Yen Yuan

Yan Yuan (1635–1704) was a Chinese classicist, essayist, and philosopher who founded the practical school of Confucianism. This school was established to contrast with the more abstract and metaphysical Neo-Confucianism that had been prevalent in China for six centuries. Similar to the Han learning scholars, Yan Yuan rejected the abstract metaphysics favored by the Neo-Confucians. However, he found Han learning to be overly focused on philology and textual criticism, believing it lacked sufficient emphasis on practical application. His philosophy promoted the study and practice of the Six Arts, which were essential skills in ancient China. Born on April 27, 1635, in Zhili province (modern-day Hebei), Yan Yuan experienced a difficult youth marked by poverty after his father was conscripted into the Qing army and never returned. He died on September 30, 1704, in the same province. The philosophical ideas of Yan Yuan were further developed by his disciple Li Gong, leading to what is known as the Yan-Li school. In the 20th century, historian Wu Han explored Yan Yuan's intellectual heritage, particularly his concept regarding the relationship between history and the present.