Dong zhongshu biography

Mar 8, © Ulrich Theobald

Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 ( BCE) was a Former Han-period ( BCE-8 AD) philosopher and writer.

He hailed from Guangchuan 廣川 (modern Jingxian 景縣, Hebei) and became an erudite (boshi 博士) for the New-TextGongyang Commentary 公羊傳 of the Confucian ClassicChunqiu 春秋, the "Spring and Autumn Annals".

His philosophical interpretations were highly appreciated by Emperor Wu 漢武帝 (r.

) and he was nominated a "worthy and proficient scholar" (xianliang zhi shi 賢良之士). In his later years, Dong was appointed counsellor (xiang 相) of the Princes of Jiangdu 江都 and Jiaoxi 膠西. Following his philosophical interpretation of the connection between rulership and the will of Heaven, he criticized Emperor Wu's politics in a time when natural disasters befell China.

He was therefore put into jail but soon released. After retirement he dedicated himself to the further study of literature, but he was nevertheless often consulted in important political matters.

Dong Zhongshu's philoso