The brothers Cheng Hao 程顥 (1032–1085) and Cheng Yi 程頤 (1033–1107) have been regarded by modern scholars and historians as the pioneers of the Song-era Daoxue 道學 movement. But their students have received by comparison much less attention and have been categorized as "minor" scholars by historians. Through an in-depth analysis of the writings of the Cheng brothers' students, I argue that it was Yang Shi 楊時 (1053–1135) and Yin Tun 尹焞 (1071–1142) who profoundly consolidated the intellectual tradition founded by the brothers in the early-twelfth century. By emphasizing the roles played by Yang and Yin, I supplement the traditional portrait of a "Cheng School" (Chengmen 程門) as later presented in Song Yuan xue'an 宋元學案 (Case Studies of Song and Yuan Learning) through an objective evaluation of the early history of Daoxue 道學. From another perspective, those conventionally perceived "minor" scholars could be deemed as major contributors to the consolidation and even construction of a new intellectual tradition.
Cheng Yi, Song Yuan xue'an, Daoxue, Yang Shi, Yin Tun