Lianxi: The Tale of the Principle Flame
This story follows Zhou Lianxi, the Northern Song philosopher and pioneer of Neo-Confucianism. From the first signs of his wisdom as a prodigy in Daozhou, to his days in office, when he refuses to curry favor with the powerful and stands firm, he comes to understand the principle of the Taiji in a ruined temple and draws inspiration from the lotus pond to embody the noble ideal. With his Explanation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate, he kindles the first sparks of Neo-Confucian thought. He spends his life practicing sincerity and purity, like an undying candle illuminating a thousand years of intellectual darkness.
