Geng Dingxiang

出自全球本体聚合平台

公开 可引用 更新于 2026-09-13

Life

His father was Geng Jin and his mother Qin; his great-grandfather was Geng Shiyong and his grandfather Geng Dazhen. His elder brother was Geng Dingce, and his younger brothers were Geng Dingli (耿定理), Geng Dingli (耿定力), and Geng Dingyu (耿定裕). His wife was née Peng; his son was Geng Yingchang and his grandson Geng Yingyu.[3]

In 1552, the thirty-first year of the Jiajing reign, he placed twenty-seventh in the Huguang provincial examination. In 1556 he placed fourth in the metropolitan examination and one hundred and third in the third class of the palace examination, obtaining the jinshi degree; he then underwent service in the Ministry of Personnel and was appointed an official in the Office of Travelers.[4]

After his appointment as an usher, he was promoted to censor and sent to inspect Gansu; he was selected as a probationary Investigating Censor of the Yunnan Circuit in September 1559 and formally appointed the following March, and was known for impartial impeachment. In April he submitted a memorial impeaching Minister of Personnel Wu Peng and his son-in-law Dong Fen; the six charges are assigned to Wu Peng in one account and to Dong Fen in another.[5]

In March 1562 he was put in charge of the schools of South Zhili, and in July 1567 he was promoted to Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review; he returned home on sick leave the following September. In October 1570, during the Longqing reign, he was demoted to Judge of Hengzhou after an official review characterized him as “impetuous and shallow,” in the context of Gao Gong’s dominance. He later became a judicial official of Hengzhou Prefecture and then a Director in the Ministry of Works’ Office of State Farms.[6]

At the beginning of the Wanli reign he was recalled and successively served as an Assistant Director of the Imperial Seal Office, a Vice Director of that office, and a Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Studs; several days later he was promoted to an Assistant Censor-in-Chief assisting the Censorate, then retired. This censorial title appears as both Right and Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief. In July 1578 he was recalled as Governor of Fujian, but requested retirement again in 1580.[7]

In March 1584 he was summoned as Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief assisting the Censorate, becoming Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief in August; he was promoted to Vice Minister of Justice in April 1585 and Right Censor-in-Chief of the Nanjing Censorate in November 1587. In September 1589 he reached the offices of Minister of Revenue and Supervisor of the Granaries; after censorial impeachment that November, he pleaded illness and returned home.[8]

He died in the eighth month of 1596 at the age of seventy-three and was posthumously granted the title Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and the posthumous name Gongjian; the posthumous name Gongsu is also given.[9]

Thought and Teaching

Geng Dingxiang’s learning took Wang Shouren as its basis. He was a Neo-Confucian of the later Yangming tradition, and his teaching was also classified with the Taizhou school. He was initially a friend of Li Zhi and invited him to Huang'an, but they became estranged over their differing views on learning; after the publication of Li Zhi’s *Fenshu*, Geng instructed his disciples to attack him, condemned his advocacy of “mad Chan” as heterodox, and was associated with Li Zhi’s expulsion from Macheng.[10]

In later life he built the Tiantai Academy on Mount Tiantai and, together with his younger brothers Geng Dingli (耿定理) and Geng Dingli (耿定力), lectured and taught; he became known as Master Tiantai. His pupils included Jiao Hong, Zhu Shilu, Xia Zixiao, Wu Lin, Guan Zhidao, and Liu Yuanqing. His teaching emphasized correcting abuses and rescuing learning from error, helped promote the lecture movement of his time, and aimed at improving social customs; some of his positions have been regarded as a forerunner of the Donglin school. Gao Panlong also praised the uprightness of his teaching.[11]

Writings

His writings and associated collections include *Gengzi Yongyan*, *Xianjin Yifeng*, *Geng Tiantai wenji*, *Geng Tiantai xiansheng wenji* in twenty juan, *Yongyan geji*, *Quan zi* in one juan, *Quan zi wu ze*, *Shuofu baojian*, *Shuofu baojian yaolan*, and *Bingyutang yulu*; he also edited *Xiangshan xiansheng yaoyu*.[12]

Office recordsCBDB

Year unknown14
OfficeEraPosting
刑部侍郎Era unknownUnknown
大理寺左寺丞Era unknownUnknown
太僕寺少卿萬曆Unknown
少保Era unknownUnknown
尚寶司少卿萬曆Unknown
尚書Era unknownUnknown
州判官Era unknown橫州
工部屯田司主事Era unknownUnknown
左副都御史Era unknownUnknown
御史Era unknownUnknown
御史Era unknown甘肅巡撫
巡撫Era unknown福建布政司
道御史嘉靖雲南
都察院右都御史萬曆南京

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
曾祖耿世庸–
祖父耿大振–
父耿金–
母秦氏(耿定向母)–
兄耿定策–
弟耿定理1534–1584
弟耿定力–1608
弟耿定裕–
妻子彭氏(耿定向妻)–
子耿應昌–
孫耿應輿–

AliasesCBDB

  • 七 行第
  • 在倫 字
  • 天臺 室名、別號
  • 天臺先生 室名、別號
  • 子承 字
  • 恭簡 諡號
  • 恭肅 諡號
  • 楚侗 室名、別號
  • 端之 字

StatusCBDB

  • 思想家

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
洪啟蒙推薦–
焦竑學生為焦竑–
祝世祿學生為祝世祿–
夏子孝學生為夏子孝–
吳林學生為吳林–
鄒守益為鄒守益所著書作序–
郭子章書序由郭子章所作–
楊起元書序由楊起元所作–
劉元卿書序由劉元卿所作–
焦竑弟子為焦竑–
管志道弟子為管志道–
劉元卿弟子為劉元卿–
王衡墓誌銘由王衡所作–
胡直為胡直作墓誌銘–
鄒德涵為鄒德涵作墓誌銘–
劉應峯為劉應峯作墓誌銘–
陳履祥相識–
宋濂為宋濂作傳–
陳獻章為陳獻章作傳–
海瑞為海瑞作傳–
薛瑄為薛瑄作傳–
呂柟為呂柟作傳–
于謙為于謙作傳–
羅洪先為羅洪先作傳–
王艮為王艮作傳–
劉天和為劉天和作傳–
李學梅為李學梅作傳–
黃卷為黃卷作傳–
黃傑為黃傑作傳–
鄒守益為鄒守益作傳–
劉采為劉采作傳–
洪啟蒙讚揚洪啟蒙之學–
胡宗憲為胡宗憲作祭文–
徐階為徐階作祭文–
李渭為李渭作祭文–
焦竑祭文由焦竑所作–
李維楨祭文由李維楨所作–
顧起元祭文由顧起元所作–
胡直為胡直之書、畫作跋–
程宏忠教授程宏忠–
余純似稱道余純似之文章、學問–
周獻臣墓誌銘由周獻臣作跋–
徐階向徐階致賀–
李維楨家傳為李維楨所作–
王守仁為王守仁作家傳–
王材為王材作神道碑–
焦竑行狀由焦竑所作–
胡直致書胡直–
沈懋學致書沈懋學–
楊豫孫致書楊豫孫–
焦竑致書焦竑–
徐階致書徐階–
胡應嘉致書胡應嘉–
張元抃致書張元抃–
申時行致書申時行–
李贄致書李贄–
鄭洛致書鄭洛–
蔡國珍致書蔡國珍–
王畿致書王畿–
李幼滋致書李幼滋–
洪朝選致書洪朝選–
徐用檢致書徐用檢–
張士佩致書張士佩–
楊起元致書楊起元–
鄒德溥致書鄒德溥–
趙賢致書趙賢–
管志道致書管志道–
劉應峯致書劉應峯–
羅汝芳致書羅汝芳–
鄒元標被致書由鄒元標–
周怡被致書由周怡–
徐階被致書由徐階–
駱問禮被致書由駱問禮–
方弘靜被致書由方弘靜–
王畿被致書由王畿–
姜寶被致書由姜寶–
姜寶被致書由姜寶–
姜寶被致書由姜寶–
徐顯卿被致書由徐顯卿–
劉堯晦被致書由劉堯晦–
唐鶴徵答唐鶴徵書–
潘季馴答潘季馴書–
王道行答王道行書–
李天植答李天植書–
陸樹聲收到陸樹聲的答書–
焦竑收到焦竑的答書–
周怡收到周怡的答書–
徐階收到徐階的答書–
徐階收到徐階的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
張居正收到張居正的答書–
馮琦收到馮琦的答書–
申時行收到申時行的答書–
李材收到李材的答書–
史桂芳收到史桂芳的答書–

Showing the first 100 of 103 records; the interactive page loads the full list.

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 進士(籠統)第三甲第一百零三名
科舉: 鄉貢舉人
學校: 生員(庠生)

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
象山先生要語編纂者
耿天臺先生文集:二十卷
權子 一卷撰著者
權子五則撰著者
碩輔寶鑒撰著者
先進遺風撰著者
庸言各集撰著者

Citations

  1. [1] Identity, dates, and names The principal records give 1524–1596, while the authority entry gives 1597 as the death year; they identify him as a Ming official and thinker or Neo-Confucian scholar and preserve his courtesy names, sobriquets, and late Tiantai appellation.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The main record supplies the name, dates, dynasty, and thinker classification; the aliases identify Zailun, Zicheng, and Duanzhi as courtesy names and Chudong and Tiantai as sobriquets or studio names.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The profile and biographies give 1524–1596, list Zailun, Chudong, and Tiantai Xiansheng, and connect his late Tiantai lectures with the Master Tiantai name.
    • WikidataGeng Dingxiang (Q11610842)The entity and alias data identify Geng Dingxiang, preserve the English and Chinese forms of his names, and give the 1524 and 1596 date values.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The authority entry identifies him as a Ming official, gives the 1597 death range, preserves Zailun, Chudong, and Master Tiantai, and describes his late academy and teaching.
  2. [2] Native place The common native place is Huang’an in Huguang, identified with present-day Hong’an in Hubei; Macheng is an alternative native-place entry.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The address entries mark both Macheng and Huang’an as basic native-place addresses.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The profile and biographies give Huguang Huang’an and identify it with present-day Hong’an, Hubei.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The birthplace field gives Huang’an.
  3. [3] Family The kinship records give his parents, grandparents, siblings, wife, son, and grandson.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The kinship entries name Geng Shiyong, Geng Dazhen, Geng Jin, Qin, Geng Dingce, Geng Dingli (耿定理), Geng Dingli (耿定力), Geng Dingyu, Peng, and Geng Yingchang.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biography confirms the teaching relationship with the younger brothers Geng Dingli (耿定理) and Geng Dingli (耿定力).
  4. [4] Examinations He placed twenty-seventh in the 1552 provincial examination, fourth in the 1556 metropolitan examination, and one hundred and third in the palace examination, then underwent Ministry of Personnel observation and entered the Office of Travelers.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The examination and school entries preserve the ranks 103, 4, and 27.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biography specifies the 1552 and 1556 examination sequence and the Ministry of Personnel and Office of Travelers appointments.
  5. [5] Early career and impeachment He became a censor, inspected Gansu, received the Yunnan censorial appointment, and was involved in an impeachment whose six charges are assigned to Wu Peng in one wording and Dong Fen in another.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biographies describe his censorial career, inspection of Gansu, Yunnan appointment, impartial impeachments, and the six charges against Wu Peng.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The office entries list the Gansu and Yunnan censorial assignments, including the Jiajing thirty-ninth year for Yunnan.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The authority note assigns the six major charges to Dong Fen, Wu Peng’s son-in-law.
  6. [6] Mid-career offices He supervised the schools of South Zhili, became Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review, was demoted at the Longqing fourth-year review, and later served in Hengzhou and the Ministry of Works.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biographies give the school-supervision appointment, the judicial promotion, sick leave, Gao Gong conflict, demotion, and later Hengzhou and Ministry of Works appointments.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The office entries list a Court of Judicial Review vice-directorship, the Hengzhou judge, and the Ministry of Works Office of State Farms director; the left-right designation differs in one entry.
  7. [7] Early Wanli offices He was recalled to offices in the Imperial Seal Office, Court of Imperial Studs, and Censorate, retired, returned as Fujian governor in 1578, and requested retirement again in 1580; the censorial designation has right-left variation.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The profile and chronology give the early-Wanli promotions, retirement, Fujian appointment, and later retirement request, while preserving the two censorial designations.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The office entries list the Imperial Seal Office vice-director, Court of Imperial Studs vice-director, and Fujian governorship.
  8. [8] Late offices He held senior censorial, judicial, Nanjing, and revenue offices from 1584 to 1589, becoming Minister of Revenue and Supervisor of the Granaries before impeachment, illness retirement, and return home.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The chronology gives the Wanli twelfth-to-seventeenth-year appointments and the impeachment, illness retirement, and return home.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The office entries list the Ministry of Justice, Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief, Nanjing Right Censor-in-Chief, and Ministerial office.
  9. [9] Death and posthumous honors The principal biography gives death in the eighth month of 1596 at age seventy-three, the posthumous grant of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and Gongjian; the data also preserve Gongsu as an alternative posthumous name and 1597 as an alternative death year.
  10. [10] Thought and Li Zhi His learning followed Wang Shouren, belonged to the later Yangming tradition, and was classified with the Taizhou school; his friendship and later conflict with Li Zhi culminated in attacks on Li Zhi and his expulsion from Macheng.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biographies state that his learning was based on Wang Shouren, place him in the later Yangming lecture world, and describe his friendship, invitation, estrangement, and criticism of Li Zhi.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The status classification identifies him as a thinker.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The authority note classifies his learning with the Taizhou school and describes the post-Fenshu attacks, heterodoxy charge, and Li Zhi’s expulsion.
  11. [11] Academy, pupils, and influence He built the Tiantai Academy, taught with his younger brothers, had pupils recorded in the relationship data, promoted a corrective lecture movement, and was regarded as an antecedent of Donglin learning; Gao Panlong praised his teaching.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biography describes the academy, teaching with Dingli (耿定理) and Dingli (耿定力), the Master Tiantai name, lecture-movement influence, social aims, Donglin significance, and Gao Panlong’s praise.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The authority note describes the academy, Master Tiantai name, and Taizhou affiliation.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The relationship entries identify Jiao Hong, Zhu Shilu, Xia Zixiao, Wu Lin, Guan Zhidao, and Liu Yuanqing as pupils.
  12. [12] Writings The listed writings and collections include Gengzi Yongyan, Xianjin Yifeng, Geng Tiantai wenji, the twenty-juan Geng Tiantai xiansheng wenji, Yongyan geji, the one-juan Quan zi, Quan zi wu ze, Shuofu baojian, Shuofu baojian yaolan, and Bingyutang yulu; Xiangshan xiansheng yaoyu was edited by him.
    • CBDBGeng Dingxiang (124891)The bibliography lists the Geng Tiantai collection, Quan zi, Quan zi wu ze, Shuofu baojian, Xianjin Yifeng, Yongyan geji, and the edited Xiangshan text, with editorial and authorship roles.
    • Souyun耿定向 (51148)The biography lists Gengzi Yongyan, Xianjin Yifeng, and Geng Tiantai wenji.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database耿定向 (A008541)The authority note lists Bingyutang yulu, Tiantai wenji, and Shuofu baojian yaolan.