This Qingming Riverside Scene vividly records the prosperous scene of the capital city of the Northern Song Dynasty, Tokyo, and the living conditions of people from all walks of life. Although the territory of the Great Song Dynasty was not as vast as that of the Han and Tang Dynasties, and the military was not as strong as that of the Han and Tang Dynasties, the developed urban civilization of the Song Dynasty ranked first in Chinese history. At this time, in Bianliang, Tokyo, pedestrians were weaving and people were jostling one after another. Within the walls of Goulan and Wa Si, merchants gathered, and singers sang the famous lines of Su Dongpo and Liu Yong. The flourishing civilization, with its colorful flowers, made historian Chen Yanke marvel at the evolution of the Chinese culture over thousands of years, which was created during the Zhao and Song dynasties. However, during this period, the sixth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Shenzong of Song, and the 49 year old Wang Anshi, launched a magnificent reform. Why did the flourishing Song Empire carry out the reform? Is there any secret hidden behind it? Why did this young and weak monarch ignore the obstruction of important officials and support Wang Anshi’s reform proposals? In the process of implementing the new law, Wang Anshi and his close friend Sima Guang finally became like water and fire, and broke up? Throughout history, people’s evaluations of Wang Anshi himself and the reform are completely opposite. Is he the culprit that led to the downfall of the Northern Song Dynasty? What about the first one?
Chenqiaoyi, Xinxiang City, Henan Province
Chenqiao Post can be said to be the most famous post station in China. In 960 AD, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, wore a yellow robe here and became emperor. Zhao Kuangyin was once the commander of the imperial army in the previous dynasty and held military power. However, after gaining control of the country, he couldn’t help but worry that his generals would one day launch a military coup and seize the country. Zhao Kuangyin pondered day and night and finally decided on the national policy of suppressing military generals and revitalizing culture and education. He wanted future emperors to be generous and scholarly officials. From then on, the Song Dynasty embarked on the path of opening up the imperial examination system. However, the system designed by Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty to prevent cheating was not enough. The bureaucratic structure of the Song Dynasty brought considerable drawbacks. Compared with the Tang Dynasty, the number of officials in the Song Dynasty increased by ten times, resulting in a complex system of government decentralization, with redundant officials and officials flooding the political arena. The historian Ye Shi of the Song Dynasty once said, Since ancient times, there have been so many corrupt officials, and in addition to being redundant, there were also redundant soldiers. The rulers of the Song Dynasty adopted a policy of raising soldiers. Whenever conflicts intensified in a certain area, the government recruited a large number of soldiers, recruiting exiles from society as soldiers. The intention was that for every person recruited, the court would have more soldiers, while the mountains and fields would have fewer bandits. By the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, this situation gradually deteriorated. As the Northern Song politician Cai Xiang once said, half of the world’s resources were raised by five.
In 1067 AD, after Emperor Shenzong of Song succeeded to the throne, he discovered a reality that those who were poor in our country had soldiers. Moreover, with the huge government bureaucracy, the finances of the Song Dynasty were already unable to make ends meet. The true face of the fragile empire behind the cultural peak was the redundancy of officials, soldiers, and expenses. Although there were millions of soldiers, it was inevitable that it would be downgraded to a very weak country. Although there were many soldiers, the Northern Song Dynasty was frequently invaded by foreign enemies. Apart from the Khitan in the north and the Western Xia in the northwest, even the Jiaozhi in the south dared to violate the border. All of this is in line with Emperor Shenzong’s expectations. It’s too far off. The emperor, who just turned 20 years old, couldn’t understand how the magnificent Song Dynasty would become so impoverished and weak. Why couldn’t he be respected like Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang? Emperor Shenzong of Song, who had just ascended to the throne, began to worry deeply about the future of the Song Dynasty. He was well aware that there were many profound crises hidden in the Song Dynasty, and that co governance with literati was an important principle in the political history of the Northern Song Dynasty. Emperor Shenzong of Song began to constantly search for good officials who could govern the country with peace, strengthen the army, and benefit the people. He first set his sights on the famous scholar of the Hanlin, Sima Guang.
Sima Guang, born in Guangshan County, Henan Province in 1019 AD, is a famous historian, politician, and writer in China. Sima Guang has always been known for his integrity and courage to speak, and his moral knowledge is highly respected by the world. At the beginning, Emperor Shenzong of Song had high expectations for him, but Sima Guang talked about the importance of cultivating the mind and taught him to be benevolent, wise, and heroic. Although his teachings were correct, they were hollow and abstract, which naturally made the pragmatic Emperor Shenzong of Song feel that they were all clich é s and rare points.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: Sima Guang gave six suggestions to Emperor Shenzong of Song at that time. From the perspective of self-cultivation, they were benevolence, discerning right from wrong, and decisive in handling things. In summary, they were: benevolence, brightness, and martial arts. In terms of governance, he also gave three suggestions to Emperor Shenzong of Song, namely appointment as an official, trust in rewards, and mandatory punishment.
Mao Liya, Department of History, Sichuan Normal University: In fact, these six suggestions were previously given by Sima Guang to the grandfather and father of Emperor Shenzong of Song. Therefore, after hearing Sima Guang’s answer, Emperor Shenzong of Song immediately understood that these cannot solve practical problems.
Later, Emperor Shenzong of Song brought in the former minister Fubi, who had presided over the Qingli New Policy, to seek advice on border defense matters. However, he received a cold water from the head. His Majesty has not ascended the throne long ago, so he should show mercy and hope that you will remain silent for twenty years. At this time, Fubi has grown old and become very sophisticated, completely different from the brave and innovative Fuxiang Gong during the Qingli period.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: In fact, Emperor Shenzong of Song had great hopes for Fu Bi. After all, he had also participated in the Qingli New Policy presided over by Fan Zhongyan before. After listening to what Fu Bi said, according to historical records, Emperor Shenzong remained silent for a long time.
Faced with the monotonous conservatism and obsolescence of the courtiers, Emperor Shenzong of Song was extremely disappointed. To solve the problem that the Northern Song Dynasty had accumulated for more than a hundred years, he had to find a bold and decisive solution. At this moment, Emperor Shenzong of Song remembered his confidential secretary, Han Wei, when he was a feudal lord.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: Who is Han Wei? When Emperor Shenzong of Song was the crown prince in the past, he joined the military in a memorial office next to him. Han Wei had a very good relationship with Emperor Shenzong of Song and often accompanied him to read books, discuss and discuss issues. Han Wei was a very capable person, and he always talked about things with great skill. Emperor Shenzong of Song even praised him for his knowledge.
History Department of Sichuan Normal University – Mao Liya: But Han Wei always tells Emperor Shenzong that these are not what I say, nor are they my thoughts. This is what my good friend Wang Anshi said.
Due to Han Wei’s frequent mention of Wang Anshi and his reform proposals by Emperor Shenzong of Song, the young Emperor Shenzong of Song was full of respect for Wang Anshi. In the end, he focused his attention on Wang Anshi, who was already very famous at the time, as if he was the divine gift minister he had been searching for for for a long time. Wang Anshi, also known as Jiefu, was a famous politician, thinker, reformer, and writer from Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. As early as the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi wrote a ten thousand word memorial to Emperor Renzong. In the memorial, Wang Anshi not only summarized his years of experience as a local official, pointed out the reality of poverty and weakness in the country, but also systematically proposed reform proposals. Unfortunately, Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty advocated the basic national policy of Yanwu Xiuwen, and was busy with the establishment of a crown prince. Wang Anshi’s ten thousand word memorial did not attract the attention of Emperor Renzong and the ruling ministers, and did not see any response from Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty. Wang Anshi understood this. At present, the time for reform has not yet arrived, and the rulers of the country have no determination to reform and reform.
Mao Liya, Department of History at Sichuan Normal University: Wang Anshi was a stubborn person with a nickname called Aoxianggong. He felt that the emperor did not appreciate his reform ideas and he had no intention of becoming a high-ranking official. Therefore, at that time, Wang Anshi repeatedly declined the court’s appointments to him.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: There was even a time when the government sent someone to deliver a letter of appointment to the door, but Wang Anshi did not accept it as usual. The person who delivered the letter of appointment had to kneel down and beg him, while Wang Anshi went to the toilet. When the person who delivered the letter of appointment saw this, he placed it on the table and left on his own. However, he did not expect Wang Anshi to catch up and return the letter of appointment.
Faced with his great revenge and not being appreciated, Wang Anshi chose to wait. He was waiting for the new rulers to recognize his reform ideas, which led the entire Song Empire to embark on the path of reform. Wang Anshi’s repeated refusals to take office also increased his reputation time and time again, ultimately making the Song Emperor Shenzong and even the civil and military officials in the court eager to see Wang Anshi’s true face. In order to verify whether Wang Anshi truly had the talent to govern the country, Emperor Shenzong of Song began to pave the way for him. He first appointed Wang Anshi as the governor of Jiangning Prefecture. In September 1067, Emperor Shenzong of Song issued another edict appointing Wang Anshi as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: Wang Anshi, upon hearing the appointment of Emperor Shenzong of Song, immediately wrote a thank-you note to Emperor Shenzong of Song without a word of refusal. Why? Because the position of Hanlin Bachelor was too important at that time, all the important and most important orders and edicts related to the country were drafted by Hanlin Bachelor. In the Tang Dynasty, Hanlin Bachelor had a nickname called Nei Xiang, which was the prime minister in the palace.
Floating clouds reflect Guo’s beautiful aura, while flying birds follow people to make good notes. In 1068 AD, Wang Anshi went to the north to take up his post. At this time, Wang Anshi felt that his opportunity was finally coming. From the lines of his poem from Jinling, it can be seen that Wang Anshi was in a joyful and cheerful mood when he was ordered to enter the capital. At this time, he had just turned 46 years old, and was in his prime of wealth and strength. He knew that he would have great ambitions with the support of the emperor. When Emperor Shenzong of Song saw Wang Anshi, he asked directly, “What should we first focus on in governing the country?”? Wang Anshi replied, “First of all, you need to choose a method.” Emperor Shenzong then asked, “How about Tang Taizong?” He replied, “Your Majesty should follow the example of Yao and Shun. Why mention Tang Taizong? Yao and Shun’s method was very simple, crucial, and easy. However, later scholars could not understand it and thought it was unpredictable. This was the first time Emperor Shenzong summoned Wang Anshi for a conversation. From the lines of these records, we can see Emperor Shenzong’s urgency for reform and Wang Anshi’s confidence. Regarding the difficulties of the Great Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi believed that the country’s financial situation was not good and it was not a top priority. The reason for this situation was because there were no people who were good at financial management.” However, Sima Guang, a friend of Wang Anshi, who is also a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, holds opposing views. What you call a good financial manager is just a clever name that increases the tax burden on the people, Wang Anshi, on the other hand, said that those who are good at financial management can make the national treasury full without increasing taxes. Wang Anshi’s method of governance is based on the principle of relying on the power of the whole world to seek wealth, and using the wealth obtained to provide for the use of the world. Starting from financial management, Wang Anshi can change the situation of accumulated poverty and weakness. Whether Wang Anshi’s method is to adjust the relationship between landlords, the state and farmers, or to develop production, or even to suppress large officials and landlords, and strengthen ruling power, this financial management proposition and reform purpose aimed at enriching the country coincides with the goal of Emperor Shenzong of Song to change the situation of accumulated poverty and weakness in the Song Dynasty. One is ambitious. A young monarch, one was a seasoned and capable minister with a clear mind. Wang Anshi’s words resonated strongly with Emperor Shenzong of Song, Finally, Emperor Shenzong of Song believed that it was most appropriate to use Wang Anshi to assist him.
In 1069 AD, Emperor Shenzong of Song appointed Wang Anshi as a counselor to oversee the political reform. From then on, Wang Anshi’s reform officially began. Wang Anshi first focused on solving financial problems in the reform, and in terms of financial management, he believed that the best way was to promote agricultural production. As the harvest of agricultural production increased, the tax source would naturally be abundant.
Wang’an Temple in Yinxian County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province
Yin County was an experimental field for Wang Anshi when he first entered politics. He discovered early on that the most difficult time for farmers in a year was spring. At that time, the autumn grain in the farmers’ homes was almost finished, and the summer grain had not yet been harvested. As the saying goes, it was a time when the green and yellow crops were not harvested. Therefore, those wealthy families with money and grain borrowed money at high interest rates to lend grain to ordinary farmers. After Wang Anshi took office, he lent the grain from the government granary to farmers. After the autumn harvest, the farmers would return the grain to the government and pay a small amount of interest, which could solve the problem of food shortage for farmers. At the same time, it could also update the grain in the granary. This small-scale experiment in the local area gave Wang Anshi great confidence. This method was the new law introduced by Wang Anshi’s Reform, which first started from the perspective of national economy and people’s livelihood – the Qingmiao Anti – the Qingmiao Law, which flexibly replaced the state with wealthy households, converted the stored grain in the granary into capital, and lent it to farmers at an annual interest rate of 20% to ease the phenomenon of high interest loans among the people. This new law is Wang Anshi. The most representative law in the process of the Stone Reform. However, Wang Anshi’s most proud stroke faced the most intense resistance, and the person who opposed Wang Anshi was his friend Sima Guang.
Sima Guang and Wang Anshi had a long-standing dispute before. Sima Guang believed that there was always a fixed amount of property in heaven and earth, not in the people, but in the officials. Your so-called good financial management was just exploiting the people. It can be seen that Sima Guang opposed gathering and claimed that the country could not compete with the people for benefits, which was exactly opposite to Wang Anshi’s proposition of enriching the country. After the promulgation of the Qingmiao Law, Sima Guang wrote three letters to Wang Anshi, reminding this former friend that the so-called Qingmiao Law was fundamentally a cruel policy of collecting money in a disguised form. The officials in charge of auxiliary affairs should not focus their attention on wealth and benefits, but this kind reminder. Wang Anshi not only refused to accept it, but also publicly criticized Sima Guang for using literary invitation as a pretext for his letters. The Qingmiao method had a good starting intention, and this method was very successful when Wang Anshi served as a local official, Winning the praise of the people, but what was unexpected was that this method had different consequences when it was spread throughout the country.
Professor Li Yongxian from the History Department of Sichuan University: When serving as a local official, due to its small geographical area and relatively single administrative level, he had a comprehensive understanding and processing of information, which was also in line with reality. So, coupled with the relatively low cost of supervision and management, this enables the agricultural loan system to operate normally and achieve great success on a small scale. In addition, under the pressure of such assessments from superiors, Wang Anshi himself is very honest and will not engage in corruption or bribery. Therefore, his implementation of the Green Seedling Law on this small scale is very successful.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: However, during the process of implementing the Qingmiao Law nationwide, he also had to go through the government. As soon as he passes by the government, he will be in trouble. There will definitely be people taking advantage of this policy because there are interests here.
After the introduction of the Qingmiao Law, officials from various regions not only raised interest rates without authorization in order to seek rewards, but also turned this voluntary loan into a compulsory distribution, forming official high interest loans. The country became the largest creditor, ultimately making it difficult for lower class farmers to pay off loans and making upper class farmers bear the burden of interest for no reason. As wealthy households also provide guarantees for loans to poor households, once they cannot afford them, their burden becomes even heavier, and they even sell their property to repay loans, making poor households poorer and wealthy households poorer, and society even more unstable.
Professor Li Yongxian from the History Department of Sichuan University: Some people borrow high interest loans from landlords and cannot afford them, which often leads to many tragedies and tragedies. If the government cannot repay the loans they give you and cannot spare you, then what should the people do if they cannot afford to provoke the government? He had to go to the merger house again, borrow high interest loans from landlords, and the interest was even higher than that of the government. In this way, the farmers actually suffered from double exploitation.
The original intention of the Qingmiao Law was to reduce the burden on farmers, but when this policy was implemented, it actually went against the trend and made the lives of farmers more difficult. Many corrupt officials used the reform to do evil things privately, and for a time, the reform greatly lost the hearts of the people. The people were filled with complaints. Finally, Sima Guang responded to Wang Anshi, saying that if he did not depose the new law for a day and did not serve as an official in the court for a day, ice and charcoal could not be burned together. However, at the same time, the wealth of the court quickly accumulated due to the implementation of the new law. Therefore, in 1077 AD, Emperor Shenzong of Song changed the era name to Yuanfeng, implying abundant national treasury, whether it was the Qingmiao Law or the subsequent implementation of the farmland. Water conservancy laws and other policies that are conducive to agricultural development are official Wang Anshi proposed reforms to address the problem of poverty in the imperial court at that time, and in order to increase government taxation and ease social conflicts, he also implemented some new policies to suppress powerful landlords.
In 1071 AD, a long-awaited new law, the Immunization Law, was officially implemented. The Immunization Law changed the original rotation of household service to government employees, and farmers who did not want to serve were required to pay a certain amount of money according to their wealth level. Its biggest feature was that the people provided money to replace them in direct service. This not only solved the problem of people’s unwillingness to serve, but also increased the government’s financial revenue. It can be said that this new law was beneficial to the country and the people. The implementation process of this immunization law was also very cautious, and it took nearly three years from discussion to implementation nationwide. However, this new law was also faced with challenges. Strongly opposed by Sima Guang and others. Sima Guang believed that the severity of corv é e varied, and there were significant disparities among households in different regions. However, it was clearly not feasible for the country to formulate a unified policy on corv é e law. The wealthy could simply pay limited immunization money to pass on the misfortune of bankruptcy to lower class households, allowing them to escape the burden of corv é e law. On the other hand, the vast number of rural households have become the targets of extortion for wealth, forced to demolish houses and sell wives, resulting in the downfall of their families. The national treasury, government treasury, and private pockets of officials are filled with wealth. Finally, some even wrote to Emperor Shenzong of Song to list the ten major drawbacks of the immunization law. As the leader of the reform and reform, Wang Anshi has become the preferred target of the opposition, and the wave of opposition against Wang Anshi has become increasingly fierce. However, for Wang Anshi, as long as he can promote the reform and reform movement, no difficulty can defeat him. While promoting the reform, Sima Guang is also doing ideological work for Emperor Shenzong of Song.
Mao Liya, Department of History, Sichuan Normal University: What was Sima Guang doing at that time? He was writing the Zizhi Tongjian, which, as the name suggests, was to provide historical reference and inspiration for the emperor. Once, Sima Guang recited the passage of Xiao Gui and Cao Sui to Emperor Shenzong of Song.
Peking University Institute of History – Fan Guoqiang: Xiao He was the founding prime minister of Liu Bang. He established many rules and regulations, and later appointed a successor, Cao Shen. After Cao Shen took over, none of the rules changed, and he strictly followed Xiao He’s methods, resulting in a peaceful and peaceful country during the reign of Emperor Hui of Han.
From Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang of Han to Emperor Jingdi Liu Qi of Han, Huang Laozhi, who had been quiet and inactive for 70 years, ruled the country. This was also an important reason for the rapid recovery of national strength to the prosperous era of the rule of literature and Jing. Sima Guang used the allusion of Xiao Gui and Cao Sui to remind Emperor Shenzong of Song that governing the country is not only about not changing the ancestral methods, but most importantly, not giving officials the opportunity to fish and meat the people. However, Emperor Shenzong of Song remained unmoved. In his view, conservative forces opposed the reform and were politically inactive. On the path of reform, Emperor Shenzong of Song gave Wang Anshi immense trust and support, to the extent that in the minds of later generations, they became the ideal candidates for reform. The ancient model of the integration of monarchs and officials, but the emperor still did not withstand waves of opposition attacks. At a critical moment of reform and reform, most areas of the Northern Song Dynasty experienced a drought that lasted for ten months, The lives of the common people were plunged into hardship, and a picture shook Emperor Shenzong of Song’s stance. In the capital, there was an official named Zheng Xia who saw the plight of the refugees in the nine months of overwhelming sandstorms. Due to the Qingmiao Law and Immunization Law, the court had to pursue taxes from them. This scene made him feel like a knife in his heart. Therefore, he presented a memorial to Emperor Shenzong of Song and drew a picture of the refugees himself. After reading this picture, Emperor Shenzong of Song couldn’t help but quietly shed tears. He was very distressed and confused because he couldn’t understand how to enrich the country and the people. How could the Reform Movement with the goal of strengthening the military be such a situation where the world is extremely sad and the people at home are boiling with resentment? He really can’t figure out where the Reform Movement went wrong? The refugee plot alarmed the scholars who were concerned about the country and the people, requesting the dismissal of the new law. The memorial to dismiss Wang Anshi flew towards Emperor Shenzong of Song like snowflakes. Emperor Shenzong of Song, who trusted Wang Anshi immensely, became indecisive in the face of natural disasters and was questioned by the opposition. The young seedlings were exempt from labor, which hindered agriculture. The world was complaining about the common people. The reform and reform was aimed at enriching the country and strengthening the people, but it brought such a disaster to the people. At this time, Emperor Shenzong of Song carefully considered the opinions of the opposition. Moreover, for the balance of power within the court, he could not neglect one aspect and lose the other.
In 1074 AD, Emperor Shenzong of Song dismissed Wang Anshi from office. In fact, during the implementation of Wang Anshi’s new laws, significant achievements were made. For example, after the implementation of the Farmland Water Conservancy Law, more than 10000 water conservancy projects were built in various regions, and a large amount of farmland was irrigated. The Qingmiao Law not only helped farmers overcome the difficult time of being unable to meet the demand, but also suppressed the continued spread of land consolidation, greatly stimulating agricultural production in the Song Dynasty. Various new legal systems also cannot be ignored in increasing the fiscal revenue of the government. From the perspective of later generations, Wang Anshi’s understanding of the economy has approached the perspective of modern economics. He not only understood and mastered the use of financial credit to stimulate economic development, but also attempted to build on this foundation. Designing a complete system, we have to say that Wang Anshi’s reform was forward-looking, but he may have been too far ahead, Far beyond the acceptable limits of society at that time, there was also a lack of necessary technological support. Whether it is issues with the policy itself or omissions in its implementation, or even mistakes in personnel selection, despite facing heavy criticism for the reform, Wang Anshi still takes strong measures to promote the reform movement. He remains unwavering in the reform, and whoever does not implement it will leave. He vigorously transfers and suppresses officials who oppose the reform. However, in reality, the reform has deeply touched the interests of various aspects of society.
Although Emperor Shenzong of Song reappointed Wang Anshi as prime minister, Wang Anshi had clearly shown inadequate leadership in government affairs, and the political reform movement was intermittent. The contradictions between the new and old parties still existed, and the power struggle within the new party intensified. In fact, the entire political reform movement had failed in practice at this point. Whether it was Wang Anshi or Sima Guang, their personal qualities were outstanding when measured by the moral standards of the time. Wang Anshi was simple and frugal, knowledgeable and talented, and was likely the only prime minister in history who did not sit in a sedan chair, did not take concubines, and had no inheritance after death. In order to promote the new policy, it was only natural for Wang Anshi to suppress and exclude the opposition, but he only demoted him and never fabricated charges to frame his opponents. Even after his resignation, he still stood up against the political enemy Su Dongpo, who was deeply involved in the Wutai Poetry Case and in a dangerous situation. Book Emperor, speak frankly that the wise emperor has no reason to kill talented people.
Sima Guang also had the magnanimity of a politician and the character of an upright person. Although he strongly opposed Wang Anshi’s policies, on the contrary, Wang Anshi’s articles were righteous and had many shortcomings. After Wang Anshi’s death, Sima Guang, who was lying in bed, suggested that the court increase the burial allowance. Wang Anshi was not bad, but a bit stubborn. When Wang Anshi passed away, the old party gained power, and Su Dongpo, in his writing for the court, was able to uphold his conscience and give a fair and noble evaluation of Wang Anshi. He collected the remains of the six arts, cut off his own opinions, reviewed the relics of a hundred schools of thought, and became a new scholar. He was famous for a while, had studied for a thousand years, had wisdom enough to reach his path, could argue his words, and had magnificent writings that could embellish all things. His outstanding actions were enough to stir up the world. The two opposing sides lived in such a way, not only in moral nobility, but also in political civilization. The calamity of party imprisonment in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the Niu Li party struggle in the Tang Dynasty were all just swords and light. Jianying, it seems that only the Song Dynasty could achieve this, but ultimately, the nobility of morality does not necessarily mean the correctness of actions. They seem to be too loyal to their political ideals and beliefs, leading to disputes caused by differences in political views, He irreversibly fell into the historical curse of the struggle between gentlemen and villains, and both political tolerance and necessary compromises disappeared. History is complex, and the evaluation of history is constantly changing. Today, when we look back at the evaluation of Wang Anshi and his reforms over 900 years ago, what kind of inspiration should we get?
90 Seconds of History: The Difficulty of Jingkang
Zhao Ji, who was not prepared for a successor, ascended to the throne due to the sudden death of Song Zhezong. He was the fallen ruler of the Northern Song Dynasty, Song Huizong. Song Huizong, who was full of artistic ability, was known for being able to do everything but could not be a ruler. During his reign, he achieved great success, worked hard for the people and lost money, appointed treacherous officials, and made inappropriate decisions, causing the flourishing Northern Song Dynasty to quickly decline. Faced with the rapidly rising power of the Jin Dynasty in the north, Song Huizong made repeated mistakes, ultimately leading to a situation where wolves entered the house. Under the pressure of the Jin army, he hastily abdicated and abdicated the throne, abdicating it to the same emperor. The unprepared son of Emperor Qinzong ultimately led to the siege of the capital Bianliang once again. Helplessly, Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong were captured, which became the famous Jingkang Incident in history. As a result, the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed, and the Jingkang Incident emerged in such a tragic situation, What kind of social events have you experienced?
