Xu Heng

TimelineCBDB

1. 1260 國子監國子祭酒 中統

Office recordsCBDB

FamilyCBDB

AliasesCBDB

• 仲平 字
• 文正 諡號
• 魯齋 室名、別號

StatusCBDB

• [為官者：文]
• 以疾廢
• 理學家
• 思想家
• 徵至京師

AssociationsCBDB

ExaminationsCBDB

WorksCBDB

Citations

1. [1] Identity and basic biography Xu Heng lived from 1209 to 1281 and is identified as a Yuan-dynasty Confucian scholar, Neo-Confucian thinker, and educator; his courtesy name was Zhongping, his sobriquet Luzhai, and his home was Henei in Huai Prefecture.
   • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The biographical fields provide Xu Heng's name, dates, Yuan affiliation, courtesy name, sobriquet, Henei origin, and Neo-Confucian and thinker classifications.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The profile and biography identify Xu Heng as a Yuan-period figure from Henei in Huai Prefecture, give his dates, and provide the names Zhongping and Luzhai.
   • WikidataXu Heng (Q845669)The English description, aliases, and time claims independently support the English identity, dates, and names used here.
2. [2] Family background Xu Heng came from a family that had been farmers for generations.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographical passage states that his family had traditionally been farmers.
3. [3] Early learning and associations Xu Heng studied the writings of the Cheng brothers and Zhu Xi after receiving them from Yao Shu, lived in seclusion at Sumen with Yao Shu and Dou Mo, and made the practice of the Way his charge.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The two biographies describe his learning from Yao Shu, access to the Cheng and Zhu Xi texts, shared seclusion and study with Yao Shu and Dou Mo at Sumen, and commitment to the Way.
4. [4] Jingzhao appointment In 1254 Xu Heng declined Kublai's summons to the Jingzhao educational post.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographies describe the summons and refusal, while the linked date identifies the fourth year of Xianzong as 1254.
5. [5] Crown Prince and Imperial Academy posts After Kublai's accession, Xu Heng declined the Grand Guardian post and became Libationer of the Imperial Academy.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographical accounts give the sequence from the Crown Prince post to the Imperial Academy and record both titles.
   • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The office entries independently list the Imperial Academy libationer post.
6. [6] Secretariat appointment Early in the Zhiyuan era, specified in one account as its second year (1265), Xu Heng was ordered to deliberate in the Secretariat and submitted memorials of tens of thousands of words.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)One biography gives the second year of Zhiyuan and another says the beginning of Zhiyuan; both describe the Secretariat assignment and the submission of tens of thousands of words, with the linked date identifying 1265.
7. [7] Han institutions and political warning Xu Heng argued that northern rule over the Central Plain required Han institutions for durability and warned of strong resistance to imposing the customs of a fallen state on the old meritorious families.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography preserves his argument for applying Han institutions and his warning about resistance from the old meritorious families.
8. [8] Ritual and official institutions Much of Xu Heng's counsel was kept secret, and he also determined court ritual and official institutions.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography says that much of his counsel was secret and rarely heard of, and that he set court ritual and official institutions.
9. [9] Secretariat vice chancellorship In the seventh year of Zhiyuan (1270), one account calls the office Zhongshu zuocheng, while the office data gives the alternative Zhongshu sheng zuo chengxiang.
   • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographies call the office Zhongshu zuocheng and place the appointment in the seventh year of Zhiyuan, which the linked date identifies as 1270.
   • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The office entry gives the corresponding alternative title 中書省左丞相, represented in the article as Zhongshu sheng zuo chengxiang.
10. [10] Impeachment and teaching Xu Heng impeached Ahema, was appointed Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall concurrently Libationer of the Imperial Academy, and taught Mongol youths.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographies describe the impeachment of Ahema, the Jixian appointment with the concurrent Imperial Academy post, and the instruction of Mongol youths.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The office entries list the Imperial Academy libationer and Jixian Grand Academician posts.
11. [11] Taishi Yuan and the Shoushi calendar In 1279 Xu Heng returned to office, supervised the Taishi Yuan, and completed the Shoushi calendar with Guo Shoujing.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biographies describe his return in the sixteenth year of Zhiyuan, his supervision of the Taishi Yuan, and the completion of the calendar with Guo Shoujing; the linked date identifies 1279.
12. [12] Retirement, death, and Xu Shike Illness led Xu Heng to request retirement; his eldest son Xu Shike was appointed governor of the Huai-Meng Circuit, and Xu Heng died at seventy-three.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography describes his request to return because of illness, the appointment of his son Shike as governor of Huai-Meng Circuit for his care, and his death at seventy-three.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The kinship entry identifies Xu Shike as Xu Heng's eldest son.
13. [13] Final counsel and fourth son Xu Heng's final counsel concerned the burden of empty fame and instructed his son not to seek a posthumous title or erect a stele; Xu Shijing was his fourth son.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography preserves his statement about empty fame, inability to decline office, and the instruction not to request a posthumous title or erect a stele.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The kinship entry identifies Xu Shijing as his fourth son.
14. [14] Posthumous honors Xu Heng received the posthumous title Situ and name Wenzheng in 1298, additional honors in 1309, and enshrinement in the Temple of Confucius in 1313.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography gives the three stages of posthumous honors and Confucian-temple enshrinement; the linked dates identify them as 1298, 1309, and 1313, while the profile lists the corresponding titles.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The alternate-name entry identifies Wenzheng as Xu Heng's posthumous title.
15. [15] Scholarly name and associates Xu Heng was called Master Luzhai; Wang Yun recommended him, and his students included Yelü Youshang and Lü 𡌳.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The biography says that scholars called him Master Luzhai.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The association entries identify Wang Yun as the person who recommended Xu Heng and identify Yelü Youshang and Lü 𡌳 as students.
16. [16] Principal works The works associated with Xu Heng include 《魯齋遺書》, 《讀易私言》, and 《魯齋集》.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The three biographical passages name 《讀易私言》, 《魯齋遺書》, 《魯齋集》, and again 《魯齋遺書》.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The works list contains 《魯齋遺書》 and 《讀易私言》.
17. [17] Additional works The additional titles are 《許氏詩譜鈔一卷》, 《大學直解一卷》, 《中庸直解一卷》, 《稽古千文》, 《許文正公語錄二卷》, 《大學要略》, 《許魯齋先生訓子詩一卷》, 《小學大義》, 《授時歷經一卷》, 《陰陽消長論》, and 《揲蓍說》.
    • CBDBXu Heng (10023)The works list gives these eleven titles and marks each as authored by Xu Heng.
18. [18] Literary profile Xu Heng was a founding grand Confucian rather than a figure known chiefly for literature; his classical verse formed a distinct style, and his regulated verse sometimes contained fine lines.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The literary appraisal calls him a founding grand Confucian, says he was not known chiefly for literature, and describes his classical and regulated verse.
19. [19] Poems and ci poetry The named regulated poems include 《登東城》, 《秋寒》, 《用吳行甫韻》, 《謝梁安撫》, and 《秋霖初霽》; four ci poems survive in 《魯齋遺書》 and 《草堂詩餘》.
    • Souyun許衡 (40233)The literary passage names the five poems, while the other passage states that four ci poems survive in the two cited collections.