The Dispersion of Confucian Disciples and the Evolution of Confucianism in Chu
After the death of Confucius,the disp()playe(d) (a)crucial ro(l)e in promoting the southward spread of Confucianism.During the period()the seventy disciples,although there were only a few renowned Confucian scholars resi-ding in Chu,such as Zi Zhang and Tantai Ziyu,they taught numerous disciples,and thus had a significant impact in the realm of private education.In the subsequent period of their followers,the Confucian culture in Chu gradually flourished,with a suc-cession of distinguished scholars whose influence expanded from private education to the political sphere,eventually becoming a prominent study of the age.The prosperity of Confucianism in Chu was partly due to the radiating influence of the Confucian cultural circle from Lu and Wei,and the enhancement of the tradition of"serving as a royal tutor".On the other hand,it also relied on the shift in the scholarly and educational ethos in Chu,triggered by Wu Qi's reform.Wu Qi's entry into Chu marked a pivotal turning point in the history of the development of Confucianism in Chu.