林希元，字茂貞，號次崖，生於明成化十七年（1481），卒於嘉靖四十四年（1565），年八十五，福建泉州府同安縣人。《明史．儒林傳》僅有簡單陳述，地位附屬於陳琛；黃宗羲《明儒學案》附名蔡清、羅欽順、張岳學案，同樣缺乏梳理。然而觀察其學行，雖然迭遭挫折，進退出處一秉於理，行事以道為念，撰成《四書存疑》，宗主程、朱理學，標舉蔡清學術，形構閩學宗風之餘，認為人心雖屬形氣，卻是氣之「精英」，理具於心即為德，心具理而非即是理，心為修養關鍵，「精英」保證氣有向上的契機，林希元不僅矯正時人過於自信缺失，也申明以道自守，以道行事的氣度，從心體操持到高舉證道訴求，在虛靈持敬當中，實感天理流行，反映閩學一脈不同的學術視角，也有助於明代儒學多元成就的觀察。

Lin Xiyuan, courtesy name Maozhen and styled Ciya, was born in the seventeenth year of Chenghua (1481) during the Ming Dynasty and died in the forty-fourth year of Jiajing (1565) at the age of eighty-five. He was a native of Tongan County, Quanzhou Prefecture, Fujian. There is only a brief introduction of Lin Xiyuan in the biographies of Confucian Scholars in the History of Ming Dynasty where his status is associated with Chen Chen. Similarly, Huang Zongxi's Case Studies of Ming Confucians lists the names of Cai Qing, Luo Qinshun, and Zhang Yuexue, which is also lacking much detail. Despite, encountering numerous setbacks throughout his career, Lin remained steadfast in his principles, whether he always adhered to principles entering or resigning from office, consistently acting with Dao in mind. He wrote the Doubts about Four Books with adherence to the Cheng and Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism, championing Cai Qing's academic approach and shaping the distinctive style of the Fujian school. Liu Xiyuan believed that, while the human heart-mind belongs to the Form and Qi, it is also the essence of Qi. The possession of principle within the heart-mind is what constitutes virtue, but principle itself is not equivalent to the heart-mind. He emphasized that the heart-mind is key to cultivation, as its purity ensures that Qi has the opportunity for improvement and evolution. Lin Xiyuan not only corrected the deficiencies of his contemporaries, who tended toward extremes of overconfidence, but also affirmed the importance of maintaining self-assurance through the Dao and acting in accordance with it. Lin Xiyuan emphasized the cultivation of the body and mind and the pursuit of enlightenment, arguing that it allows for a true connection with the heavenly principle, achieved through a state of emptiness and reverence. This perspective reflects the distinctive academic perspectives of the Fujian school and contributes to a deeper understanding of the diverse achievements of Confucianism during the Ming Dynasty.