Early life

Born in Yuyao, Zhejiang, China, Zhu sailed to Japan for the first time in 1645 to request military and financial help for the Ming against the Manchus. The Satsuma clan offered 3,000 men, mainly criminals and money but did not follow through on their promise. The Tokugawa, after some debate, offered nothing, preferring not to get involved in potentially risky continental politics. It was less than fifty years since Japan had been forced to bring their troops home from Korea after failing to conquer Korea.

After travelling around other countries asking for help, Zhu again visited Japan in 1651. This time Zhu asked for permission to stay in Japan permanently. In his letter of application he stated:

"I hear that in your honourable country, the Classics of Poetry and History are honoured and virtues of propriety and righteousness are valued. Thus, I have come here, without consulting my relatives.... I can no longer go back; the three men who were my teachers and friends have all died.... I therefore submit this letter ... asking Your Excellency to pass it to higher authorities... so that I may be allowed to remain for a time in Nagasaki...."

His application was refused, and he travelled instead to Annam.

Life in Japan

In 1656, he attempted to sail back to China, but without success– once again ending up in Japan. This time he received letters from Andō Seian who wanted to become his disciple. Through Ando's help he got special permission to live in Nagasaki in 1659. At first, life was hard as he had little money, but in 1664, Zhu received an invitation from Tokugawa Mitsukuni, grandson of Ieyasu and daimyō of Mito to go to Edo as a senior lecturer in the Toku School.

Mitsukuni and Zhu became close friends and he remained under Mitsukuni's protection for the last seventeen years of his life, often in the daimyō's personal company. As Mitsukuni's adviser and teacher, Zhu discussed politics and philosophy, urging Mitsukuni to take special care of the old and the poor, and to be a good ruler. He came into contact with many Japanese scholars, and was also invited to deliver public lectures to large audiences. Several of his disciples later wrote the major Japanese history compilation, Dai Nihonshi (The History of Great Japan), which he also edited. He personally wrote The Collected Works of Zhu Shunshui, and directly influenced Mitogaku and helped to initiate the Confucian intellectual movement known as kogaku (古学). Other disciples were associated with the development of the Zhu Xi school in Japan. Zhu also helped to redesign the Korakuen Garden, which still exists.

Legacy

There is a monument marking where Zhu Shunshui died inside the main gate of the College of Agriculture at the University of Tokyo, which was shifted from the road of Kototoi. His tomb, built in the Ming style, is in Hitachiōta, Ibaraki.

生平

崇禎17年（1644年）甲申之變，明朝被李自成推翻，隨即清兵入關，又攻殺李自成。朱舜水雖然不是明朝命官，仍然在華南奔走抗清，後逃奔安南國（今越南）。1657年，暫居安南的朱舜水想返華抗清，被人舉薦做官，進見安南國國王，但朱舜水誓死不肯向國王跪拜，被羈押達五十多天，終于放他回國。朱舜水為了反清的資金來往貿易與華南、日本、越南，用以支持南明魯王朱以海和台灣的鄭成功，還參加了永曆13年（1659年）7月的南京攻略戰。

南京攻略戰失敗之後，朱舜水作為鄭成功的使者向實行鎖國政策的日本求援，萬治二年（1659年）冬來到日本長崎。萬治三年（1660年）在筑後國（今福岡縣南部）柳川藩學者安東省菴的幫助下結束流亡生活。明末清初，有很多明朝文人為避戰禍來到日本，當時日本的大名家收用他們作為自己的幕僚。寬文五年（1665年）6月常陸國（今茨城縣）水戶藩藩主德川光圀派彰考館小宅處齋拜訪朱舜水，朱舜水接受邀請，並於同年7月抵達江戶。

德川光圀對朱舜水敬愛有加，而朱舜水也對水戶學產生很大影響、德川光圀就任藩主之際朱舜水也隨同前往水戶市；他與同為德川光圀編撰《大日本史》的安積澹泊、木下道順和山鹿素行等結為好友，並在日本傳播漢學。

逝世

天和二年四月十七日（1682年5月24日），朱舜水在江戶病逝，享壽八十二歲。身後，德川光圀派人整理了他的遺稿，日本正德五年（1715年）刊行了《舜水先生文集》全28卷。東京大學農學院內至今立有「朱舜水先生終焉之地」（朱舜水先生臨終之地）的石碑。

朱舜水之墓在歷代水戶藩主的墓地瑞龍山（位於茨城縣常陸太田市）。為了紀念他不忘故國，墓特地建為明朝式樣。

著作

著有：

• 《安南供役紀事》

• 《陽久述略》

• 《釋奠儀注》

傳記

• 石原道博『朱舜水』（吉川弘文館人物叢書、1989年新裝版）ISBN 4-642-05179-1

• 川口長孺（1958）：《臺灣鄭氏紀事》。台北：台灣銀行經濟研究室。

• 《朱舜水集》上、下 朱謙之 編（中華書局、1981年）ISBN 7-101-00708-2

• 《新訂朱舜水集補遺》徐興慶 編（台灣大學出版中心、2004年）ISBN 957-01-8826-X