Zou Yuanbiao

Life

The Zou family record gives his father as Zou Chao (鄒潮) or Zou Shuangya (鄒雙崖); his great-grandfather was Zou Chunjie (鄒純傑), his grandfather Zou Tingfeng (鄒廷俸), and his mother Lady Luo (羅氏). His elder brothers were Zou Yuanmei (鄒元梅) and Zou Yuanji (鄒元楫), and his younger brothers were Zou Yuanzhu (鄒元柱), Zou Yuanqi (鄒元杞), Zou Yuanti (鄒元梯), Zou Yuanying (鄒元楹), and Zou Yuanxiao (鄒元校); he married Lady Wu and Lady Jiang in succession and had a son, Zou Sui (鄒燧).

As a child he was praised as a prodigy and was said to have mastered the Five Classics at nine; in early adulthood he followed Hu Zhi. In 1573 he passed the Jiangxi provincial examination, with one account placing him fifty-sixth. The placing is also given as fifty-third among tribute students and fifty-sixth as a shengyuan. In 1577 he passed the jinshi examination in the dingchou cohort, ranking 129th in the third class.

After the jinshi examination, he entered the Ministry of Justice for administrative observation. He submitted memorials against Zhang Juzheng’s retention of office during mourning; after three remonstrances, he was beaten eighty strokes and sent to the Duyun Guard in Guizhou, where he spent six years and advanced his study of Neo-Confucian learning.

After Zhang’s death, Sun Jixian recommended his restoration. He was appointed a li ke jishizhong (吏科給事中), also given as li bu jishizhong (吏部給事中), became known for his outspokenness, and repeatedly addressed administrative reform; after offending the emperor, he was again demoted to assistant director in the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel. His recorded offices included Nanjing zhaomo (照磨), Nanjing ministry-of-war zhushi (兵部主事), ministry-of-personnel zhushi (吏部主事), zhushi of the Ministry of War’s Directorate of Military Offices (兵部職方司主事), zhushi and yuanwailang of the Ministry of Personnel’s Office of Evaluation and Seals (吏部驗封司主事、員外郎), langzhong in the Ministry of Justice (刑部郎中), qing of the Court of Judicial Review (大理寺卿), Vice Minister of Justice (刑部右侍郎), and Chief Censor (左都御史).

He returned because of mourning for his mother, although illness is given elsewhere as the reason, and then lectured at home for nearly thirty years, becoming widely known. At the beginning of the Tianqi reign, he returned to court as Left Vice Minister of Personnel, advanced to Vice Minister of Justice, and was appointed Chief Censor; a memorial urging scrutiny of local officials’ character and ability won the praise of the Tianqi emperor, and he also advised that Zhang Juzheng’s official status and hereditary privilege be restored.

Although he initially advocated harmony and avoided inflammatory remonstrance, Wei Zhongxian still regarded him with suspicion. His teaching at the First Goodness Academy (首善書院) brought attacks from the Wei faction and forced him to retire; he later sought withdrawal amid Wei Zhongxian’s abuse of power.

Scholarship and associations

He studied Neo-Confucian learning, taught for decades, took disciples, and established academies. He was counted among the leaders of the Donglin movement and, with Zhao Nanxing and Gu Xiancheng, was known as one of the “Three Gentlemen”; at the beginning of the Tianqi reign he founded the First Goodness Academy and lectured there with Feng Gongding. Early in life he followed Hu Zhi; his friends included Jin Shiheng and Luo Dahong, and his disciples included Liu Tongsheng, Li Banghua, Fu Chaoyou, and Cheng Yong.

Works and posthumous honors

His recorded works include 《頤學集》, 《鄒子願學集》 in eight juan, 《鄒南皐集選》 in seven juan, 《鄒公存真集》 in twelve juan, 《存眞集》, 《太平集》, 《山房集》, and 《願學集》; other titles include 《太平山居疏稿》, 《日新篇》, 《禮記正議》, 《四書講義》, and 《鄒南皐語義合編》.

After his death he received the posthumous name Zhongjie and was granted the honors Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent and Minister of Personnel.