Gong Zizhen (1792-1841), originally called Gong Zuo, was a thinker and litterateur of late Qing Dynasty from Renhe (now Hangzhou), Zhejiang.

In terms of academic theories, while taking a positive stand in the useful part of textology, he criticized the "vices" of mixing Han Confucian classics with divination or five elements. Raising the point of "studying for practical use", he promoted the idea that academic studies should work for practical politics. After the middle age, he began to be sunk in confusion, depression and agony following his frustration at court. He tried to relieve himself from the miserable life by resorting to Buddhism. However, he failed to become a Buddhist, because his passion for the nation and his concern about the general public prevented him from cutting off the external connection with the secular world.

His literary works demonstrates unprecedented new features and unveils a new chapter of contemporary literature. The main features are: the unification of political comments, emotion expression and artistic images; original imagination that accounts for vivid images; various forms and styles; concise and rhetorical language that is never cliché.

His works include Annotations on Chinese, A Textual Research on The Three Rituals, A Critical Review of "History of the Han and Latter Han Dynasties" and Verification on the Names and the Objects in "Songs of Chu".

Source: cultural-china.com

Editor: Feng Hui