Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi, whose family originated in Wuyuan County, Huizhou (in modern Jiangxi province), was born in Fujian, where his father worked as the subprefectural sheriff. After his father was forced from office due to his opposition to the government appeasement policy towards the Jurchen in 1140, Zhu Xi received instruction from his father at home.Many anecdotes attest that he was a highly precocious child. It was recorded that at age five he ventured to ask what lay beyond Heaven, and by eight he understood the significance of the Classic of Filiality (Xiaojing). As a youth, he was inspired by Mencius’ proposition that all people could become a sage. Upon his father's death in 1143, he studied with his father's friends Hu Xian, Liu Zihui, and Liu Mianzhi. In 1148, at the age of 19, Zhu Xi passed the Imperial Examination and became a presented scholar. Zhu Xi's first official dispatch position was as Subprefectural Registrar of Tong'an (同安縣主簿), which he served from 1153 - 1156. From 1153 he began to study under Li Tong, who followed the Neo-Confucian tradition of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, and formally became his student in 1160.
Zhang Shi (scholar)
He was a native of Mianzhu (綿竹), Sichuan, and son of a distinguished general and statesman, named Zhang Jun (1097–1164), otherwise known as Duke of Yi (益). After studying under Hu Hong, son of Hu Anguo, he entered upon an official career and became aide-de-camp and secretary to his father. In 1164 the latter died, and Zhang Chi buried him according to his wish at the foot of Mount Heng in Hunan, remaining in seclusion near the grave for several years. While there he was visited in 1167 by Zhu Xi, and it is said that they spent three days and three nights arguing upon the "Doctrine of the Mean". The result was that Zhang returned to official life, and became a violent opponent of the Tartars and of the policy of conciliation and concession which had been introduced by Qin Gui. He was alternately promoted and degraded until he died as Governor of Zhingzhou in Hubei. He was the author of divers treatises and commentaries upon portions of the Confucian Canon, in which he gave expression to doctrines which his friend, Zhu Xi, felt himself called upon to refute. Nevertheless, Zhu Xi held him in high esteem and always spoke of him with admiration. He was canonised as Xuān 宣, and in 1261 was admitted into the Confucian Temple.