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王安石 Wang Anshi (1021 - 1068) Statesman with a gift for writing
November 18, 2011, Friday
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WANG Anshi was a renowned statesman, economist, writer and poet in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). But above all, he has been highly regarded as the greatest socioeconomic reformist in 11th century China.
Wang came from a family of imperial scholars living in Fuzhou in today?ˉs Jiangxi Province in eastern China. When he was a young child, Wang began to show a strong interest in studying and he had a great memory. Even in his late years, Wang could still recite articles and poems that he learned during his childhood.
Wang was also a highly gifted writer and poet. He was reputed as one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties. Many of his essays and poems have been widely read by Chinese scholars and ordinary people as well. And some lines from his poems, such as: ?°Spring winds paint the south of Yangtze green again, when will a bright moon light up my journey back home there;?± have become household words among many Chinese speakers.
However, Wang did not embark on his political career until 1042, after he passed the highest-level imperial examination and obtained the title Jinshi or ?°presented scholar.?±
For nearly 20 years, Wang first served in regional governments in today?ˉs Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in eastern China. During this period, he gained valuable experience in local government and studied problems in the existing social, economic, military and educational systems at the grass-roots and provincial levels.
In 1058, based on his experience and study, he presented to Emperor Renzong a 10,000-plus word ?°Yanshi Shu,?± a proposal on reforming the existing socioeconomic systems to help bail the country out of a quagmire of decreasing state revenue, soaring inflation, swelling budget deficits and widespread corruption. In the proposal, he advocated the idea of ?°promoting productivity and allocating wealth according to needs.?±
However, the emperor didn?ˉt appreciate Wang?ˉs reform policies and thus, ignored his proposal.
It was not until the next emperor came to the throne that Wang was summoned for advice on launching reform policies. In 1069, Emperor Shenzong named Wang vice prime minister in charge of the reform initiatives. And next year, Wang was promoted to the office of prime minister and was given the power to implement the new policies.
Wang?ˉs new policies focused on three aspects: restructuring the state finance and trade system, revamping the military and social order, and improving education.
In order to encourage peasants to increase grain production, Wang introduced a ?°Young Crop Law,?± to allocate government loans to peasants during the planting seasons and collect the payback at harvests. He also encouraged local governments to build water conservancy projects.
To beef up the defense, Wang introduced an ?°Officer-Soldier Law,?± assigning veteran military officers to teach at boot camps and requiring more face-to-face time between officers and soldiers.
In addition, Wang organized households into 10-household and 50-household units to ensure collective responsibility in society and to help strengthen local defense.
To cultivate more pragmatic government officials and politicians, Wang reformed the traditional imperial examination system by emphasizing tests in law, military and current affairs instead of the classic literature.
However, Wang?ˉs bold and controversial new policies had met deep-rooted resistance from the conservatives. Due to the great pressure from opponents of the reforms, Emperor Shenzong had dismissed and then reinstated Wang several times. Eventually, Wang retired in 1076 and gradually, all his new policies were later rescinded.
The great socioeconomic reformist spent his last 10 years writing, including some poems. He died in 1086, one year after Emperor Shenzong passed away.
Wang came from a family of imperial scholars living in Fuzhou in today?ˉs Jiangxi Province in eastern China. When he was a young child, Wang began to show a strong interest in studying and he had a great memory. Even in his late years, Wang could still recite articles and poems that he learned during his childhood.
Wang was also a highly gifted writer and poet. He was reputed as one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties. Many of his essays and poems have been widely read by Chinese scholars and ordinary people as well. And some lines from his poems, such as: ?°Spring winds paint the south of Yangtze green again, when will a bright moon light up my journey back home there;?± have become household words among many Chinese speakers.
However, Wang did not embark on his political career until 1042, after he passed the highest-level imperial examination and obtained the title Jinshi or ?°presented scholar.?±
For nearly 20 years, Wang first served in regional governments in today?ˉs Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in eastern China. During this period, he gained valuable experience in local government and studied problems in the existing social, economic, military and educational systems at the grass-roots and provincial levels.
In 1058, based on his experience and study, he presented to Emperor Renzong a 10,000-plus word ?°Yanshi Shu,?± a proposal on reforming the existing socioeconomic systems to help bail the country out of a quagmire of decreasing state revenue, soaring inflation, swelling budget deficits and widespread corruption. In the proposal, he advocated the idea of ?°promoting productivity and allocating wealth according to needs.?±
However, the emperor didn?ˉt appreciate Wang?ˉs reform policies and thus, ignored his proposal.
It was not until the next emperor came to the throne that Wang was summoned for advice on launching reform policies. In 1069, Emperor Shenzong named Wang vice prime minister in charge of the reform initiatives. And next year, Wang was promoted to the office of prime minister and was given the power to implement the new policies.
Wang?ˉs new policies focused on three aspects: restructuring the state finance and trade system, revamping the military and social order, and improving education.
In order to encourage peasants to increase grain production, Wang introduced a ?°Young Crop Law,?± to allocate government loans to peasants during the planting seasons and collect the payback at harvests. He also encouraged local governments to build water conservancy projects.
To beef up the defense, Wang introduced an ?°Officer-Soldier Law,?± assigning veteran military officers to teach at boot camps and requiring more face-to-face time between officers and soldiers.
In addition, Wang organized households into 10-household and 50-household units to ensure collective responsibility in society and to help strengthen local defense.
To cultivate more pragmatic government officials and politicians, Wang reformed the traditional imperial examination system by emphasizing tests in law, military and current affairs instead of the classic literature.
However, Wang?ˉs bold and controversial new policies had met deep-rooted resistance from the conservatives. Due to the great pressure from opponents of the reforms, Emperor Shenzong had dismissed and then reinstated Wang several times. Eventually, Wang retired in 1076 and gradually, all his new policies were later rescinded.
The great socioeconomic reformist spent his last 10 years writing, including some poems. He died in 1086, one year after Emperor Shenzong passed away.
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