History of Confucianism's Southern Transmission

Author: He Chengxuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-06-01
Features: He Chengxuan's A History of the Southern Transmission of Confucianism (published by Peking University Press) discusses the spread of Confucianism in China's Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan regions and its subsequent transmission to Vietnam. The author divides the history of the southern transmission of Confucianism into five stages:
Stage 1: The preparatory period for the introduction of Confucianism to Lingnan. It discusses the connections between the Central Plains and Lingnan during the legendary period and the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, as well as the southward spread of Huaxia culture, to illustrate the social and historical conditions for the southern transmission of Confucianism. The author believes that the southward spread of Huaxia culture began in the legendary period, with its origins and early development, flourished during the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, and became a strong tide in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. This laid a spiritual and cultural foundation for the unification of Lingnan by the Qin Dynasty and its formal inclusion in the Chinese territory.
Stage 2: The period of the Han and Three Kingdoms dynasties. Confucianism spread widely in Guangdong and Guangxi and was transmitted to northern and central Vietnam. At that time, Jiaozhou became a cultural center in the south and a meeting point for Chinese and foreign cultures. Prominent Confucian scholars such as Chen Qin, Chen Yuan, Chen Jianqing, and Tu Xie emerged. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the influence of Confucianism in the region further expanded, with political figures and scholars like Zhang Jiuling and Jiang Gongfu advocating Confucian thought. Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan were exiled to Lingnan, each contributing to the southern transmission of Confucianism. This was the third stage of the southern transmission of Confucianism.
Stage 4: The period after the rise of Neo-Confucianism during the Song and Ming dynasties. Many renowned Neo-Confucian scholars such as Zhou Dunyi, the Two Chengs, and Wang Shouren traveled to Lingnan to promote Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue, leading to the rise of various schools, the emergence of talented individuals, and a flourishing trend. The Jiangmen School, represented by Chen Xianzhang, had a significant impact on Chinese intellectual history. Meanwhile, the mainstream of Confucianism in Vietnam during this period was Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, with many Confucian scholars and works appearing.
Stage 5: The 19th century to the modern era. With the decline of feudalism in China and Vietnam and the impact of Western modern thought, Confucianism in both countries declined from its peak, losing its orthodox and dominant status. However, its influence did not disappear.