Yan Yuan

Yan Yuan (1635–1704), courtesy name Yizhi or Hunran, and art name Xizhai, was a Chinese classicist, essayist, and philosopher who founded the practical school of Confucianism. This school was intended as a contrast to the more abstract Neo-Confucianism that had dominated Chinese thought for six centuries. Like the Han learning scholars, Yan Yuan rejected the metaphysical speculations of Neo-Confucians. However, he believed Han learning was overly focused on philology and textual criticism, neglecting practical application. His philosophy emphasized the importance of the Six Arts and a pragmatic approach to knowledge and life. Yan Yuan was born on April 27, 1635, in Zhili province (modern-day Hebei). His early life was marked by poverty, as his father was conscripted into the Qing army and never returned. He died on September 30, 1704, in the same province. His ideas were further developed by his disciple Li Gong, leading to the Yan-Li school of thought. His intellectual legacy was later explored by the 20th-century historian Wu Han, who expanded on Yan Yuan's concept of the relationship between history and the present.