- Xu Heng
Xu Heng (
Chinese : 許衡,1209 -1281 ), was aConfucianist andeducator of theYuan Dynasty inChina .Xu Heng was born in present-day
Xinyang ofHenan Province , which was then governed by the Jin Dynasty. At the age of 16, he studied Confucian Classics and became enamoured of it. In early1230 s, when the Jin Dynasty was annihilated by the Mongols, he was captured, but soon freed. He then became a famous educator in Confucianism. AfterKublai Khan 's enthronement in 1260, Xu Heng, along with many other Confucianists such asLiu Bingzhong and Wang Xun, was invited by Kublai Khan to the court. He resigned next year, but was invited again later by Kublai Khan, and became an official of the Zhongshusheng (Chinese : 中書省, "Department of Central Governing"). In 1271, Kublai Khan founded theYuan Dynasty , and established the NationalAcademy (Chinese : 國子學) of the dynasty, with Xu Heng being its first leader (Chinese : 國子祭酒). Xu Heng was then devoted to education, and actively supported the spread ofNeo-Confucianism . Later, he helpedGuo Shoujing to formulate a newChinese calendar known as Shoushili (Chinese : 授時曆). In 1280 he resigned and returned home, and died in the next year.
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