Zheng Xuan (鄭玄) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zheng Xuan was a scholar and Commentator.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Kangcheng	康成	Kangcheng
Alternate name	Zheng Kangcheng	鄭康成
Epithet	the great master	碩

Life and dates

Birth

AD 127 to AD 200 生炎漢之季
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 235

Death

AD 200 其年六月
At Yuancheng 元城 · Age Value: 74 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 243

Age

70
AD 196 to AD 197 入此歲來，已七十矣 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 215
74
AD 200 其年六月 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 243
60
AD 189 時年六十 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 192

Attested activity

AD 127 to AD 200 AD 127-200
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 21, passage 55
AD 127 to AD 200 Eastern Han
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 27, passage 35
AD 200 五年春
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 241
AD 196 to AD 197 入此歲來，已七十矣
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passages 206, 215
AD 200 其年六月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 243
AD 190 to AD 196 國相孔融深敬於玄
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passages 194-195

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AD 196 to AD 200 大將軍袁紹總兵冀州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 231
AD 196 建安元年
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 205
AD 189 to AD 192 後將軍袁隗表為侍中，以父喪不行
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 193
AD 191 to AD 195 會黃巾寇青部，乃避地徐州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 204
AD 160 to AD 200 東漢
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 193
AD 127 to AD 200 炎漢之季
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 235-236, 242
AD 190 董卓遷都長安
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 203
AD 160 to AD 200 論贊述鄭玄定經
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 259-260, 264
AD 127 to AD 200 郑玄说
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 67
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭（鄭玄）
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 33, passages 191, 210
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭康成
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 182; Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 210; History of Song 106, passages 97, 99
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭康成漢末之通儒
Directly stated · Book of Wei 96, passage 146
AD 140 to AD 184 鄭玄…黨事
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 40, passages 169, 182
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄
Directly stated · Book of Song 55, passage 41
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄
Strongly inferred · Book of Wei 96, passage 244
AD 169 to AD 200 鄭玄
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 163, 175
AD 160 to AD 200 鄭玄注
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 275
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄注《論語》
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 75, passages 101-102
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄注曰
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 75, passage 48
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄注禮記
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 223
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄生平
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 31, passage 14
AD 160 to AD 200 鄭玄經註與門人
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 246-252, 254
AD 127 to AD 200 鄭玄雲『夏五廟無太祖』
Strongly inferred · History of Song 106, passage 165
AD 189 靈帝末
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passages 187-188, 192
AD 166 黨事起
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 182

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Zheng Xiaotong (鄭小同)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations · Through Zheng Yi'en (益恩)
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 40, passage 254
Descendant of Zheng Chong (鄭崇)
ancestor eight generations back 八世祖 · paternal line · 8 generations
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 170
Child of Father of Zheng Xuan
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 171
Child of Father of Zheng Xuan
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 193
Child of Mother of Zheng Xuan
mother 母
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 40, passages 207, 209
Parent of Zheng Yi'en (益恩)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 206, 252

Kinship Role sons · Count 1
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 252
Kinship Role younger brothers · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 207

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Line Zheng · Ancestor Person Id Zheng Chong (鄭崇) · Generation Distance 8
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 170

Career and standing

classical commentator 注經家
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 193-194
classical commentator 經註家
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
classical scholar and teacher 儒者
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 233
classicist commentator 經注家
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 163
township clerk 鄉嗇夫
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 171
Chancellor of Zhao 趙相
AD 190 董卓遷都長安 · Appointed but did not reach
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 203

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Palace Attendant 侍中
AD 189 to AD 192 以父喪不行 · Declined
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 193
Flourishing Talent 茂才
Declined
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 238
General of the Household for the Left 左中郎將
Declined
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 238
Minister of Agriculture 大司农
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 67
Grand Minister of Agriculture 大司農
Summoned then resigned
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 239-240
Township of Lord Zheng and Gate of Pervading Virtue 鄭公鄉／通德門
Commemorated
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 200, 202
Ended
Partisan proscription lifted
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 187
Received
Amnesty
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 210
Stated
Poverty
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 181
Suffered
Partisan proscription · Duration Years 14
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 210
partisan prohibition 禁錮
AD 166 黨事起 · Proscription · Banned from office
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 182

Places and affiliations

Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Active in
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 40, passages 249, 259
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Active under
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 187
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Lived under
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 75, passage 101; Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 163; Draft History of Qing 359, passage 182; History of Song 106, passage 97; History of Song 256, passage 275
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 191; Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 193
Polity Eastern Han 漢 · Relation Lived under
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 40, passages 169, 182
Polity Eastern Han 漢 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · History of Song 106, passage 165

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Polity Han 漢 · Relation Lived under
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 235
At Gaomi in Beihai 北海高密
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 169
At Beihai 北海 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 169
At Donglai 東萊 · Relation Resided in
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 181
At Gaomi 高密 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 169
At Gaomi 高密 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 195, 205
At Lu 魯 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 249
At Qi 齊 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 249
At Xuzhou 徐州 · Relation Took refuge in
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 204
At Yuancheng 元城 · Relation Died at
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 243
Organization Gujing Academy 詁經精舍 · Relation Enshrined in
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 364, passage 80

Learning and skills

Institution imperial academy 太學 · Relation Studied at
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 172
Six Arts 六藝
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 208
Subjects Jing Changes, Gongyang Annals, Triple Concordance calendar, Nine Chapters · Teacher Person Id Fifth Yuanxian (第五元先)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 172
Subjects Rites of Zhou, Book of Rites, Zuo Annals, Han Odes, old-text Documents · Teacher Person Id Zhang Gongzu (張恭祖)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 173
Recommended
Credential Worthy, incorrupt, upright, and possessed of the Way 賢良方正有道
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 210
Skill classical exegesis 論贊 · Level lifelong
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 226

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Skill calculation 算 · Level renowned
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 178

Works and attributed material

Classic of Filial Piety commentary (attributed) 孝經鄭玄注
Relation Attributed author · Negated false
Uncertain · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 193, 200-201
reply to He Xiu 答何休
Relation Author · With He Xiu (何休)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 186
Answer to Lin Xiaocun's objections to the Rites of Zhou 答臨孝存周禮難
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
Astronomical treatise on the seven governors 天文七政論
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
critique cracking Mo shou, needling Gao huang, reviving Fei ji 發墨守針膏肓起廢疾
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 184
Lu ritual meaning of di and xia 魯禮禘祫義
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247

Show 39 more source-backed claims

Mao ode genealogy 毛詩譜
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
preface listing his commentaries 鄭玄自序所注衆書
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 194
Refutation of Xu Shen's divergent meanings of the Five Classics 駁許慎五經異義
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
ritual chronology theory (three before, two after) 前三後二
Relation Author
Directly stated · History of Song 107, passage 91
Treatise on the six arts 六藝論
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
Zheng Xuan's diagrams 鄭玄圖
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 143, passage 44
annotation to the Book of Rites 注禮記
Relation Commentary
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 27, passage 146
commentary on reburial 改葬注
Relation Commentary
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 10, passage 15
commentary on Record of Rites Jade Regalia 禮記玉藻鄭注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Wei 96, passage 300
commentary on ritual texts 注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Wei 96, passage 152
commentary on the Amplified Documents 尚書大傳註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Analects 論語註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
Commentary on the Analects 鄭玄注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 75, passage 101
commentary on the Book of Rites 禮記註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Ceremonial 儀禮註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Classic of Filial Piety 孝經註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Documents 尚書註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Liji 鄭玄注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 75, passage 48
commentary on the Mao Odes 毛詩註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Qian xiang calendar 乾象歷註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Tan Gong 檀弓注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 275
commentary on the Zhong hou 中候註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
commentary on the Zhou yi 周易註
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
Zheng commentary on the Classic of Filial Piety 鄭玄《孝經》
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 163
Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Book of Changes 《周易》鄭玄注
Relation Commentator
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 175
Zheng zhi 鄭誌
Relation Subject of
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 246
Zheng zhi 鄭誌
Answers to disciples · Author
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 246
Commentary · Author · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passages 67-68
Commentary · Author · Summary the mourning morning procession means moving the coffin to the temple · Mode quoted-document Speaker Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passages 275-276
Commentary · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 75, passages 101-102
Commentary · Commentator · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 75, passage 48
物猶事也
Commentary · Author
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 223
Commentary · Author
Directly stated · Book of Wei 96, passages 152-156, 163, 184
Doctrine · Author · Direct quotation · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Song Qi (宋祁)
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passages 97, 99
Letter · Author · With Zheng Yi'en (益恩) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 206-230
Quotation · Source author · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 21, passage 55
Quotation · Author · Direct quotation · Mode named-source-report Speaker Zhang Shiyan (張師顏)
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passage 165
Speech · Speaker · With Guo Yuan (國淵)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 251
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Ying Shao (應劭)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 236

Events and relationships

Carried illness to Yuancheng
Forced travel · Patient
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 243
Defeated challengers
Debate · Respondent
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 233-234
Fell ill knowing end near
Illness · Patient
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 242
Fixed classical meanings that had gone astray
AD 160 to AD 200 玄定義乖 · Scholarly · Scholar
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 264
Fled after one night
Flight · Agent
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 191
Fled Yellow Turbans to Xuzhou
Migration · Agent
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 204

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Hired out plowing while hundreds thousands of pupils followed
Personal · Farmer teacher
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 181
Mourned by over thousand former pupils
Funeral · Honoree
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 245
Named the posthumous child Xiaotong because the hand lines resembled his own
AD 196 to AD 200 名之曰小同 · Naming · Namer · With Zheng Xiaotong (鄭小同)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 254
Ordered simple burial
Burial · Decedent
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 244
Questioned Ma Rong on doubts then took leave
Scholarly · Student · With Ma Rong (馬融)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 178
Read day and night without slackening
Education · Student
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 177
Refused court coach
Declined summons · Agent · Mode self-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 211, 213
Refused court robes met in cloth turban
Audience · Guest · With He Jin (何進)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 190
Refuted He Xiu Gongyang works
Scholarly · Critic · With He Xiu (何休)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 184
Retired to cultivate classics behind closed doors
AD 166 黨事起 · Political · Proscribed scholar
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 40, passage 182
Returned Gaomi
AD 196 建安元年 · Travel · Agent
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 205
Returned to support parents after forty
Return home · Agent · Mode self-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 209
Studied in Zhou Qin capitals and provinces
Study travel · Student · Mode self-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 207
Studied three years without audience learned via senior disciples
Education · Student · With Ma Rong (馬融)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 176
Taught with wang bi at yuanjia school
AD 424 to AD 453 元嘉建學之始 · Scholarly · Curriculum author · With Wang Bi (王弼) · Mode quotation Speaker Lu Cheng (陸澄)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 177
Used instead of wang bi
AD 321 晉太興四年 · Scholarly · Commentator adopted · With Wang Bi (王弼) · Mode quotation Speaker Lu Cheng (陸澄)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 175
Visited school official on leave disliked clerkship
Education · Student
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 171
Wandered studying over ten years then returned home
Travel · Student
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 180
Yellow Turbans bowed and spared county
Encounter · Honoree
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 205
Banquet · Guest of honor · With Yuan Shao (袁紹)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 231
Relation Teacher of · Person Guo Yuan (國淵)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 251
Relation Doctrinal opponent of · Person Wang Su (王肅)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 236
Relation Teacher of · Person Wang Ji (王基)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 250
Relation Teacher of · Person Cui Yan (崔琰)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 250
Relation Teacher of · Person Xi Lu (郗慮)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 250
Relation Scholarly opponent of · Person He Xiu (何休)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 184-186
Relation Student of · Person Ma Rong (馬融)
Directly stated · Book of Song 55, passage 196; Book of Wei 96, passage 244
Relation Teacher of · Person Ren Gu (任嘏)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 251
Relation Teacher of many · Quantity thousands
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 192, 245

Assessments and attributes

Assessment arguments thorough and deep; old-text learning became clear · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 186
Assessment called a pure Ru for mastery of classics and commentaries · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 249
Assessment debate-mastery-admired · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 234
Assessment fixed meanings where they had gone astray · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 264
Assessment gathered the great canons, netted many schools, pruned excess and error; scholars knew where to turn · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 259
Assessment his explanation of ji and heng comes closest to the truth · Mode quotation Speaker Wang Fu (王黼)
Directly stated · History of Song 80, passage 308

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Assessment I suspect the Classic of Filial Piety is not Zheng Xuan's commentary · Mode quotation Speaker Lu Cheng (陸澄)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 200
Assessment one school's opinion, insufficient as authority · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Song Qi (宋祁)
Directly stated · History of Song 106, passages 97, 99
Assessment plain in diction and gloss but ridiculed for verbosity · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 248
Assessment Preserve Zheng as before; whether the Xiaojing commentary is authentic, former generations did not mind and it may remain · Mode quotation Speaker Wang Jian (王儉)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 196, 201
Assessment ranked above former classicists; even Confucius's school could not surpass him · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Lord of Yuzhang (豫章君)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 260
Assessment revered-worthy · Mode named-speaker Speaker Wenju (文舉)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 194, 196
Assessment teaching ample and harmonious; Confucian school of an entire age; elders regarded him as a former exemplar and the young did not dare dissent · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passage 235
eight chi tall; drank a hu of wine; elegant brows, bright eyes; mild and imposing bearing
Physical description
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 232
Item decayed book collection 群書 · Relation Possessed · Mode self-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 226
Item parents' unfinished tombs 亡親墳壟 · Relation Concerned with · Mode self-report Source Person Id Zheng Xuan (鄭玄)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 226

Source notes

Cheng doubts Zheng authored the Xiaojing commentary; Jian would still keep it in the curriculum
Field authorship-of-xiaojing-commentary · Witness Person Id Wang Jian (王儉)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 200-201
Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passages 187, 259; Book of Later Han 92, passage 255; Book of Southern Qi 33, passages 191, 210; Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 163, 193; Draft History of Qing 359, passage 182; History of Song 106, passage 97
Value historical
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 275
A circulating Classic of Filial Piety is titled as Zheng Xuan's commentary, but its wording does not resemble his other commentarial works, and his own preface listing the books he commented on does not include the Classic of Filial Piety.
Field attributed-work · Mode quotation Speaker Lu Cheng (陸澄)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 39, passages 193-194
Between Qi and Lu he was taken as their authority
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 249
His other appraisals and promotions of many also proved true as he said
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 251

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His written oeuvre exceeded a million characters
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 247
Identified the rotating component as ji and the aligning component as heng
Directly stated · History of Song 80, passage 308
proscribed together with more than forty men of his commandery including Sun Song
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 40, passage 182

References in the histories

Search passages

History

90 passages

Book of Later Han, Chapter 40Volume 35: Biographies of Zhang, Cao, Zheng · 37 passages

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鄭玄字康成，北海高密人也。 Zheng Xuan, style Kangcheng, came from Gaomi in Beihai commandery.

玄少為鄉嗇夫，得休歸，嘗詣學官，不樂為吏，父數怒之，不能禁。 As a youth he was a township clerk; on leave he visited the local school, found clerking distasteful, and though his father berated him repeatedly could not change his mind.

融素驕貴，玄在門下，三年不得見，乃使高業弟子傳授於玄。 Ma Rong was haughty by nature; Zheng Xuan studied at his gate three years without an interview and learned only through Ma's senior pupils.

玄日夜尋誦，未嘗怠倦。 Zheng Xuan read day and night without slackening.

會融集諸生考論圖緯，聞玄善算，乃召見於樓上，玄因從質諸疑義，問畢辭歸。 When Ma Rong gathered his students to debate charts and weft-books, he heard Zheng Xuan excelled at reckoning and summoned him upstairs; Zheng exhausted his doubts, then bowed out and left.

融喟然謂門人曰：『鄭生今去，吾道東矣。』 Ma Rong sighed to his disciples: "When Zheng goes east, my teaching travels with him."

玄自遊學，十餘年乃歸鄉裏。 More than ten years passed in wandering study before he went home.

玄乃發《墨守》，針《膏肓》，起《廢疾》。 Zheng Xuan breached the Fortress, lanced the Vital Zone, and cured the Morbid Spots.

休見而嘆曰：『康成入吾室，操吾矛，以伐我乎！』 He Xiu exclaimed: "Kangcheng is in my room, wielding my own spear against me!"

初，中興之後，範升、陳元、李育、賈逵之徒爭論古今學，後馬融答北地太守劉瑰及玄答何休，義據通深，由是古學遂明。 Earlier, after Guangwu, Fan Sheng, Chen Yuan, Li Yu, and Jia Kui had wrangled old versus new learning; later Ma Rong answered Liu Gui, prefect of Beidi, and Zheng Xuan answered He Xiu—with such depth that old-text scholarship carried the day.

州郡以進權威，不敢違意，遂迫脅玄，不得已而詣之。 Local authorities, awed by He Jin, pressed Zheng Xuan until he had no choice but to present himself.

玄不受朝服，而以幅巾見。 Zheng Xuan refused court robes and appeared in a scholar's cloth turban.

國相孔融深敬於玄，履履造門。 State chancellor Kong Rong revered him deeply and hurried to his door in his house slippers.

告高密縣為玄特立一鄉，曰：『昔齊置「土鄉」，越有「君子軍」，皆異賢之意也。 He told Gaomi county to carve out a special township, saying: "Qi once founded a 'scholar township' and Yue a 'gentlemen's host'—both honored worthies.

鄭君好學，實懷明德。 Master Zheng loves learning and bears shining virtue.

今鄭君鄉宜曰「鄭公鄉」。 Master Zheng's township should therefore be named the Township of Lord Zheng."

昔東海於公僅有一節，猶或戒鄉人侈其門閭，矧乃鄭公之德，而無駟牡之路！ Even Yu Gong of Donghai, with a single good turn, told his neighbors to broaden his gate—how much more should we for Master Zheng's virtue, when his lane could not fit a team of four!

董卓遷都長安，公卿舉玄為趙相，道斷不至。 Dong Zhuo's move to Chang'an brought a nomination for Zheng Xuan as chancellor of Zhao, but blocked roads kept him from taking up the post.

建安元年，自徐州還高密，道遇黃巾賊數萬人，見玄皆拜，相約不敢入縣境。 In Jian'an 1, returning from Xuzhou to Gaomi, he met tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans who bowed to him and pledged not to cross into his county.

玄後嘗疾篤，自慮，以書戒子益恩曰： When illness laid him low, he wrote to his son Yi'en:

時，大將軍袁紹總兵冀州，遣使要玄，大會賓客，玄最後至，乃延升上坐。 Yuan Shao of Ji invited him to a great banquet; Zheng Xuan came last and was shown to the highest seat.

紹客多豪俊，並有才說，見玄儒者，未以通人許之，競設異端，百家互起。 Yuan's guests were swaggering debaters who, seeing a mere Ru, denied him mastery and tried every paradox from every school.

玄依方辯對，咸出問表，皆得所未聞，莫不嗟服。 Zheng Xuan met each challenge on its own terms, outpaced every question, and said what none had heard; they gasped in admiration.

玄笑曰：『仲尼之門考以四科，回、賜之徒不稱官閥。』 Zheng Xuan smiled: "Confucius tested disciples in four arts; men like Yan Hui and Duanmu Ci never traded on their offices."

紹乃舉玄茂才，表為左中郎將，皆不就。 Yuan Shao then nominated him flourishing talent and recommended him as general of the household for the left; Zheng Xuan refused both.

玄乃以病自乞還家。 He pleaded illness and went home.

時袁紹與曹操相拒於官度，令其子譚遣使逼玄隨軍，不得已，載病到元城縣，疾篤不進，其年六月卒，年七十四。 While Yuan Shao and Cao Cao faced off at Guandu, Yuan Tan sent men to drag him to camp; he yielded, rode sick to Yuancheng, could go no farther, and died there that sixth month at seventy-four.

門人相與撰玄答諸弟子問《五經》，依《論語》作《鄭誌》八篇。 His students collected his replies on the Five Classics and, on the model of the Analects, produced the Zheng zhi in eight chapters.

凡玄所註《周易》、《尚書》、《毛詩》、《儀禮》、《禮記》、《論語》、《孝經》、《尚書大傳》、《中候》、《乾象歷》，又著《天文七政論》、《魯禮禘祫義》、《六藝論》、《毛詩譜》、《駁許慎五經異義》、《答臨孝存周禮難》，凡百餘萬言。 All told he glossed the Changes, Documents, Mao Odes, Ceremonial, Book of Rites, Analects, Filial Piety, Amplified Documents, Zhong hou, and the Qian xiang calendar, and wrote treatises on the seven celestial governors, the Lu ritual meaning of di and xia, the six arts, the Mao ode stemma, a refutation of Xu Shen's divergent glosses, and a reply to Lin Xiaocun's Zhou li critique—well over a million characters.

玄質於辭訓，通人頗譏其繁。 Critics found his glosses plain but wordy.

又樂安國淵、任嘏，時並童幼，玄稱淵為國器，嘏有道德，其餘亦多所鑒拔，皆如其言。 As boys, Guo Yuan of Le'an and Ren Gu drew his praise—Yuan a state vessel, Gu a moral nature—and his other judgments likewise proved true.

玄唯有一子益恩，孔融在北海，舉為孝廉； His only son Yi'en was recommended filial and honest while Kong Rong governed Beihai;

有遺腹子，玄以其手文似己，名之曰小同。 A posthumous child was born; Zheng Xuan, seeing palm lines like his own, named the boy Xiaotong.

鄭玄括囊大典，網羅眾家，刪裁繁誣，刊改漏失，自是學者略知所歸。 Zheng Xuan gathered the great texts, sifted every school, cut bombast and error, and gave scholars a compass.

王父豫章君每考先儒經訓，而長於玄，常以為仲尼之門不能過也。 Fan Ye's grandfather, the lord of Yuzhang, collated earlier masters' glosses and always put Zheng Xuan first, convinced that even Confucius's school did not outrank him.

及傳授生徒，並專以鄭氏家法云。 When he taught pupils himself, he followed only the Zheng method.

玄定義乖，褒修禮缺。 Zheng Xuan set wandering glosses right; Cao Bao patched missing rite.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 75Volume 68: Biographies of Guo, Fu, Xu · 2 passages

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鄭玄注曰：「倫猶類也。」 Zheng Xuan glosses lun as "kind" or "class."

鄭玄注云：「不仁之人，當以風化之。 Zheng Xuan glosses the passage: "the unworthy ought to be reformed by example and teaching, not crushed.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 92Volume 82a: Biographies of Alchemists 1 · 1 passage

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清白有節，博學善交，與鄭玄、陳紀等相結。 He was incorrupt, learned, and befriended men like Zheng Xuan and Chen Ji.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 1 passage

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大司农郑玄说，古者官有大功，则配食其神。 Zheng Xuan notes that great offices “ate beside” the gods they served.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 143Volume 143: Treatises 5 Rites 2 · 1 passage

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又按阮氏、鄭玄圖皆云九寸，《周禮·玉人》職又有九寸之璧。 Further examination shows that both the Ruan clan diagrams and Zheng Xuan's diagrams specify nine cun, and the Office of Jade Workers in the Rites of Zhou also mentions a nine-cun bi.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 10Volume 10 Treatises 2: Rituals 1 · 3 passages

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鄭注改葬云『從廟之廟，禮宜同從墓之墓』。 Zheng Xuan's note on reburial says "Moving from temple to temple should follow the same rule as moving from grave to grave."

鄭、射、王、賀唯云朞則沒閏，初不復區別杖朞之中祥，將謂不俟言矣。 Zheng, She, Wang, and He said only that term mourning absorbs the intercalary; they did not separate xiang within staff-and-term mourning—that surely needs no argument.

所以然者，奔喪禮云『為位不奠』，鄭玄云『以其精神不存乎此也』。 Rush-mourning rites say: "One sets a place but does not offer"—Zheng Xuan: "Because the spirit is not present there."

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 21Volume 21 Biographies 2: Crown Prince Wenhui · 1 passage

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儉曰：「鄭玄云『禮主於敬』，便當是尊卑所同。」 Wang Jian replied: "Zheng Xuan says 'Ritual takes reverence as its foundation'—then high and low should share it alike."

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 31Volume 31 Biographies 12: Jiang Mi, Xun Boyu · 1 passage

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左丞孫敻重奏：「《禮記》女子十五而笄，鄭云應年許嫁者也。 Left vice director Sun Xuan memorialized again: "The Book of Rites caps a girl at fifteen; Zheng Xuan says that is the year when she ought to be pledged in marriage.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 33Volume 33 Biographies 14: Wang Sengqian, Zhang Xu · 2 passages

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汝開《老子》卷頭五尺許，未知輔嗣何所道，平叔何所說，馬、鄭何所異，《指》《例》何所明，而便盛於麈尾，自呼談士，此最險事。 You unfold the Laozi a foot or five into the first fascicle, yet cannot say what Fusi argued, what Pingshu taught, where Ma and Zheng part company, what the Pointers and Examples make plain—and already you brandish the fly-whisk and call yourself a talker. That is the deadliest folly.

設令吾學如馬、鄭，亦必甚勝； Suppose I had studied like Ma and Zheng, I would surely have stood far above you;

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 39Volume 39 Biographies 20: Liu Huan, Di Jin, Lu Cheng · 12 passages

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時國學置鄭王《易》，杜服《春秋》，何氏《公羊》，麋氏《穀梁》，鄭玄《孝經》。 At that time the Imperial University taught Zheng and Wang commentaries on the Changes, Du and Fu on the Spring and Autumn, the He clan on the Gongyang, the Mi clan on the Guliang, and Zheng Xuan on the Classic of Filial Piety.

晉太興四年，太常荀崧請置《周易》鄭玄注博士，行乎前代，于時政由王、庾，皆俊神清識，能言玄遠，捨輔嗣而用康成，豈其妄然。 In the fourth year of Taixing of Jin, Minister of Ceremonies Xun Song requested an Erudite for Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Book of Changes. This had been practiced in former generations; at that time government was in the hands of the Wang and Yu clans—all brilliant men of clear understanding, able to discourse on the abstruse. They set aside Wang Bi and used Zheng Xuan—how could this have been reckless?

太元立王肅易，當以在玄、弼之閒。 In the Taiyuan era Wang Su's Changes was established; it should be placed between Zheng Xuan and Wang Bi.

元嘉建學之始，玄、弼兩立。 When the school was established at the beginning of Yuanjia, Zheng Xuan and Wang Bi were both taught.

逮顏延之爲祭酒，黜鄭置王，意在貴玄，事成敗儒。 When Yan Yanzhi became Libationer, he dismissed Zheng and established Wang; the intent was to honor the abstruse school, and the result was a setback for Confucian learning.

:　　世有一《孝經》，題爲鄭玄注，觀其用辭，不與注書相類。 There is a Classic of Filial Piety in circulation titled as Zheng Xuan's commentary; its wording does not resemble his other commentarial works.

案玄自序所注衆書，亦無《孝經》。 According to Xuan's own preface listing the books he commented on, the Classic of Filial Piety is not included.

依舊存鄭，高同來說。 Preserve Zheng as before—this is the established doctrine handed down.

疑《孝經》非鄭所注，僕以此書明百行之首，實人倫所先，《七略》、《藝文》竝陳之六藝，不與《蒼頡》、《凡將》之流也。 I suspect the Classic of Filial Piety is not by Zheng Xuan. I consider this book to clarify the foremost of the hundred virtues and to stand at the head of human relations. The Seven Summaries and Bibliographic Treatise both list it among the Six Arts—it is not in the class of Cangjie or Fansjiang.

鄭注虛實，前代不嫌，意謂可安，仍舊立置。」 Whether Zheng's commentary is authentic or spurious, former generations did not mind; I consider it acceptable and that it should remain in place as before."

康成生炎漢之季，訓義優洽，一世孔門，褒成竝軌，故老以爲前脩，後生未之敢異。 Zheng Xuan was born at the end of Han; his teaching was ample and harmonious, the Confucian school of an entire age, running on the same track as Baocheng; elders regarded him as a former exemplar, and the young did not dare dissent.

劉瓛承馬、鄭之後，一時學徒以爲師範。 Liu Huan stood in the tradition of Ma and Zheng; the students of the age took him as their model.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 359Volume 359 Biographies 146: Yue Qi, Jing Daoqian, Xie Qikun, Li Diantu, Zhang Shicheng, Wang Shaolan, Li Yichou, Qian Kai, He Shunwu · 1 passage

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去官後，一意著述，以許慎、鄭康成為宗，於儀禮、說文致力尤深，著書皆可傳。 After leaving office he devoted himself entirely to scholarship, taking Xu Shen and Zheng Xuan as his models. He applied himself especially to the Ceremonies and the Shuowen, and his writings are all works of lasting value.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 364Volume 364 Biographies 151: Ruan Yuan, Wang Tingzhen, Tang Jinzhao · 1 passage

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在浙江立詁經精舍，祀許慎、鄭康成，選高才肄業； In Zhejiang he founded the Gujing Academy, honoring Xu Shen and Zheng Xuan, and selected gifted students to study there;

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 33Volume 33: Book of Shu 3: Biography of the Later Lord · 2 passages

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鄭玄日：物猶事也。 Zheng Xuan glosses wu as "affair."

先帝亦言吾周旋陳元方、鄭康成間，每見啟告，治亂之道悉矣，曾不語赦也。 My father used to say that in his talks with Chen Ji and Zheng Xuan every question of order and chaos was covered, yet neither man ever urged him to declare an amnesty.

History of Song, Chapter 80Volume 80 Treatises 33: Measures and Calendar 13 · 1 passage

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唯鄭康成以運轉者為璣，持正者為衡，以今制考之，其說最近。 Only Zheng Xuan identified the rotating component as Ji and the stabilizing component as Heng; compared with the present mechanism, his account comes nearest the truth.