Historical Influence

This chapter examines the historical influence of Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucianism on academies, lineage organizations, and grassroots society in Fujian and Taiwan during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Focusing on the short-lived Shishan Academy (1890–1905) and its Annals, it shows how Zhu Xi’s teachings were formally enshrined in academy regulations, commemorative portraits, hagiographic biographies, and ritual practices. The chapter then traces Zhu Xi’s scholarly ties to the Chen family of Putian, revealing how personal intellectual bonds evolved into enduring institutional legacies—most notably the Hall of Reverence Academy, which later transformed into a center for Lin Zhao’en’s syncretic Three-in-One Teachings. Challenging modern scholarship’s disproportionate emphasis on the metaphysical dimensions of Zhu Xi’s thought, the chapter highlights his systematic efforts to reshape local society through clan institutions, community compacts, and ritual design. It critically assesses how Ming–Qing state co-optation distorted core Neo-Confucian values—especially chastity and filial piety—into rigid, often coercive social norms, whereas grassroots governance models demonstrated greater resilience. The analysis further traces the transmission of Fujian’s Confucian traditions to Taiwan, underscoring the deep historical entanglement of the two regions. In doing so, the chapter critiques two entrenched scholarly paradigms—over-philosophizing and class reductionism—and identifies three intellectual peaks in Fujian’s Confucian trajectory: Zhu Xi’s synthesis, Li Zhi’s radical humanism, and Yan Fu’s enlightenment thought. Ultimately, it argues that Zhu Xi’s enduring relevance lies not in state-sanctioned orthodoxy but in his practical institutional frameworks for moral cultivation and social governance—models that continue to resonate in contemporary Chinese societies.