Portrait: AI-generated imagined likeness
Philosopher · Writer · Teacher
A Chinese thinker from the Ming Dynasty. He was known for his criticism of Confucian morality and authority, and for his arguments that valued the true feelings of individuals. He is a person who understands the thoughts and social changes of the late Ming Dynasty.
View in catalogQuanzhou
Birth
Macheng
Work
A Book to Burn
Book
Late Ming intellectual currents
1570–1602
Movement · Leader
Map: Natural Earth (PD)
Born in Quanzhou, Fujian, after serving as a bureaucrat, he developed deep doubts about the established Confucian order. In the society of the late Ming dynasty, where commercialization and publishing culture were expanding, the space for the expression of ideas was also expanding.
In works such as ``Book Burning,'' he criticized hypocritical Taoism and showed his evaluation of a variety of people, including women and merchants. His ideas were viewed as dangerous by conservative bureaucrats and were suppressed.
Despite being treated as a ``heretic,'' Li Yao attracted many readers. It shows the late Ming era in which thinkers influenced society through publishing culture.
When we study Li Xi, we can see that commercialization, publishing, and criticism of Confucianism were linked together in China in the late Ming dynasty, leading to a diversification of thought. It also provides a clue for comparing early modern thought in East Asia. It can also be used for comparison with surrounding areas from the same era.
