Author: Ian Johnston

Gu Yanwu (1613-1682), born in the late years of the Ming Dynasty, had an unusual education, supervised by his grandfather and his adoptive mother, Wang. The latter, a woman of high principles, starved herself to death rather than live under the rule of the Manchus. She implored her son never to serve the dynasty in an official capacity. Complying with her deathbed wish, Gu Yanwu led an itinerant and eventful life, devoting himself to study and writing on a wide range of subjects. His overall aim, once hope of a Ming restoration had faded, was the betterment of self and society. The foundations of his thought were a deep study of the original classics and devolution in administration. After his death, his writings, when finally published, had a profound and enduring influence.Ian Johnston is an independent scholar and translator. He has published translations of early Chinese philosophical works and Chinese poetry, as well as translations of classical Greek medical texts.