Zou Yan

Zōu Yǎn 鄒衍 or Tsou Yen （-305 ~ -240） was a philosopher of the end of the Period of the Kingdoms combatants which played a determining role in the development of the theory of the Yin-Yang and of the Five elements. Originating in IQ in current the Shandong, one knows almost nothing of his life. The historian Han Sima Qian sees in him the most eminent member of the Académie Jixia, group of scientists gathered by king Xuan of IQ in his capital. It was called also Zouzi (main Zou) or Yan which discourses of the sky because of its competences in astrology.

The Livre of Han allots the Zouzi in 49 chapters and the to him Principe of succession of the five virtues in 56 chapters. The Shiji mentions moreover the Dasheng and the Zhuyun , more than ten miles characters in all. None of its works reached us, but one finds of them extracts in the Annales of Lu , the Shiji , the Dadaili and the Huainanzi . It was buried on the territory of current the Zhangqiu.

Yin-Yang and Five elements

Zou Yan is attached to the École of Yin-Yang, classified in the schools of specialists and technicians shushu tackling various subjects: seasonal astronomy, astrology, changes, divination.

As of the end of the Zhou one finds mention in the Guoyu of the five matters (ground, metal, water, fire, wood) which mix to constitute the dix-mille things and beings. In the Zuozhuan one specifies that they are necessary to the human activities, therefore with the good performance of the company. In the Shangshu , dating from Zhou but reconstituted under the Han, one finds the first associations: water means moisture and descent, fire means heat and gone up, wood means curve and uprightness, metal means obedience and revolt, the ground supports the cultures and harvests; the first creates salted, the second the land-mark, the third the acid, the fourth the bitter one, the sweetened fifth.

Succession of the five virtues

Zou Yan developed the theory according to which the elements are conquered or the ones the others in a given order are generated. The application first of this principle, known like fine and beginning of the five virtues , is the justification of the dynastic successions. The day before the advent of a new dynasty, the sky sends a sign in the form of a magic inscription. That which can read it takes the succession of the declining dynasty and orders its kingdom according to the instructions of the inscription, in agreement with the virtue of the triumphing element. The order of succession is ground-wood-metal-fire-water-ground, in which each element is followed by that which conquers it.

This theory points out that of the celestial mandate, however it is not any more the Sovereign of the Sky, but the Five emperors associated each one with the East and an element which allot the mandate. Thus, in the Shiji one says that Qin Shihuang took the succcesssion of the last of Zhou (dynasty of fire) because it had the virtue of water, element associated with North and the black color, from where the rigidity and the cold cruelty of its style of government. Han Western which came after him had the virtue of the ground, just like formerly Yu, wire of the emperor Shun, which was replaced by the founder of the dynasty Xia (wood), followed Yin (metal) then Zhou (fire). The Xin dynasty of the usurper Wang Mang had the virtue of wood. Guangwu, first emperor of Han Eastern, was indicated by a red inscription, as it should be for a sovereign of fire

Under Han, the theory of Zou Yan was largely accepted and found multiple applications in various fields (medicine, morals, astronomy etc)

Geography

Zou Yan is also the promoter of the geographical theory of the Last nine continents, from which one, divine continent or red county , are the Chinese world such as one conceives it at his time, itself subdivided in nine territories by Yu Large the, mythical founder of the Xia dynasty. The other continents are surrounded by seas; the languages and the habits are different there.

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