Anshi, the king of the four great literary figures in the Northern Song Dynasty
(December 18, 1021 - May 21, 1086), had the courtesy name Jiefu, the nickname Banshan, his posthumous title, and the title Duke of Jing. The world also calls him King Jinggong. A native of Linchuan in the Northern Song Dynasty (now a native of Shangchi Village, Dongxiang, Jiangxi Province). An outstanding politician, writer, thinker, and reformer in Chinese history. Prime Minister of the Northern Song Dynasty and leader of the New Party. Ouyang Xiu praised Wang Anshi: "There are three thousand romantic poems in the Imperial Academy, and two hundred articles in the official department. I still have self-pity when I am old, and who will compete with my son later." There are "Wang Linchuan Collection", "Linchuan Collection Supplements" and so on. He is also good at poetry, and the most famous one is the one in "Boancing at Guazhou": "The spring breeze is green again on the south bank of the river. When will the bright moon shine back on me?"
Wang Anshi was born in Linjiangjun (today's Jiangnan) Qingjiang, Jiangxi). He came from a family of officials and passed the Jinshi examination in the second year of Emperor Renzong's Qingli reign (1042), ranking fourth in the imperial examination. In the third year of Jiayou's reign (1058), he submitted a petition to Song Renzong to criticize the current shortcomings and demand reforms. In 1069, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty served as the Councilor for Political Affairs and introduced new reforms such as the Green Crops Law, the Farmland Water Conservancy Law, and the Recruitment Law. In 1070, he was promoted to prime minister. Because the land reform in the new law affected the landlord class and related bureaucrats, the reform was strongly resisted by them. Among the people, because the reform was difficult to implement, it had an adverse impact on the lives of ordinary people, and was hostile to intellectuals. As a result, his image among the people has always been poor. He was dismissed from office twice in 1074 and 1076. After the death of Song Shenzong, Sima Guang, the former opposition figure (who had been squeezed out because of his political disagreement with Wang Anshi), became prime minister and abolished almost all laws. After the failure of the reform, he retreated to Jiangning (now Nanjing, Jiangsu). Lenin, the leader of Russia in the 20th century, praised him as the "reformer of the 11th century." Wang Anshi is a maverick person. According to reports, he often went out to meet guests without washing himself. When he was immersed in reading, he would grab something to eat, and even ate fish food without knowing it. It is generally believed that Su Xun's "Discrimination" is an allusion to Wang Anshi, which writes: "My husband never forgets to wash away the dirt on his face, and he never forgets to wash away the dirt on his clothes. This is the most affectionate thing about a man. This is not the case today. The clothes worn by the ministers and captives, Isn't this how it is to eat the food of a dog's pigeon and talk about poems and books in front of the prisoner's head?" Su Shi and Wang Anshi also had always been at odds. Wang Anshi was fond of making shocking remarks, and Su Shi once wrote a satirical article. There are also many folk stories about two people fighting wits.
2 Su Shi, one of the four literary masters of the Northern Song Dynasty
(1037-1101), named Zizhan, also known as Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan, Meizhou (now part of Sichuan). His family is rich in literary tradition. His grandfather Su Xu was good at reading and writing poetry. His father, Su Xun, was a famous writer of ancient Chinese literature. He once carefully guided Su Shi and his younger brother Su Zhe. His mother, Cheng, was knowledgeable and well-informed about righteousness. She once told the young Su Shi the "Book of the Later Han? The Biography of Fan Pang" and encouraged her son to hone his reputation through the deeds of ancient patriots. When Su Shi left Shu and entered Beijing at the age of 21, his knowledge and accomplishments were already quite mature.
Su Shi was knowledgeable and thoughtful, and he was at home in the ideological atmosphere of the unity of the three religions in the Northern Song Dynasty. Su Zhe described Su Shi's reading process as follows: "I first read the books of Jia Yi and Lu Zhi, and discussed the ancient and modern methods of governing chaos, which is not just empty talk. After reading "Zhuangzi", he sighed and said: "I have seen it in the past, but I can't express it. Now I read "Zhuangzi". "Zhuangzi" has won my heart!'... After reading Shi's book, I deeply understood the truth, and after consulting Kong and Lao, I was able to speak eloquently without any hindrance. 》) Su Shi not only readily accepted Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, but also believed that they were inherently connected. He once said that "Zhuangzi helped Confucius", and Zhuangzi's attitude towards Confucius was "Yang squeezes and Yin helps it" ("Zhuangzi Ancestral Hall"). He also believed that "Confucianism and Buddhism do not coincide with each other" and "are opposite but serve each other" ("Inscriptions of the Elders of Nanhua"). This kind of thought based on the Confucian system and imbued with Buddhism and Taoism is the philosophical foundation of Su Shi's outlook on life.
Su Shi adhered to the Confucian political ideal of managing the world and benefiting the people. He was a Jinshi at the age of 22, and passed the third-class examination at the age of 26 (the highest grade in the Song Dynasty). After becoming an official, he worked hard and had the ambition to be useful to the world. . He is an upright man, pays attention to integrity, is determined to reform government affairs and has the courage to speak out. Because he focused on the actual effects of policies, he opposed Wang Anshi when he implemented the new law, and held different opinions when Sima Guang repealed the new law. As a result, he was ostracized many times. When he was in office, he was diligent in political affairs and tried his best to do more practical things for the local area. He successively served as a local official in Hangzhou, Mizhou, Xuzhou, and Huzhou, where he exterminated locusts, provided disaster relief, and fought floods and built embankments, with outstanding political achievements. Even after he was demoted to Huizhou, he donated money to build two bridges. As long as the environment allowed, Su Shi always tried his best to make a difference. However, Su Shi's official career was bumpy throughout his life, and he was repeatedly demoted and failed to fully display his political talents.
When he was 44 years old, he encountered the "Wutai Poetry Case" and narrowly escaped an unexpected incident. In his later years, he was demoted again and again, until he lived in the remote Hainan, eating taro and drinking water, living a hard life with the Li people. Su Shi was not indifferent to suffering, nor did he accept the hardships imposed on him. Instead, he treated the ensuing misfortunes with a brand-new attitude towards life, combining the Confucian perseverance of poverty and Lao Zhuang's contempt for limited time, space and material environment. The transcendent attitude and the Zen concept of treating all changes with a normal heart are organically combined, thus despising ugliness and dispelling pain. This paradigm of life that is obsessed with life but detached from external things contains a firm, calm, optimistic and broad-minded spirit. Therefore, Su Shi can still maintain a strong interest in life and strong creative vitality in adversity.
3 Ouyang Xiu, one of the four great literary figures in the Northern Song Dynasty
(August 1, 1007-September 22, 1072), courtesy name Yongshu, nicknamed Zuiweng, Liuyi Jushi, Northern Song Dynasty Politicians, writers, historians. Ouyang Xiu is one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". He participated in the compilation of "New Book of Tang" and "History of the Five Dynasties". He is a representative of the classical prose movement in the Northern Song Dynasty. He is the author of "The Drunkard's Pavilion" and "Ode to the Sound of Autumn" and other works. Ouyang Xiu had many ups and downs in his career, and was demoted three times. He was strong and upright, and acted bravely when he saw justice. His poems and some "elegant words" show this aspect of his character. Ouyang Xiu praised the young students with real talents and knowledge and recommended them with all his strength.
Ouyang Xiu was born in Mianzhou (now Mianyang, Sichuan) on June 21, the fourth year of Jingde in the Northern Song Dynasty (August 1, 1007). At that time, his father was a military official in Mianzhou and he was 56 years old. . Three years later (the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu, 1010), his father died. Ouyang Xiu is the only son in the family, and he and his mother Zheng are dependent on each other. The orphaned and widowed mother had to go to Suizhou, Hubei to seek refuge with Ouyang Xiu's uncle. The uncle's family was not very wealthy, but fortunately his mother, Zheng, was an educated lady. She taught Ouyang Xiu how to read and write on the sand with straw. Ouyang Xiu's uncle also showed concern from time to time, and finally did not let Ouyang Xiu lose his basic education in his childhood.
Ouyang Xiu loved reading since he was a child. He often borrowed books from the Li family in the south of the city and copied them. He was talented and hard-working, and often the books could be recited before they were finished. Just like an adult, his uncle saw the hope of revitalizing the family and once said to Ouyang Xiu's mother: "Sister-in-law, don't worry about the poverty of the family. Your child has a genius! Not only can he start a business and honor his ancestors, he will definitely be famous all over the world in the future." Ten years old. At that time, Ouyang Xiu obtained six volumes of the Tang Dynasty's "Collected Works of Mr. Chang Li" from the Li family. He loved his articles so much that he could not let go of the volumes. This sowed the seeds for the later poetry innovation movement in the Northern Song Dynasty.
4 Huang Tingjian, one of the four literary masters of the Northern Song Dynasty
(1045～1105), a poet and calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Luzhi, his nickname was Valley, and he was also called Fu Weng. A native of Fenning, Hongzhou (now Xiushui, Jiangxi).
His father Huang Shu was a poet who studied Du Fu, and his uncle Li Chang was a book collector. Huang Tingjian was eager to learn since childhood and was well-read in hundreds of classics and history. In the fourth year of Emperor Yingzong's reign (1067), he became a Jinshi. During the Xining period of Shenzong, Huang Tingjian successively served as a lieutenant in Ye County of Ruzhou (now part of Henan) and a professor at the Imperial College in Beijing (now Hebei Province). In the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), he learned about Taihe County in Jizhou (now part of Jiangxi). The government decrees were clear, simple and simple. After seven years, he was moved to Deping Town, Texas. In the Yuan Dynasty, he went to Beijing to compile "Records of Shenzong". During this period, Su Shi learned about tribute and was hired as a detailed official. After the "Records" were completed, Huang Tingjian moved to his residence. During the reign of Shaosheng, the new party constitution, Cai Bian and others were used. Huang Tingjian, an old minister of the Yuan Dynasty, was impeached and falsely accused by Xiu Shilu. He was demoted to Fuzhou (now Fuling, Sichuan) and settled in Qianzhou (now Pengshui, Sichuan). Later, he was transferred to the army. Prefecture (now Yibin, Sichuan). After Huizong ascended the throne, he was ordered to move inland. Due to Zhao Ting's exclusion, he was removed from the administration of Yizhou (now Yishan, Guangxi) and died in his demoted position. Huang Tingjian is the first of the four scholars of Sumen.
His political attitude is similar to that of Su Shi. He does not agree with Wang Anshi's reform, but he cares about state affairs, sympathizes with the people, is ambitious, knowledgeable, and ethical. The husband has great ambitions but a low chest. He is poor to the bone this year and as heroic as Yuanlong ("Ci Yun Yang Mingshu's Farewell"), which can be seen as his self-portrait. He faced adversity. Being able to live in peace and contentment with poverty and humiliation, and to live calmly without worrying about grief or grudges ("The Biography of Mr. Yu Zhang"). He was influenced by Confucianism throughout his life and was deeply influenced by Zen. Huang Tingjian said in "Reply to Hong Ju's Father": The most difficult thing is to compose words by oneself. Lao Du wrote poems and retired compositions. There is no source of words. Even if he takes the ancient sayings and puts them into calligraphy, it is like a magic pill that can touch iron. Turn into gold. "Leng Zhai Night Talk" also contains Huang Tingjian's method of reborn and reborn, which was regarded as the creative program of the Jiangxi School of Poetry and had a negative impact on later authors.
In fact, the theory of rebirth and rebirth is not found in Gu Gu’s writings, and may not be an important proposition in his poetry creation. And in the letter about turning iron into gold, he also said: Every article written must have a purpose, that is, it has its own purpose; he also said that those who can write in ancient times can really cultivate all things. Precisely because the author has his own purpose, although he takes the statements of the ancients, it is only used as a tool for edification. Therefore, his thesis did not ignore the social role, and believed that the article should be ambitious and ambitious before writing ("Preface to the Collected Works of Wang Dingguo"). For this reason, he praised Du Shi for being good at describing current affairs (quoted in "Pan Zizhen's Poetry Talk"). Regarding the relationship between Li and Ci, Li must be the main one, and Li should be followed by Ci ("Yu Wang Guan Fu Shu").
He also believed that poets have human emotions ("The King of Books Zhizai Qushan Miscellaneous Ode"), and the writing is original and has no trace of it throughout the ages ("Send to Chao Yuanzhong"). Huang Tingjian also said that he likes to write strange words, but his writing is diseased and has no chiseling marks, so it is a good word ("Yu Wangguan Fu Shu"). He advocated that poetry should be written from the heart, and Zhuang language should not be added with fancy words ("Ci Yun Ding Guo Wen Su") "Zi Yu was lying sick in Jixi"), not carved but always natural ("Taoist Fu on Paintings of Dead Wood by Su Li").