On Sima Guang And Wang Anshi

The founding of the Northern Song Dynasty ended the feudalism and the chaos of the Five Dynasties and ten states in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, and opened the most prosperous era of economy and culture in Chinese history. The first four emperors (Taizu, Taizong, Zhenzong, Renzong) adopted the way of division of powers, with enlightened politics, simple world style and numerous talents. From then on, the Song Dynasty changed its political system and changed its political system. "Song Renzong" and "the change of the great Song Dynasty: 1063-1086" two historical works show the political and social changes from Song Zhenzong to song zhezong. They highlight and compare the social and economic forms under the two emperors of song Renzong and song Shenzong. They give a new evaluation to Sima Guang and Wang Anshi, two controversial political figures in history, and give us a new understanding of Wang Anshi's reform and the old and new The nature of the debate is very enlightening.

The emperor of the Qin Dynasty was not as brilliant and brilliant as the emperor of the Han Dynasty. However, under this loose and inaction rule, a lot of talents emerged, such as "eight great masters of Tang and Song Dynasties", academic circles represented by "five scholars of Northern Song Dynasty", and political circles, such as Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, Sima Guang and Wang Anshi, have emerged. Emperor Renzong was very self-restraint, respected political rules, checked and balanced the executive team and the remonstrators who supervised the government affairs. The book lists many cases in which the emperor's private affairs were rejected by the two governments and the imperial edicts were returned. Renzong, with the respect of emperor, can do it by force, but he can listen to the advice and make necessary concessions. He is a wise man who has really practiced the "Huang Lao" governance. Emperor Renzong didn't admire the false name, accepted the reality, and lived with the people's livelihood. After his death, the people "cried in the streets" and "smoke covered the air", which expressed the true feelings of remembrance and love.

Professor Zhao Dongze made a detailed analysis of the political consequences of the Northern Song Dynasty. She believes that it was caused by the succession of the throne. Renzong had no children. After his death, he could only be succeeded by his adopted son, and the Empress Dowager was in power. As a result, great difficulties occurred in the early days of Yingzong's reign. The royal family disturbance affected two generations of emperors. Yingzong did not live long. After his son Shenzong succeeded to the throne, he wanted to make a great career. In the Northern Song Dynasty, when the military equipment was weak and the West and North were surrounded by Xixia and Khitan respectively, they set out to expand the border. At this time, Wang Anshi got the important position. What emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty needs is a backbone who can help him realize his ideal of enriching the country and strengthening the army. Wang Anshi's complete set of policies of "the people do not add tax but the country uses enough" meets the needs of the emperor. This is the great driving force behind Wang Anshi's reform. Therefore, after Wang Anshi was forced to resign, his "New Deal" has been implemented all the time. This is due to Wang Anshi's "unification of ideas" and adjustment of officialdom to implement the new deal line.

The two characters of Sima Guang and Wang Anshi are well described in the book, especially the image of Sima Guang, a modest Confucianist and upright man, has completely broken the label of "obstinate and conservative" that people put on him before. The difference between Sima Guang and Wang Anshi stems from the divergence of views on the economy at that time. He believed that "the goods and wealth produced by heaven and earth are not so much, but in the public.". This view is obviously in line with the actual situation of agricultural society. On the other hand, if a country is rich, it will have a limited amount of surplus products. Wang Anshi's "financial management" means to transfer folk wealth to the state under zero sum condition, so as to meet the needs of Shenzong's border expansion war. It should be said that at that time, there were a lot of officials who had the same sober ideas as Sima Guang, and Wang Anshi needed to use various means to support and implement his ideas and policies for a long time. All kinds of practices of destroying the system really led to the deterioration of official atmosphere and political crisis. The "water conservancy law" and "water conservancy law", which are the core of the government's policy of "free from labor" and "water conservancy law", have proved that the "water conservancy law" and "water conservancy law" are the core of the civil law.

Wang Anshi adopted legalism, which was very popular with the ruling class. An example worthy of emulation is that after Shang Yang's reform, the state of Qin destroyed all the six countries and completed the unification of rivers and mountains. Legalists emphasize that in order to achieve the goal, they do not have to choose the method carefully. The book lists Wang Anshi's various practices of destroying the structure of political checks and balances, excluding dissidents and placing his own people. It is also very difficult to correct this vigorous reform if it goes wrong. Wang Anshi is undoubtedly an able official, and Shenzong is an emperor with ideals and achievements. However, the policy of breaking away from social and economic reality is not far away. Shenzong was in financial difficulties and the foreign invasion could not be subsided. The mess left to the young emperor zhezong was finally handed over to Sima Guang, who was already in the year of residual candle. Yeah? Time? Life? Faced with the chronic illness accumulated in the new deal for more than ten years, the corrupt official atmosphere, and the officials who safeguard the new deal and their own interests, he is like a "yellow leaf in the gale". After all, he has no power to turn the tide over the past, and the right and wrong can only be left to later generations to comment.

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