Zhu Xi
In 1179, after not serving in an official capacity since 1156, Zhu Xi was appointed Prefect of Nankang Military District (南康軍), where he revived White Deer Grotto Academy. and got demoted three years later for attacking the incompetency and corruption of some influential officials. There were several instances of receiving an appointment and subsequently being demoted. Upon dismissal from his last appointment, he was accused of numerous crimes and a petition was made for his execution. Much of this opposition was headed by Han Tuozhou, the Prime Minister, who was a political rival of Zhu's. Even though his teachings had been severely attacked by establishment figures, almost a thousand brave people attended his funeral. After the death of Han Tuozhou, Zhu's successor Zhen Dexiu, together with Wei Liaoweng, made Zhu's branch of Neo-Confucianism the dominant philosophy at the Song Court.
Zhu Xuan
Zhu Xuan (朱瑄 or 朱宣) (d. 897) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, from 882 to 897, controlled Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) as its military governor ("Jiedushi"). He formed a power bloc with his cousin Zhu Jin, who ruled neighboring Taining Circuit (泰寧, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong), and subsequently, they, along with their ally Shi Pu the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), engaged in a lengthy war with their former ally Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) that ravaged the countryside. By 897, all three had been defeated, and Zhu Xuan was captured and executed by Zhu Quanzhong.