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Zhou Dunyi, a scholar in the Northern Song Dynasty, on Ailian's writings. In the eighth year of Renzong in the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhou Dunyi, Shen Xiyan and Qian Tuo traveled to Luo Yan, where they wrote poems and carved stones. Later, Shen Xiyan built a lotus pavilion in Lushan Mountain, Du Yu, and asked Zhou Dunyi to write an inscription. Zhou Dunyi wrote "Love Lotus" as a gift, which shows his appreciation of lotus flowers. Through the description of the image and quality of lotus, this paper praises the faithful character of lotus, thus showing the author's noble personality and generous mind.
Zhou Dunyi is the founder of Neo-Confucianism in China, and his Neo-Confucianism thought plays a connecting role in the history of China philosophy. Zhou Dunyi loved reading since he was a child, and he is also quite famous. People say that he is "ambitious, knowledgeable and has the demeanor of the ancients."