The author of this work was Zou Deyong, a native of Anfu, Jiangxi Province, grandson of Zou Shouyi (1491–1562). The elder Zou was one of the exponents of the school of Wang Yangming, the Neo-Confucian philosopher, who was a leading figure in Ming Neo-Confucianism and a proponent of education. After receiving his jin shi degree in 1616, Zou Deyong served as a censor and later as supervisor of censors at the Bureau of Revenue and the Bureau of Rites. He later was removed from office for displeasing the emperor by trying to help a fellow official. He returned to his hometown and, following the scholarly tradition of his family and his father’s teachings on Confucianism, renovated a school called Fu gu shu yuan (Academy of Restoration of Ancient Ways). This work, Zou Deyong za zhu (Miscellaneous works of Zou Deyong), has 12 essays with individual titles, and an additional juan with a table of contents, compiled by an unknown person. The essays, such as Sheng men lü ling (Laws and decrees for Confucian disciples), contain Zou Deyong’s notes, observations, and thoughts. The collector’s seal impression reads: Ji gu zhai cang shu (Books in the Jiguzhai Collection).