Zhou Dun'yi: The Founding Father of Confucianism

周敦颐：儒家理学开山鼻祖

Zhou Dun'yi: The Founding Father of Confucianism

Zhou Dunyi, who was well versed in the national studies of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, especially practised the transmission of Confucian culture to great merit.

---- Zhuge Changqing

  Ever since Pan Gu opened up the heavens and the earth, the three emperors and the five emperors to the present day.

  The culture of the Chinese people has been passed down from generation to generation.

  Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, commerce and warfare constitute the vast system of Chinese culture.

  Confucianism, represented by Confucius, has been an important treasure for all the dynasties and for the stability of the state.

  Looking back at the Chinese dynasties, whenever the Confucian way was left out, it was difficult for the country to develop for long.

  In the development of the Chinese nation, Confucian culture has been of great merit.

  Emperors of all dynasties attached great importance to Confucian culture.

  For example, all the emperors of the Song dynasty attached great importance to Confucianism.

  Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, took up the advice of Dong Zhongshu and brought Confucianism to its peak.

  So why was Confucianism valued by successive dynasties?

  According to Zhuge Changqing, the core of Confucianism is that it conforms to the Way of Heaven, the Way of Man and the Way of the Earth.

  In particular, Confucianism's principles of "the way of loyalty and filial piety", "respect for heaven and ancestors", "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust", "to understand virtue, to be close to the people and to stop at the highest level of goodness "To be true, to be knowledgeable, to be sincere, to be righteous, to cultivate one's self, to bring up one's family, to rule one's country, and to pacify the world", "To unite heaven and man", "To be good to oneself if one is poor, to be good to the world if one is rich "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and so on, have been incorporated into the bloodline of the Chinese nation and passed down from generation to generation.

  In order to further promote traditional Chinese culture, Zhuge Changqing has recently begun to study the Dao lineage of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shang and Bing, and other hundred schools of thought.

  The study of the Confucian Dao lineage is inseparable from the study of the development of Confucianism in the Song dynasty.

  In his study of Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, he deliberately studied Zhou Dunyi, the Confucian instructor of the "Two Chengs" (Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi) (author of the student textbook "Sayings of the Lotus").

  Zhou Dunyi was also the forefather of the founding premier Zhou Enlai and the Lu Xun family.

  According to the "Yue Cheng Zhou's Branch Genealogy" in Yuhua Bridge, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, the "Zhou Clan Genealogy" in Fengjiang, Zhuji, the "Zhou's Broken Pond Ancestral Sacrifice Book" in Baoyou Bridge, Shaoxing, and the "Old Eight Houses Sacrifice Book", and with reference to the research findings in the book "Zhou Enlai's Family History" (edited by Li Haiwen, with Zhang Nengengeng, Zhou Bingyi and Qin Jiufeng as deputy editors), Zhou Enlai is the 33rd generation grandson of Zhou Dunyi.

  After studying Zhou Dunyi's historical data, reading Mr. Wang Lixin's masterpiece "Zhou Dunyi, the Founding of Science", a professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Arts of Shenzhen University, and referring to many historical texts, I feel more and more that Zhou Dunyi is a peak of Chinese Confucian culture.

  What are the characteristics of Zhou Dunyi, a great Confucianist who inherited Confucian culture from Confucius and Mencius during the Song dynasty?

  According to Zhuge Changqing, Zhou Dunyi was a great Confucian with six characteristics.

  He followed the sages and cultivated himself diligently; he was wise and transcendent; he promoted Confucianism and taught according to his ability.

  As the peak of Confucianism in the Song dynasty, what did Zhou Dunyi contribute?

  According to Zhuge Changqing, Zhou Dunyi's outstanding contributions include three.

  Firstly, he was present in his own words. He personally practised the Confucian thought of cultivating one's body and ruling the country.

  Secondly, he attached importance to education. Everywhere he went, he attached importance to education. In particular, he educated two outstanding Confucian masters, Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, who are also known as the "Two Chengs".

  There is an idiom "Chengmen Lixue", which is related to Er Cheng. It tells the story of Yang Shi, a disciple of Er Cheng, who saw his teacher Cheng Yi resting (a bit like Liu Bei going to ask Zhuge Liang, who was resting) and could not bear to disturb him and waited in the snow.

  Thirdly, he left behind wisdom. Mr. Zhou Dunyi, left two great treasures of wisdom to mankind, the Tong Shu and the T'ai Chi Tuo. This made an outstanding contribution to the development of Confucianism.

  As a researcher of traditional Chinese culture, Zhuge Changqing agrees with the Confucianist Dong Zhongshu's doctrine of the "unity of heaven and man". The reason for this is that, as a human being in the middle of heaven and earth, he naturally accepts the induction of heaven and earth.

  Therefore, he believes that Zhou Dunyi, Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi were all sages sent to earth from heaven to pass on the wisdom of Confucianism and to guide mankind to cultivate their bodies, to govern their families and to level the world.

  Zhou Dunyi's second disciple, Cheng Yi, later even became the national tutor of the emperor's teacher, Emperor Zhezong of Song.

  When it comes to Zhou Dunyi, there is also evidence that he was a heaven-sent kuixing. In the book "The Greatest Confucian of All Time - Er Cheng" written by Mr Xu Hongxing, when describing why there were so many masters of Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, he unveiled the miraculous celestial image of "five stars in a row in the Kui Xing", which was "gold, wood, water, fire and earth" in the Song Dynasty.

  According to the ancients, the "five stars in a row" in the heavens were an omen of peace in the world.

  The appearance of the 'five stars in a row' in the position of Kweixing is an omen for the smooth flow of literature and the emergence of a literary star on earth.

  In the Song dynasty, there were three occurrences of the five-star pearl in a row, namely.

  In the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Taizu, in the fourth year of King Jingde, and in the third year of the reign of Emperor Renzong, in the third year of the reign of Emperor Qingli.

Promoting ritual and music. According to Zhou Dunyi, "Ritual is also reason; music is also harmony." The essence of rites is reason, and the original meaning of "reason" is to rule. The second is the rule of punishment. Zhou Dunyi's thought on the rule of punishment is reflected in his view of moral punishment and prudent punishment. In Zhou's view, the rule of punishment was a last resort to make up for the shortcomings of morality.

  In the third year of his reign (1036), Zheng Xiang was given permission by the court to have one of his sons come out as a minor official, in accordance with the customary practice of being given the shade of an official title. In the same year, Zhou Dunyi married Lu, daughter of Lu Sen, a minister in the Ministry of War.

  In 1037, Zheng Xiang was transferred to the post of the transfer agent of the two Zhejiang provinces, and Zhou Dunyi left Hengyang to move with his uncle to Dantu County, Runzhou (now Dantu District, Zhenjiang). In less than a year, his uncle and mother died, and Zhou Dunyi followed his mother's will and buried her in Runzhou, with his uncle Zheng Xiang as his companion. Afterwards, Zhou Dun'yi was in mourning at the Hering Temple in Runzhou, during which time he met Fan Zhongyan.

  In the first year of Kangding (1040), when he was twenty-four years old, Zhou Dunyi completed his three-year mourning period and became the chief official of Fenning County in Hongzhou.

  In the fourth year of the Qingli era (1044), the Ministry of Officials came to Fenning to assess Zhou Dunyi's performance, and he was widely praised.

  3. Teaching and education

  Zhuge Changqing believed that one should not become a nerd in learning, but should become a master of practice. Zhou Dunyi studied Confucius, started a school, taught and educated people, and left the seeds of sage to mankind.

  In the fourth year of the Qingli era (1046), Zhou Dunyi's most outstanding achievement during his year as the magistrate of Chenzhou County, Chenzhou County, Hunan Road, Jing, was to raise education and run schools. As soon as he arrived in Chenzhou County, Zhou made use of the old county school to teach and lecture in addition to his official duties. 

  When he met Zhou Dunyi in Nan'an (Nan'an Town, Dayu County, Jiangxi Province), his father, Cheng Cheng, a minister of the Da Lisi Temple, saw that he had an "extraordinary appearance", talked to him and knew that he "knew how to learn".

  As Zhuge Changqing said earlier, mentors are important in life. It was because of their father that they were able to study under Zhou Dunyi. From then on, they entered the sage track. Zhou Dunyi did not teach his students by rote, but rather by learning from Confucius' teaching of "teaching without discrimination and teaching according to one's ability".

  Zhou was 30 years old when he taught Hazel Cheng and Cheng Yi.

  When he saw that they were gifted and intelligent, he gave them a lifelong task of reflection: "Where is Confucius Yan happy" ---- Confucius Yan Hui, who travelled the world, worked hard but was happy? What is the reason for this?

  It was this reflection that made Er Cheng (Cheng Hao Cheng Yi), the patriarch of Confucianism.

  Zhou Dunyi's educational thinking comes from the wisdom of Confucius. His educational thinking consists of three aspects.

  Firstly, the aim of education is to teach people to be good and to cultivate virtue. Zhou believed that the goodness of human nature depended to a large extent on the teaching of teachers.

  The second is the content of education: "the six scriptures are the mainstay, and sincerity is the foundation". He attached great importance to the classics of Confucianism and always placed 'sincerity' at the forefront of his education, repeatedly elaborating on it, with the word 'sincerity' appearing as many as 20 times in The Book of Common Words.

  The third is the educational method of "self-study and inspiration". In addition to inviting famous scholars of the time to give lectures, he also adopted the principle of self-study and paid special attention to inspiration.

  In the winter of the fourth year of the Qingli era (1046), he was promoted to the county magistrate of Guiyang in Chenzhou (now Rucheng County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province).

  In the fourth year of Huang You (1050), he was reappointed as the magistrate of Guiyang, Chenzhou, and continued to promote education and schooling.

  In 1054, he was reappointed to the post of Chancellor of the Da Lisi Temple and was appointed to Nanchang County, Hongzhou (now Nanchang, Jiangxi). On his arrival, when the locals learned that he was the same Zhou Dunyi who had been able to discern doubtful cases when he was an official in Ning, they said happily, "He is the one who may discern right from wrong and tranquilize the penal prisons, and we people have found someone to tell." (From the original biography in the History of the Song Dynasty - Taoist Studies I)

  In the first year of Jiayou (1056), he changed to the crown prince's middle house and signed the Heshu Magistrate's Office for a total of five years. A year later he gave birth to his eldest son, Zhou Shou. Unfortunately, his wife Lu died before the son was even a year old.

  In the fourth year of Jiayou (1059), Pu Zong Meng, the minister of the Imperial Household, passed through Hesu and talked with Zhou Dunyi for three days. In the following year, he married his sister, Pu, to Zhou Dunyi. Three years later he gave birth to his son Zhou Tao.

周敦颐，精通国学儒释道，尤其是实践传承儒家文化，功德无量。

---- 诸葛长青

  自从盘古开天地，三皇五帝到如今。

  中华民族文化，就生生不息，代代相传。

  儒释道商兵等诸子百家，构成了中华文化的庞大体系。

  而以孔子为代表的儒家文化，则是历朝历代、安邦定国的重要法宝。

  回头看中华历朝历代，凡是离开了孔孟之道，国家就很难长久发展。

  在中华，民族发展中，儒家文化，功德甚大。

  历朝历代帝王都高度重视儒家文化。

  譬如，宋朝历任皇帝，都很重视儒学。

  汉武大帝刘彻更是采纳了董仲舒的建议，把儒家文化推向高峰。

  那么，儒家思想为何受到历朝历代重视呢？

  诸葛长青认为，核心是儒家思想符合天道、符合人道、符合地道。

  尤其是，儒家文化的“忠孝之道”“敬天尊祖”“仁义礼智信”“明明德、亲民、止于至善”“格物、致知、诚意、正心、修身、齐家、治国、平天下”“天人合一”“穷则独善其身、达则兼善天下”“己所不欲、勿施于人”等等，已经融入中华民族血脉，代代流传。

  为了深入弘扬国学传统文化，诸葛长青近期开始研究儒释道商兵等诸子百家的道脉。

  研究儒家道脉，离不开研究宋朝儒学发展。

  在研究宋代儒学时候，特意研究了“二程”（程颢、程颐）的儒学指导老师——周敦颐（学生课本《爱莲说》作者）。

  周敦颐，还是开国总理周恩来、鲁迅家族的先辈。

  根据浙江绍兴鱼化桥《越城周氏支谱》、诸暨丰江《周氏宗谱》、绍兴宝佑桥《周氏破塘祖莹祭薄》、《老八房祭薄》等记载，参考《周恩来家世》(主编李海文，副主编张能耿、周秉宜、秦九凤)一书中的研究成果，周恩来为周敦颐第33代孙。

  研究了周敦颐的历史资料，拜读了深圳大学文学院哲学教授王立新先生的大作《理学开山周敦颐》，又参阅了许多历史典籍，愈发感到周敦颐，是中华儒学文化的一座高峰。

  作为宋代传承孔孟儒家文化的大儒高峰，周敦颐有什么特点呢？

  诸葛长青认为周敦颐大儒身上有六大特点：

  神追圣贤、勤奋修身，智慧超群、超然物外，弘扬儒学、因材施教。

  作为宋代传承孔孟儒家文化的大儒高峰，周敦颐有什么贡献呢？

  诸葛长青认为，周敦颐先生的突出贡献有三个：

  一是现身说法。亲自实践孔孟儒家修身齐家治国思想。

  二是重视教育。每到一个地方，就重视教育。尤其是，教育两个杰出的儒学大师--程颢、程颐，此二人，又被称为“二程”。

  有个成语“程门立雪”，就与二程有关。说的是二程弟子杨时，看到程颐老师正在休息（有点像刘备去请诸葛亮、诸葛亮正在休息的情景），不忍心打扰而雪中等候的故事。

  三是留下智慧。周敦颐先生，给人类留下两大智慧宝典《通书》《太极图说》。这为儒家理学发展做出突出贡献。

  作为中国国学传统文化研究者，诸葛长青认同儒家董仲舒的“天人合一”学说。因为，天地乾坤，中间为人，自然接受天地之感应。

  所以，也就认为，周敦颐、程颢、程颐等都是上天送给人间的圣贤，来人间传承儒学智慧、指导人类修身齐家治国平天下。

  周敦颐的二弟子程颐，后来还成了帝王师---宋哲宗的国学导师。

  说到周敦颐，是天降奎星，也是有证据的。在徐洪兴先生写的《旷世大儒---二程》一书中，在描述宋朝为何儒学大师从出不穷时，揭秘了宋朝“金、木、水、火、土”“五星连珠在奎星”的神奇天像。

  古人认为，上天“五星连珠”预兆天下太平。

  而“五星连珠”出现在奎星位置，预兆人间文脉畅通、文星出现。

  五星连珠，在宋朝出现了三次，分别是：

  宋太祖乾德五年、宋真宗景德四年、宋仁宗庆历三年。

五星连珠，代表了宋朝出现“五位奎星”，又称为“北宋五子”---

  周敦颐、邵雍、张载、程颢、程颐。

  清朝黄百家（黄宗羲之子）在整理《宋元学案》一书时，多次提到这件事。

  这里辑录部分周敦颐先生资料，分享有缘者。

  周敦颐(1017年-1073年)，又名周元皓，原名周敦实，字茂叔，谥号元公，北宋道州营道楼田堡(今湖南省道县)人，世称濂溪先生（周敦颐老家附近有条小溪，名为濂溪）。

  周敦颐是“北宋五子”之一，是宋朝儒家理学思想的开山鼻祖，文学家、哲学家，著有《周元公集》《爱莲说》《太极图说》《通书》(后人整编进《周元公集》)。所提出的无极、太极、阴阳、五行、动静、主静、至诚、无欲、顺化等理学基本概念，为后世的理学家反复讨论和发挥，构成理学范畴体系中的重要内容。

  1.志存高远。

  诸葛长青认为，人生有一个好的导师十分重要，对于确定人生志向、找到学习方法等具有重要意义。周敦颐遇到了他的人生好导师：舅父、龙图阁大学士郑向。

  诸葛长青认为，正是有了舅父的指引，周敦颐财立下了“学习孔孟颜回、争做人间圣贤、弘扬儒家思想”的目标。

   天禧元年(1017年)，周敦颐出生。周敦颐有一个大他十岁的同父异母的哥哥周砺，有一个大他五岁的姐姐周季淳，还有一个小他四岁的弟弟周敦贲，兄弟姐妹间的感情极好。

  周敦颐的祖父周智强，始迁营道的周从远之单传独子。周智强生了六个儿子，长子怀识，字孟衿，北宋仁宗天圣五年(1027)进士，官至汀州上杭令;次子怀铎，字孟振;三子怀正，字孟方;四子怀成(即辅成，周敦颐的父亲)，字孟匡，北宋真宗大中祥符八年(1015年)进士，官至贺州桂岭令(治所在今广西贺州境内);五子怀辂，字孟殷;六子怀德，字孟尚。

  周敦颐父亲:周辅成(?-1032年)，原名怀成，字孟匡。志清行纯，博学能文，初为黄冈(今湖北黄冈市)县尉。大中祥符八年(1015)举进士后，升为桂岭县令。在桂岭任职一年多，便辞职归隐。

  周敦颐母亲:郑氏(982年-1037年)，衡州(今衡阳)人，祖籍开封，生于北宋太平兴国七年(982年)。郑氏的哥哥衡州(今衡阳)人郑向是龙图阁学士，为饱学之士。郑氏先嫁卢郎中，并生有一子(卢敦文)。卢郎中去世后，郑氏再嫁周辅成为继室。她与周辅成结婚的时间为宋真宗大中祥符二年(1009年)。

  天圣二年(1024年)，周敦颐8岁，其父病逝三年后，与同母异父之兄卢敦文随母投靠衡州(今衡阳)舅父、龙图阁学士郑向，因他聪慧仁孝，深得郑向喜爱，又酷爱白莲，郑向就在自家宅前西湖凤凰山下(今衡阳市二中)构亭植莲，周敦颐负笈其间参经悟道。现为濂溪周氏宗祠(今南华大学附一医院处)。

  诸葛长青认为，周敦颐除了有好的家教，他的舅父郑向对他的教育十分重要。舅父郑向、龙图阁学士，也是杰出的思想家、哲学家。

  周敦颐从小聪明好学，勤于思考。遇到什么问题，喜欢寻根究底，不搞明白决不罢休。他会经常向衡州(今衡阳)舅舅提出一些看似稀奇古怪的问题，如什么天上的星星是怎么来的，太阳为什么东起西落，月亮为什么有盈亏圆缺，为什么会刮风下雨，地上的万事万物是怎么形成的，等等。对于周敦颐提出的这些问题，周辅成总是不厌其烦，尽自己所知给予解答。当然，这其中的很多问题，周辅成是没有办法回答清楚的。一方面，受周辅成的知识所限，另一方面也是受当时的科技水平所限。而周辅成也非常喜欢周敦颐的这一性格。

   随着年龄的增长，周敦颐的知识也不断地增长，学业大有进步。到十二三岁时，周敦颐已经读完了《四子书》(即《四书》)和《书经》《诗经》《礼经》《春秋》等儒家典籍，有的还能背诵得滚瓜烂熟。同时，周敦颐还能写出一手好文章，不仅立意新颖，而且有着自己的独特见解。八岁时，其父亲已过世。

  月岩悟道。月岩位于都庞岭东麓，距周敦颐故居约七公里。岩洞内周围削壁千仞，白石璀莹。这个巨大的岩洞，还有东西两座洞门。最为奇特神秘的是，在这个岩洞内的不同位置，可以看到不同的景物变化。如果你从东洞门进，朝西洞门行走，往头上的洞口看去，开始只能见到一弯"残月"，形似蛾眉，如下弦月。再往前走，那"月亮"像镰刀、像小船，由缺而圆。到了岩洞中央，当顶便是一轮"皓月"，成为"望月"。继续往前走，这轮"皓月"又逐渐由圆而缺，最后又是蛾眉一弯，成为"上弦月"。正是由于这种不同方位引起的景物变化，使月岩在人们的心目中充满了神秘感，月岩的名气也不胫而走。相传周敦颐十四岁时，曾筑室于月岩，在那里读书并在那里悟得"无极而太极"的道理，为其后来学术思想的发展奠定了基础。

  2.进入仕途。

  诸葛长青认为，儒家历来主张修身、齐家、治国、平天下。进入仕途，为周敦颐亲身实践落实孔孟儒家思想，提供了舞台。

  周敦颐的社会政治思想，可以归纳为“德刑并进”的德治与刑治两个方面。

  一是德治。体现在“修圣德、重师道、推礼乐”三个方面。

  他指出圣人以天道为法则，主要是以政养万民，德治是最好的养民方法和手段。他主张"慎刑"，不到万不得已的时候不轻易使用刑治

  修圣德，周敦颐称之为立人之道，"立人之道，曰仁与义"，仁义修而万民感化。重师道。

  重师道。周敦颐认为，使天下人从善而不为恶，唯一的办法就是重师道:"师道立则善人多，善人多则朝廷正而天下治矣。"

推礼乐。周敦颐认为:"礼，理也;乐，和也。"礼的实质在于理，"理"的本意在于治。二是刑治。周敦颐的刑治思想体现在他的德刑观和慎刑观上。在周敦颐看来，刑治是为弥补道德的不足而采取的万不得已的选择。

  景佑三年(1036年 )，郑向依据官衔，按照惯例，可得到朝廷的恩荫，准许一名子弟出来做一名小官。爱侄如子的舅舅将这个机会给了他，周敦颐就此当上了朝廷将作监的主簿，就在同一年，周敦颐娶朝廷兵部职方郎中陆参之女陆氏为妻。

  景佑四年(1037年)，郑向调任两浙转运使，周敦颐离开衡阳随舅迁润州丹徒县(今镇江市丹徒区)。不到一年的时间里，舅舅、母亲相继去世，周敦颐按照母亲的遗嘱，把她安葬在润州，与舅舅郑向为伴。之后，周敦颐便在润州鹤林寺守丧，期间见过范仲淹。

  康定元年(1040年)，周敦颐二十四岁，三年守丧期满，出任洪州分宁县主簿。

  庆历四年(1044年)，吏部来分宁考核，周敦颐得到广泛好评，二十八岁的周敦颐开始了他仕途的第一次升迁--提任南安军司理参军。

  3.兴教办学

  诸葛长青认为，一个人在学习中，不能成为书呆子，应当成为实践的高手。周敦颐学习孔子，开办学校，教书育人，给人类留下圣贤的种子。

  庆历四年(1046年)，周敦颐在担任荆湖南路郴州郡郴州县县令年期间，最突出的政绩是兴教办学。一来郴县，周敦颐就在公务之余，利用旧有的县学兴教讲学。 

  二程的父亲大理寺臣程珦在南安(今江西省大余县南安镇)认识了周敦颐，见他"气貌非常人"，与之交谈，更知其"为学知道"，同他结为朋友，随即将两个儿子程颢、程颐送至南安拜其为师受业。

  诸葛长青刚才说到，人生导师很重要。这不，二程---程颢、程颐，就是因为父亲的缘故，得以拜师周敦颐。从此进入了圣贤轨道。周敦颐教学生，不是死搬硬套，而是学习孔子的“有教无类、因材施教”。

  周敦颐教授程颢、程颐时候，30岁。

  他看到程颢、程颐天资聪慧，就给他们布置一道思考一生的作业“孔颜乐处”----孔子颜回，奔波天下，辛苦劳累，但是开心快乐？原因在哪里呢？

  也正是这个思考，让二程（程颢程颐、），成为了儒家理学宗师。

  周敦颐教育思想，来自孔子智慧。其教育思想包括三方面：

  一是"教人向善，进德修业"的教育目的。周敦颐认为人性向善，很大程度上依赖于师之教。

  二是"六经为主，以诚为本"的教育内容。他十分重视儒学经典，始终将"诚"放在育人最显要的位置，反复阐述，在《通书》中"诚"字的出现就高达20次之多。

  三是"自学为主，重在启发"的教育方法。始终坚持开明的教育方法，除了邀请当时的学界名流来讲学，采用学生自学为主，特别注重启发原则。

  庆历四年(1046年)冬，升移到郴州的桂阳任县令(今湖南省郴州市汝城县)。

  皇佑四年(1050年)，被改任为郴州桂阳令，继续兴教办学。

  至和元年(1054年)，改授大理寺丞，知洪州南昌县(今江西南昌)。到任时，当本地人得知他就是当年在宁做官时能辨明疑案的周敦颐，就高兴地说:"他是可能明辨是非安宁刑狱的人，我们这些人找到诉说的人了。"(选自《宋史·道学一》本传)

  嘉佑元年(1056年)，改太子中舍，签书署合州判官，共计五年。一年后生下长子周寿。不幸的是，儿子不到一岁，妻子陆氏便病故了 ，

  嘉佑四年(1059年)，太常丞蒲宗孟从合州经过，与周敦颐交谈三日，既投缘又深感周敦颐的崇高正大，旷达潇洒。就在第二年，把自己的妹妹蒲氏嫁给了周敦颐。三年后生子周涛。

  4.论道王安石

  嘉佑五年(1060年)六月，周敦颐从合州(今重庆合川)解职回京，正好遇上回京述职的王安石。他们相互间仰慕已久，在京城，在一个风清月明的夜晚，周敦颐应邀造访了王安石。王安石对年长自己四岁的周敦颐充满了崇敬，相见恨晚。以至于周敦颐离开了，他还久久地回味着、感慨着，忘记了睡觉和吃饭。他们这次的聚会和交谈，双方都从对方那里得到了新的思想的启悟。

  5.庐山结缘

  嘉佑六年(1061年)，迁国子监博士，通判虔州。周敦颐的好友潘兴嗣，知道他要经过江州，就提前赶到江州等候，在驿馆与周敦颐见了面，邀他一起游庐山。

  6.千古绝唱

  嘉佑八年(1063年)的5月，周敦颐应邀与一群文朋诗友游玩聚会。兴之所致，大家便相约写诗作文。周敦颐一气呵成挥笔而就一篇119字的散文，就是名传后世的《爱莲说》。诸葛长青相信，各位有缘者一定读过这篇文章。

  7、执政为民

  治平元年(1064年)，移任永州通判。

  熙宁元年(1068年)，转虞部郎中，擢提点广南西路刑狱，次年移知南康军。

  熙宁三年(1071年)，转为虞部郎中，提升广南东路提点刑狱。次年，领提点刑狱事。 周敦颐在广东提点刑狱的职位上干了不到一年。就在这不到一年的时间里，勤政的他四处巡按，足迹几乎遍及广东的山山水水。

  8.哲学思想

  诸葛长青备注：作为圣人，周敦颐必须拿出足够时间来冷静思考，拿出足够时间来研究学问、撰写学问、传授弟子。

  诸葛长青看到，周敦颐给人类留下两大智慧财富《通书》《太极图说》。

  周敦颐哲学思想。其哲学思想的核心就是一个"诚"字。

   "诚"是他关于天道、人道、天人合一之道的最高境界的表达。"诚"主要分为天道本体论和心性本体论两方面。

  在周敦颐看来，"诚"首先是宇宙存在的根据，是宇宙的本体，即天道本体论。诸葛长青研究认为，儒家在《大学》《中庸》《论语》等经典中多次提到“诚”字。周敦颐，周敦颐把“诚”上升到理论高度，作为儒家根本。

  在《太极图说》中，他认为人与万物同样都是二气交感所化生出来的，而其源都是太极，再由太极推及到了人极，也就是把人的道德、人性看成是与宇宙生生过程相同的无极太极、阴阳五行的过程，这样，周敦颐便为他的诚的理论奠定了宇宙论的基础。

  "诚"所体现的心性本体论一个突出的表现便是人的伦理道德。周敦颐如此推重"诚"，就是坚信人类具有真诚善良的本性。他发挥了《中庸》关于"诚"的思想，从宇宙论进而推演出人道观，建立了以"诚"为本的伦理道德学说。

  周敦颐的理学思想。周敦颐在治学中，提出许多新问题，并作出新的论断，把儒学推进了一步。他所提出的无极、太极、阴阳、五行、动静、主静、至诚、无欲、顺化等理学基本概念，为后世的理学家反复讨论和发挥，构成理学范畴体系中的重要内容。成为宋明理学的开山祖师。南宋理宗时，诏从祀孔子庙堂，其理学奠基者地位为官方所承认。周敦颐是宋明道学的开创者。

   在当时儒、佛、道合流的形势下，从对于《老子》的"无极"、《易传》的"太极"、《中庸》的"诚"以及五行阴阳学说等思想资料进行熔铸改造，并为宋以后的道学家提供"无极"、"太极"等宇宙本体论的范畴和模式来说，周敦颐确有"发端之功"。二程的"扩大"，朱熹的"集大成"，就一定意义说，都不过是在周敦颐原有的思想基础上使道学理论更加完善化、系统化而已。

  周敦颐的哲学著作，现存者只有一幅从道教图录中研究过来的《太极图》、二百多字的《太极图说》和不满三千字的《通书》。

  9.归隐庐山

  熙宁五年(1072年)，周敦颐不幸感染了瘴疠，辞官归隐定居在庐山莲花峰下，他将母亲的坟墓也从润州迁来葬在离他居所很近的地方。他将门前的小溪正式命名为家乡的"濂溪"。定居于江西庐山濂溪书堂。

  熙宁六年(1073年)六月中，逝世于庐山濂溪书堂，终年57岁。

   宋宁宗赐周敦颐谥号为"元"，因此周敦颐又被称为"元公"。

   到宋理宗时，从祀孔子庙庭，确定了周敦颐的理学开山地位。

  周敦颐有子二人。

  一是周敦颐的长子寿，字季老，一字元翁，生于合州。元丰五年(1082年)登进士第，初仕吉州司户，改秀州知录，终司封郎中。

  周寿生六子，从官居吴中，成为江浙一带周姓始祖之一支。

  周恩来、鲁迅等均为其后裔。

  诸葛长青：周恩来、鲁迅的智慧，传承了周氏家族的文脉。

  二是周敦颐次子焘，一字次元，生于虔州。初授司法，元佑三年(1088年)进士，为贵池令，迁两浙转运使，知成都府，终朝议大夫徽猷阁待制。周焘生三子，居道州。周焘十世孙颐泽定居湖南醴陵泗汾淇田，其子孙已至二十八代，分布于横岭、淇田、南岸、斋江等地，人口万余。

  据了解，周敦颐的后裔广泛分布在江、浙、湘、赣、粤、闽等省并移居繁衍至海外，仅在港、澳、新、马、泰等地的周氏后裔就超过了三十万人。

  10.后世纪念

  一是石鼓书院。据明代万历《重修石鼓书院志》、清代《清泉县志·营建志·祠祀》载，明永乐十一年(1413年)，衡州知府史中重建书舍六间以待游学者，有礼殿祀孔子，韩张祠祀韩愈、张栻二夫子。成化十八年(1482年)，知府何珣修复旧祠时，增祀朱熹，遂创三贤祠。万历十七年(1589年)，朝廷允礼部尚书曾朝节之奏请，增祀周敦颐，后又进李宽、李士真、黄干三人，遂改号七贤祠。(参见词条:石鼓七贤)

  二是遗迹故里。周敦颐在衡阳生活的遗迹原有五处:

  紧伴石鼓书院即今司前街古称濂溪街(现衡阳市中山南路司前街口)是他外祖父左侍禁郑灿居住的祖宅;

  今蒸水桥北原郑家庄户房即北岸濂溪周氏祖屋，由长子周寿次子虞仲后裔继承，今居衡阳市衡南县车江铁市、衡阳县金兰寺、重庆、洪江等周姓即源于此支。

  衡阳市高新区柘里村爱莲堂，是周寿五子季仲次子兴继来此继承祖业，爱莲堂原是郑家祖传庄户房(距离-千二百余年)，郑氏谱载"衡州西关有巨浸曰西湖"，"向公世居衡阳郡城外西湖"。郑向祖孙五人五进士，世代衣锦诗书传家，家产颇丰。宋时周围山林田土多是郑家祖产，后按规制濂溪公祭祀田四百亩(政义乡三百亩、长平乡一百亩)田租收入和年拨官银二十八两用于濂溪周氏宗祠春秋二祭。

   宋末衡阳对周子纪念性建筑还有一院四祠，即西湖书院，西湖北岸濂溪祠，凤凰山濂溪祠、潇湘门内濂溪祠、石鼓濂溪祠，以上并非家祠，是属国家官设祭祀周子和教学合一的纪念地(年拨祭祀银四十两)。

  三是爱莲堂。周敦颐，八岁来衡阳投靠舅父郑向，度过了人生最重要的17年成长时期，开创的理学成为宋、元、明、清700年不动摇的官学，在衡阳写下的119字的《爱莲说》因其借物言志 ，用莲花自喻，洁身自爱，被世代传颂。现有濂溪书院、濂溪祠、爱莲亭、濂溪别墅、周子祠等濂溪文化载体。爱莲堂坐落在衡阳市华新区柘里村。

  祠堂中堂门上高悬"爱莲堂"横匾，祖堂神位上供奉着周敦颐、鲁迅(周树人)、周恩来的照片。2007年6月，周恩来总理的堂侄、原扬州市老干局局长周华瑞来衡阳"爱莲堂"祭祖时，随携周总理手书"爱莲堂"郑重制匾悬挂。2009年11月24日，道县濂溪故里为建周子衣冠冢，特派专人专车来衡阳"爱莲堂"奉取"灵土"。2014年道县周敦颐故里晋升国家AAA景区。

  四是周敦颐墓。周敦颐墓，又称濂溪墓，位于江西省九江市濂溪区莲花镇周家湾之栗树岭，墓区总占地面积4.3万平方米。十年动乱期间，周敦颐墓地面建筑遭到严重破坏，但地下墓穴仍保存完好。1999年，在香港周氏宗亲总会的资助下，完成周敦颐墓第一期修复工程，使珍贵历史遗迹得以保存。香港周氏宗亲总会再出100余万元巨资复修该墓。1959年，周敦颐墓被列为省级文物保护单位。经过修复，建成有牌楼、门楼、濂溪祠、爱莲池等景点。

  五是濂溪书院。汝城濂溪书院始建于宋宁宗嘉定十三年(1220年)，为纪念北宋理学鼻祖周敦颐(世称濂溪先生)而建。公元1050-1054年，周敦颐任桂阳(今汝城)县令。期间"风节慈爱，吏治彰彰"，并在此写下《爱莲说》《拙赋》等千古名篇。周敦颐创立了理学理论基础，被称为"上承孔孟，下启程朱"的先贤。千百年来，汝城"士率其教，吏思其威，民怀其德"，兴建书院永作纪念。虽经近千年的沧桑变迁，然薪火相传，保存至今。书院为宋式四合院砖木回廊结构建筑，建筑面积1618平方米。

  六是千年诞辰。2017年6月23日， 周敦颐诞辰1000周年纪念活动暨第八届理学文化节在湖南省永州市道县开幕。纪念演出后举行了濂溪书院揭牌、敬献花篮等仪式，活动期间还将举办周敦颐哲学思想、理学人物与流派学术研讨会、濂溪后裔座谈会等主题活动。

  七是艺术形象。2017年为纪念中国理学派开山鼻祖周敦颐诞辰1000周年，以周敦颐为主角原型的电影《爱廉说》开机拍摄。该电影主要讲述了周敦颐少年时学习和长大后为人的故事，非常具有教育意义。