author
Zhen Dai
1724–1777
A brilliant Qing dynasty scholar, he brought fresh energy to classical learning by combining philosophy with careful work in language, history, and evidence. His writing helped challenge older orthodox ideas and made him one of the most influential Chinese thinkers of the 18th century.
1 Audiobook
孟子字義疏證
by Zhen Dai
About the author
Born in Xiuning, Anhui, in 1724, Dai Zhen was a leading scholar of the Qing dynasty known for work that ranged across philosophy, philology, mathematics, and geography. He became especially associated with the evidential research movement, which valued close reading, textual accuracy, and careful argument.
Dai Zhen is often remembered for questioning parts of Song-Ming Neo-Confucian orthodoxy and for developing a more grounded approach to ethics and human nature. Rather than relying only on abstract principle, he tied moral understanding to real human feelings, experience, and the disciplined study of classical texts.
Late in life, his scholarly reputation earned him a role in the great imperial Siku Quanshu project in Beijing. Although he died in 1777, his influence lasted far beyond his lifetime, and he is still widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the Qing period.