11 moments

1. Birth at Youxi

   1130-10-18 · Youxi County, Fujian, China

   

   Zhu Xi was born at Youxi in Fujian during the Southern Song. This is the starting point of the philosopher and educator's documented life. Coordinates represent the modern county seat; the source identifies Youxi but not a more precise birth site.

2. Registrar at Tong'an

   1153-01-01 · Tong'an County, Fujian, China

   

   Zhu Xi began his first government post as subprefectural registrar of Tong'an County, where he worked on local administration and education through 1156. Coordinates represent the historic Tong'an county seat area in modern Xiamen.

3. Audience with Emperor Xiaozong

   1163-11-06 · Lin'an, Southern Song dynasty (present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China)

   

   Zhu Xi arrived at the Southern Song capital to present recommendations to Emperor Xiaozong, including arguments against accommodation with the Jin and for Confucian learning and administrative reform. Coordinates represent central present-day Hangzhou, the site of Southern Song Lin'an.

4. Visited at Wufu, Tanxi

   1175-04-01 · Wufu, Wuyishan, Fujian, China

   

   Lü Zuqian and Pan Jingyu visited Zhu Xi at Wufu in Tanxi shortly before the Ehu meeting, documenting Zhu Xi's presence at this Fujian scholarly residence area. Coordinates represent modern Wufu; the source's Tanxi locality is not more precisely georeferenced.

5. Ehu philosophical meeting

   1175-05-01 · Ehu Academy, Yanshan County, Jiangxi, China

   

   Zhu Xi traveled with Lü Zuqian to Ehu, where he met Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Jiuling in the consequential debate over the proper path of Confucian study and self-cultivation. Coordinates identify the modern Ehu Academy area, used as the defensible representative site for the historical Ehu meeting.

6. Nine-day discussion at Kaihua

   1176-03-01 · Kaihua County, Zhejiang, China

   

   Zhu Xi met Lü Zuqian at Kaihua for a nine-day continuation of discussions prompted by the Ehu debate, making this a distinct documented scholarly journey. Coordinates represent Kaihua's principal settlement; the precise meeting site is not stated.

7. Prefect and academy revival at Nankang

   1179-01-01 · White Deer Grotto Academy, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China

   

   As prefect of Nankang, Zhu Xi pursued educational reform and revived the White Deer Grotto Academy, an institution that became central to the later Confucian academy tradition. The source establishes service in Nankang and revival of the academy; coordinates identify the academy.

8. Second debate at White Deer Grotto Academy

   1181-01-01 · White Deer Grotto Academy, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China

   

   Lu Jiuyuan visited Zhu Xi at Nankang, and Zhu Xi invited him to lecture at White Deer Grotto Academy. Their face-to-face exchange was a second major encounter between their intellectual positions. The source spells Lu Jiuyuan as “Lu Jiyuan”; coordinates identify the academy named in the quotation.

9. Prefect of Zhangzhou

   1190-01-01 · Zhangzhou, Fujian, China

   

   Zhu Xi accepted appointment as prefect of Zhangzhou in Fujian, one of his final substantive local offices and an important setting for his educational and community reforms. Coordinates represent central Zhangzhou; the precise prefectural office site is not specified.

10. Administrator of Tanzhou

    1194-01-01 · Tanzhou (present-day Changsha), Hunan, China

    

    Zhu Xi held office as administrator of Tanzhou, modern Changsha, before departing for the capital later that year. His Tanzhou tenure was among the last official posts of his career. The eighth lunar month is not converted to a Gregorian month; coordinates represent central modern Changsha.

11. Death at Jianyang

    1200-04-23 · Jianyang, Nanping, Fujian, China

    

    Zhu Xi died in Jianyang, Fujian, ending a career that combined scholarship, teaching, academy-building, and intermittent public office. Coordinates represent central Jianyang because the exact death site is not identified by the source.