Qian Dehong

Qian Dehong, born in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, was a notable Chinese philosopher, writer, and educator during the mid-late Ming Dynasty. His original name was Kuan, with the courtesy name Hongfu. Due to ancestral naming taboos, his name was changed to Dehong. Known also as Mr. Xushan, he studied the I Ching extensively. In 1532, Qian qualified as a Jinshi through the imperial examination. He served as a secretary for Wang Yangming and lectured in several schools. As an early disciple of Wang Yangming, Qian was instrumental in developing and propagating the Yangming School of Mind. He meticulously collected and edited Wang Yangming's philosophical works and biographical information, significantly contributing to the preservation and understanding of Wang's thought. Qian also offered his own interpretations of Wang's Four-Sentence Doctrine, which differed from those of his contemporary, Wang Ji. His contributions include prefaces and postscripts for Wang Yangming's seminal work, 'The Record of Teaching and Practising'.