Henan in Poetry④丨Cheng Brothers: Pioneers of Neo-Confucianism

Towards noon fleecy clouds waft in the gentle breeze

云淡风轻近午天

I cross the stream amid flowers and willow trees

傍花随柳过前川

What do the worldlings know about my hearty pleasure

时人不识余心乐

They'd only take me for a truant fond of leisure

将谓偷闲学少年

Cheng Hao (1032 AD-1085 AD), also called Mr. Mingdao, together with his brother Cheng Yi (1033 AD-1107 AD), known as Mr. Yichuan, are called the "Two Chengs". Because they were natives of Luoyang and often taught their philosophy in Luoyang, their school of philosophy was called the "Luo School". Through the teachings of the "Two Chengs",licame to be regarded as the ultimate reality of the universe.Lidefined as the principal, universal law, or truth underlying and governing all existence was a concept introduced to Neo-Confucianism by the Cheng Brothers. Their philosophy of li later received further development from Zhu Xi. From their mutual efforts grew a major philosophical school of Neo-Confucianism, the Cheng-Zhu school.

程颢(1032-1085)，又称明道先生。程颐(1033-1107)，又称伊川先生。程颢、程颐长期在洛阳讲学，故他们的学说亦被称为洛学。他们的最高哲学范畴是“理”，它作为绝对本体而衍生出宇宙万物。“二程”的理学思想对后世有较大影响，南宋朱熹正是继承和发展了他们的学说，合称为“程朱理学”。（杨佳欣）

Web editor: Li Xiaoshu, Zhang Rui