Contemporary Chinese studies of Zhuzi in Mainland China

Z{uphu} Xi (1130–1200) was one of the most influential philosophers in the history of Chinese philosophy. From the beginning of the fourteenth century until 1905, when the examination system was abolished, his and C{upheng} Yi’s interpretations of the Confucian Classics were regarded as orthodox and served as the basis of civil service examinations and intellectual standards for the Chinese literati. His influence was not limited to China, as his thoughts became orthodoxy in Korea and in some important schools of thought in Japan (see Chan). Because of his great contribution to culture, Z{uphu} Xi has been honored as Zhuzi or Z{uphu} Fuzi. This paper will review contemporary Chinese studies of Zhuzi, particularly of his philosophy, that have been conducted in mainland China since 1980.