I. Introduction:
Wutai Poetry Case was a literary prison in the Northern Song Dynasty. As a result, Su Shi was arrested and imprisoned in Wutai for 4 months. In the imperial history, Cheng, Yi and Ren picked up the sentences and poems written by Su Shi from the table of Huzhou Association, and arrested Su Shi on the charge of slandering the New Deal. Su Shi's poems really mocked current politics, including problems in the process of political reform. The case was first reported by the censor and then tried in the censor's prison.
Second, the occurrence time:
Song Shenzong Zaixi Ningnian (1068 ~ 1077) made great use of Wang Anshi's political reform. After the failure of political reform, he was engaged in political reform in Yuanfeng period (1078 ~ 1085). Wutai Poetry Case happened at the turning point of the political reform, that is, the second year of Yuanfeng (1079).
Third, the whole story of the case:
Wutai (1): Jade Terrace, also known as "White Terrace" because cypress trees are planted all over the official residence. Crows often build nests on cypress trees, called Wutai. So this case is called "Wutai Poetry Case".
2. Reason:
The cause of the case is more complicated, which can be summarized as politically unacceptable to political opponents and verbally giving people a handle.
In March of the second year of Yuanfeng in Song Shenzong (1079), Su Shi was transferred to Huzhou. The poem case originated from Huzhou Xie Shang Biao written by Su Shi when he went to Huzhou to take office. The form reads: "I ... why was the fault of my late emperor assigned to Santing? Your Majesty heard the order and paid two states. Your Majesty ... It's hard to catch up with the recruits when you are ignorant; See if he still makes trouble when he is old, or he can support the king ... "Su Shi's complaining words, the" new progress "in his works refer to a group of" small groups "introduced by Wang Anshi for speculation and profit during the political reform. The word "disruptive" has become a common language used by conservatives to attack reformists. These words naturally hurt those "little people" who are still stealing high positions for personal gain. He was the first to report Su Shi, followed by Wang Anshi's students. Being framed by He, He and others in every way, Su Shi had to be handed over to Yushitai by decree, and the "Root Survey Institute" headed by him was responsible for the trial. His brushwork became sharper and sharper, accusing the court of being poor and weak. He is eager to calm down one day. However, "it's a big dream in the world, and life is cool in autumn." Dongpo's flowing works triggered Wutai poetry case. In this way, an appalling literary inquisition began.
3. Trial of the case:
Su Shi was arrested on July 28th and taken to Yushitai prison on August18th. On the 20th, he was formally arraigned.
By September, Yushitai had copied a large number of poems sent by Su Shi from all directions. During the interrogation, he read more than 100 songs, involving 39 people, among whom Sima Guang was the highest official.
4. Case:
Many people, such as Li Ding, make things out of nothing. They stiffly extracted some poems from Su Shi's poems given to friends, slandered him, and said these words satirized the court and showed great disrespect to the court. Some accusations against Su Shi are far-fetched. Su Shi confessed to most of the accusations and criticized the New Deal in his poems.
5. Results:
In the second year of Song Shenzong Yuanfeng (1079), on July 28th, Li Ding and others were ordered to investigate, and immediately sent Huangfu Zun, a doctor of Taichang, to Huzhou to arrest Su Shi. On August 18th, Su Shi was escorted to the capital and put into the palace. After more than two months of "root-seeking" trial, Su Shi suffered inhuman torture. Yushitai tortured a confession day and night, which was really a "humiliating night". Finally, Li Ding and others set "four major crimes" for Su Shi, demanding that Song Shenzong execute Su Shi.
Song Shenzong in the face of censorate reports, the in the mind also really some wonder. At that time, Song Taizu and Zhao Kuangyin had a will that they would not kill the minister except for treason and rebellion. Li Ding and others are bound to kill Su Shi, and public opinion is in an uproar. They think that Su Shi has not committed treason and should not be severely punished. Stranger still, honest people, old and new, came forward to help. Under the pressure of various rescues and public opinion, Song Shenzong had the idea of leniency towards Su Shi. In the end, Su Shi was given a light sentence and closed the case with "the favor of the teaching assistant of Huangzhou Youth League Training".