雲影共徘徊。 問渠那得清如許， 為有源頭活水來。 A small square pond an uncovered mirror Where sunlight and clouds linger and leave I asked how it stays so clear it said spring water keeps flowing in.

[21] Zhu Xi practiced a form of daily meditation called jingzuo similar to, but not the same as, Buddhist dhyana or chan ding (禪定; Wade–Giles chʻan-ting).

His meditation did not require the cessation of all thinking as in some forms of Buddhism; rather, it was characterised by quiet introspection that helped to balance various aspects of one's personality and allowed for focused thought and concentration.

While he appeared to have adopted some ideas from these competing systems of thought, unlike previous Neo-Confucians he strictly abided by the Confucian doctrine of active moral cultivation.

His philosophy survived the Intellectual Revolution of 1917, and later Feng Youlan would interpret his conception of li, qi, and taiji into a new metaphysical theory.

Zhu Xi's descendants, like those of Confucius and other notable Confucians, held the hereditary title of Wujing Boshi (五经博士; 五經博士; Wǔjīng Bóshì),[25][26] which translated means Erudite or Doctor of the Five Classics and enjoyed the rank of 8a in the Mandarin (bureaucrat) system.

[27] Zhu Xi had, from an early age, followed his father and a number of great calligraphers at the time in practicing calligraphy.

The Thatched Hut Hand Scroll, one of Zhu Xi's masterpieces in running-cursive script, is in an overseas private collection.

[citation needed] Thatched Hut Hand Scroll contains three separate parts: The calligraphy of Zhu Xi had been acclaimed as acquiring the style of the Han and Wei dynasties.

He was skillful in the central tip, and his brush strokes are smooth and round, steady yet flowing in the movements without any trace of frivolity and abruptness.

It is small wonder that his calligraphy had been highly esteemed throughout the centuries, by great personages as follows: Tao Chung Yi (around 1329～1412) of the Ming dynasty: Whilst Master Zhu inherited the orthodox teaching and propagated it to the realm of sages and yet he was also proficient in running and cursive scripts, especially in large characters.

Wen Tianxiang of the Song dynasty in his postscript for the Thatched Hut Hand Scroll by Zhu Xi: People in the olden days said that there was embedded the bones of loyal subject in the calligraphy of Yan Zhenqing.

Hai Rui of the Ming dynasty in his postscript for the Thatched Hut Hand Scroll by Zhu Xi: The writings are enticing, delicate, elegant and outstanding.