Tian He [Biographies of Noble Scholars]

Tian He, whose courtesy name was Zizhuang, was a native of the state of Qi. Since Confucius transmitted the Book of Changes (I Ching, Yijing), the lineage passed down through five generations to Tian He. When the Qin dynasty banned private learning, it classified the Book of Changes as a book of divination and thus exempted it from the ban; therefore, Tian He’s transmission of the text remained unbroken.

With the rise of the Han dynasty, Tian He, as a member of the Tian clan of Qi, was relocated to Duling, and people referred to him as Master Du Tian. He took on disciples to teach the Book of Changes. Wang Tong (courtesy name Zizhong) of Dongwu, Zhou Wangsun and Ding Kuan of Luoyang, and Master Fu of Qi all became highly prominent in their time.

During the reign of Emperor Hui of Han, Tian He was advanced in age and lived in poverty, yet he steadfastly upheld his principles and refused to take official office. The Emperor personally visited his humble dwelling to study under him. Ultimately, Tian He was revered as the patriarch of the Book of Changes tradition.

Note

Tian He inherited the unbroken I Ching lineage spared by Qin’s book ban. Resettled in Duling, he taught many distinguished pupils. Though old and poor under Emperor Hui, he clung to Dao and refused office; the emperor visited his cottage to learn, making him the ancestor of Han I Ching scholars.

Tian He / Master Du Tian (田何 / 杜田生):

A pivotal figure in the history of Chinese classical scholarship. He is recognized as the crucial link in the transmission of theBook of Changes from the pre-Qin era to the Han dynasty. His relocation to Duling reflects the early Han policy of forcibly moving wealthy and powerful regional clans to the capital area to prevent local rebellions.

The Burning of Books and the Survival of the Yijing:

During the infamous “Burning of Books” under Qin Shi Huang, historical and philosophical texts were destroyed. However, practical texts on agriculture, medicine, and divination were spared. Because the Book of Changes (I Ching, Yijing) was categorized as a divination manual, it miraculously survived this cultural catastrophe, allowing Tian He to preserve the ancient Confucian lineage of the text.

The Emperor Visiting the Recluse:

In ancient Chinese political culture, when a reigning emperor personally visits the humble home of an elderly scholar, it is the ultimate expression of the state’s reverence for learning and moral authority. It demonstrates that in the Han dynasty, intellectual and spiritual prestige could supersede political rank.

Patriarch of the Yijing (I Ching):

Tian He’s status as the founding patriarch of the Han dynasty’s Yijing school highlights the immense social and political influence that classical scholars held. His disciples went on to become major political and intellectual figures, cementing the Yijing as a core text of Han state ideology.

田何，字子庄，齐人也。自孔子授《易》，五传至何。及秦禁学，以《易》为卜筮之书，独不禁，故何传之不绝。汉兴，田何以齐诸田徙杜陵，号曰杜田生，以《易》受弟子，东武王同子仲、洛阳周王孙丁宽、齐服生等，皆显当世。惠帝时，何年老家贫，守道不仕。帝亲幸其庐，以受业，终为《易》者宗。