Lü Zuqian
Lü Zuqian, also known by his courtesy name Bogong, was a writer, historian, and philosopher during the Southern Song dynasty in China. Lü Zuqian's philosophical teachings are known as the "School of Lü," "School of Wuzhou," or "Donglai School.".
Early life
His family originally came from modern Shanxi and moved several times. After the Song court relocated to Hangzhou and established the Southern Song dynasty since Jinkang incident, Lü Zuqian's grandfather settled in Wuzhou, which is now part of modern-day Jinhua, Zhejiang. Many members of his family held high positions in the Song government, and several are noted in historical records from that time.Academic life
Lü Zuqian earned his jinshi degree in 1163 and later became a junior compiler at the Historiography Academy. He benefited from his family's political power and strong education, which allowed him to connect with famous Neo-Confucian scholars like Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi. Together, they were known as the "Three Worthies of the Southeast." Lü Zuqian had friendships with several other scholars such as Chen Fuliang and Chen Liang. He initiated the Swan Lake conference, where Zhu Xi and his rival Lu Jiuyuan discussed their philosophical ideas.He was also appointed one of the chief examiners during the 1172 imperial examinations.