Sima Guang's main achievements are embodied in his academic research. Among them, the greatest contribution is to preside over the compilation of Zi Tongzhi Jian. During the Xining period in Song Shenzong, Sima Guang strongly opposed Wang Anshi's political reform and asked to go abroad.
In the fourth year of Xining (107 1), he was sentenced to Xijing Yushitai, and lived in Luoyang for the next fifteen years without asking about political affairs. During this leisurely time, Sima Guang presided over the compilation of 294 volumes of nearly 4 million words of chronological history book Zi Tongzhi Jian.
Expanding information Sima Guang devoted his life to history and politics and was not proud of literature. He commented that "as for literature, it is not his strong point". However, his knowledge is extensive and profound, and he combines learning with writing articles, although he has no intention of writing for the sake of writing.
Sima Guang thinks that flashy poetry is useless. What he praises is plain and carefree poetry, which expresses true temperament and true self.
In the aspect of Confucian classics, Sima Guang carried forward Confucianism, vigorously developed Buddhism and Taoism, and made many groundbreaking interpretations of Confucian classics. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhu, Zhou Dunyi, Shao Yong, Er Cheng (Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi) and Zhang Zai were also called "the six sons of Taoism".
Sima Guang left few calligraphy works. His handwriting is thin and square, and every painting is regular, even if it is long and big, it is not sloppy. Such vigorous writing style is similar to his honest and rigorous character.
Sima Guang's main styles are official script and official script, and they are more than official script. The main features of the book are: clear strokes, regular and flat structure, and the horizontal strokes often contain the intention and shape of silkworm head and phoenix tail, which is obviously integrated into the tradition of official script.
The characteristics of official script are: it is not as simple as Han Li, and it is not as beautiful as Tang official script. However, its brushwork is sharp, penetrating, thick and vigorous, and its structure is mostly vertical.
Although the font is small, it is full of energy, and the turning point is angular and rigid. The lines are connected by a straight arc, which is very beautiful in simplicity. In addition to the official law, there is also the intention of opening a mold. There is no fullness that is common in the Tang Dynasty, and there is a wind of anger but not power.
Sima Guang's achievements in calligraphy mainly benefit from his understanding and appreciation of calligraphy, painting and epigraphy. According to his personal thoughts, he learned from others' strengths, gathered strength, prestige, Jin people's connotation and Tang Jie's strength in one furnace, and formed a distinctive personal appearance and style, which is undoubtedly unique in the calligraphy of Song people.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Sima Guang