Sima Guang (November 17, 1019 - October 11, 1086), whose courtesy name was Junshi and nickname was Yuansou, was a native of Sushui Township, Xia County, Shaanxi Province (now Xia County, Shanxi Province), and was known as Sushui in the world. Mr. Water. A politician, historian, and writer of the Northern Song Dynasty, he claimed to be a descendant of Sima Fu, King Anpingxian of the Western Jin Dynasty.
In the first year of Baoyuan (1038) of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, he passed the imperial examination and moved to Longtuge to become a bachelor. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he opposed Wang Anshi's reform and left the court for fifteen years. He presided over the compilation of the first chronological general history in Chinese history, Zizhi Tongjian. He served as an official in the four dynasties of Renzong, Yingzong, Shenzong and Zhezong, and he reached the rank of Shangshu Zuopushe and also served as a minister. In the first year of Yuanyou (1086), he passed away and was given posthumously to Taishi and Wen Guogong, with the posthumous title Wenzheng. He was listed as a "Yuanyou party member" and was entitled to enjoy the temple of Emperor Zhezong of the Song Dynasty, with the figure of Zhaoxun Pavilion; he was worshiped in the Confucius Temple and was called "Sima Zi"; he was worshiped in the temples of emperors of all dynasties.
Be gentle, humble, and upright; work hard and be diligent. He boasts that "when the day is insufficient, the night is followed", which can be regarded as a model under the teachings of Confucianism. He wrote many works in his life, mainly "Collected Works of Wen Guowen Zheng and Sima Gong", "Ji Gu Lu", "Sushui Records", "Qianxu", etc.
Sima Guang was filial to his parents, friendly to his brothers, loyal to the king, and trustworthy to others. He was also respectful, frugal, upright, gentle, humble, and upright. He was an outstanding thinker and educator. In history, Sima Guang was once regarded as one of the three sages of Confucianism (the other two are Confucius and Mencius).
Everything he did was in accordance with the rules, and every word and action was in line with etiquette. When he was in Luoyang, every time he went to Xia County to sweep the tomb, he would pass by the home of his brother Sima Dan. Sima Dan was nearly eighty years old, and Sima Guang still served him like a strict father and protected him like a baby. From childhood to old age, he never said a word casually. He said himself: "There is nothing about me that is better than others, but what I have done in my life has never been ulterior."
His sincerity comes from his nature, and people all over the world respect him and believe in him. People in Shaanxi and Luoyang take him as an example, compare with him, and learn from his good character.