Chen Chun

Life

In his youth, he studied the examination curriculum; Lin Zongchen recognized his ability and gave him the Jinsi lu (《近思錄》). He later abandoned the examination curriculum after being told that it was not the work of the sages.

In 1190, when Zhu Xi was serving in Zhangzhou, Chen Chun presented himself for instruction, and Zhu Xi placed him in the prefectural academy. He became one of Zhu Xi's favored late disciples and an important transmitter of Southern Song Neo-Confucianism.

He kept aloof from fame and conformity in his native place, lived quietly in retirement, yet became widely known. His concern for the times and discussion of contemporary affairs moved people, and officials from the prefectural level downward treated him with respect. In 1216 he awaited an examination in the capital; on his return he met Zheng Zhiti, prefect of Yanling, who invited him to lecture at the prefectural school.

His examination and office chronology is given in two forms: one account makes him a xianggong jinshi (鄉貢進士) in 1189, records his participation in a special examination in 1217, and says that he was appointed registrar of Anxi the following year; it also records a provisional appointment as registrar of Changtai. Another places the grant of a special appointment as registrar of Anxi in Quanzhou in the sixteenth year of Jiading. The examination labels also include special-recommendation jinshi, special-recommendation examinations, and the da tiao selection; both accounts state that he died before taking up the appointment.

His father-in-law was Li Tangzi (李唐咨), and he was also identified as a filial son. His disciples included Wang Jun (王雋), Jiang Yuquan (江與權), and Zhuo Cong (卓琮); Yang Zhaofu (楊昭復) is also identified as a student. His disciple Chen Yi (陳沂) wrote the Beixi xiansheng xushu (《北溪先生敘述》).

Thought and writings

After Zhu Xi's death, Chen Chun followed the injunction to read every book and investigate every thing; through daily accumulation he came to understand the principles in full and to see their order.

His writings include 《語孟大學中庸口義》, 《北溪字義》, 《字義詳講》, 《北溪先生字義》, 《北溪先生書問》, 《北溪先生答問》, 《嚴陵講義》, 《道學二辨》, 《小學詩禮》, and 《禮詩女學》, as well as 《北溪先生各體詩》 and 《北溪先生各體文》.

His son 榘 compiled his collected poetry and prose as the fifty-volume 《北溪大全集》, while his disciples collected his sayings as 《筠谷瀨口金山所聞》. Other recorded titles include 《論孟學庸口義》, 《北溪先生講義》, 《北溪先生四書字義》, 《北溪字義二卷補遺一卷》, 《北漢先生字義二卷補遺一卷》, and 《北縫先生四書字義二卷首一卷附錄一卷》.