Zhu Xi was born Wu Yuan, North East Jiangxi province. His father died when he was at the age of thirteen. He continued his studies until he passed the test for a government job. He taught for many years in the Wuyi Mountains and he is also remembered for the time he spent teaching at the Yuelu Academy in Changsha and at his retreat near the White Deer Grotto in Lushan. In his life his ideas were not generally accepted and he was fired from quite a lot of official positions. After his death nearly 1000 people were at his funeral and his tablet was put in a Confucian temple.